Help students in financial difficulties by donating to the Student Hardship Fund
Students at Kingston University are doing all they can to transform their life chances, and we don't want a lack of finances to stop them. We are working round the clock to support students in need.
The pandemic was especially difficult for students to manage. Now, with the cost-of-living crisis, students are faced with even greater financial difficulties.
39% of students at Kingston University come from families with an income of under £25,000.
How you can help
By making a donation to the Student Hardship Fund, you will help students who struggle to complete their studies due to lack of funds.
While I was studying at Kingston, I was told that I had to pay back thousands of pounds to the Department of Work and Pensions after multiple errors resulted in Universal Credit overpayment.
The DWP advisor assured me that I was receiving the correct amount, but a few months into my degree, I received an official letter confirming that they had overpaid me by around £2,000. The following year, I was overpaid again – this time by £10,000.
With this huge debt hanging over me, I tried to complete my studies while supporting my three-year-old son, but my mental health suffered.
At this point the KU Cares Team stepped in to help. They provided a hardship grant so that I could afford to complete my studies and graduate with a first-class BA (Hons) in Working with Children and Young People.
KU Cares also helped me to get the DWP to acknowledge that the overpayment was their fault, at which point DWP waivered part of the debt – though I'm still paying back the remainder and managing the longer-term impact of the ordeal.
Rochelle
Any questions?
Please do get in touch if you have any queries about making a donation to Kingston University.
Call us on: +44 (0) 20 8419 3299
Email us at development@kingston.ac.uk
Development, Alumni Relations and Engagement
Second Floor, Main Building
Kingston University,
Penrhyn Road,
Kingston upon Thames,
Surrey, KT1 2EE
