Supporting you and cost of living update

Read a message from Claire Morgan, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students sent on 13 October.

Dear student,

In my message last week, I outlined some of the extra support we’ve already put in place to help you with the rising cost of living, and the impact that it’s having on you.

This week the University’s Executive Board approved more support for you, our students, including:

• expanding the team that assess applications to our Financial Assistance Programme, meaning applications can be assessed and payments made promptly. As I mentioned last time I wrote, the budget for this programme has been increased to £1m, and it is available to those who need help covering their essential living or study costs
• increasing access to limited emergency payments for students
• emergency four-day supply bags will soon be available on a Friday for those that need them
• removing fines in our Libraries for the late return of books, and giving every student on a bursary, £10 printer credit
• extending additional support to postgraduate student care leavers, young carers, estranged students and those students who served in the military

Other support from Catering includes:

• sandwich meal deals reduced by 30p, and affordable ‘grab and go options’
• a £5 voucher for students who download the Cardiff University Food app during October – available for free from the App Store or Google Play
• monthly community dining – free dinner at Green Shoots Café for up to 50 students during term time. Follow @CUFoods for more information.

The support I’ve mentioned in this message is of course in addition to the support we already offer to help you manage and save your money and cut costs, such as unlimited 30-minute slots on Ovo bikes. It is also in addition to the one-off cost of living support payment we’ve previously made to all our postgraduate research students who are teaching. My thanks to the Students’ Union for their support and input.

As always, please contact Student Connect if you require help or support or visit our Centre for Student Life.

Best wishes,

Claire Morgan
Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education and Student Experience