Emergency Funding

If you are experiencing immediate financial difficulties, debt problems or you don't have enough money for food, it's important you access support from the correct services. Some of the services below will be able to advise you on where to go to access emergency payments or food banks in your local area:

The RVC's Student Union offer Emergency Loans to RVC student.  Please see the RVC SU website for more information and to apply

Citizens Advice: Offer a range of financial and consumer advice and support along side benefit and debt advice services. Find your local Citizens Advice office to meet with someone face to face.

Money Advice Service:  The government's website with a raft of information and guidance on how and where to access support including help with taking control of your debt.

Step Change Debt Charity: What to do if you need emergency help with money and food

National Debt Line: Help if you become homeless

The RVC is proud to have signed up to the Stand Alone Pledge demonstrating our commitment to supporting estranged students.

For students who are estranged from (not in contact with) their parents, attending university can be a daunting process. Accessing advice, guidance and support can make the transition to university much smoother.  The RVC offers a dedicated Student Wellbeing Adviser to support Estranged Students and Care Leavers throughout their studies. Email advice@rvc.ac.uk for support and advice both before and during your time at the RVC.

If you have any questions or concerns about your finances/funding, or need help applying to be considered as Estranged or Independent by Student Finance, contact the Student Money Adviser. Our Student Money Adviser can provide advice and make sure you are receiving the correct funding during your studies.  E-mail moneymatters@rvc.ac.uk to make an appointment or if you have any questions about your finances before you join the RVC. Visit Student Finance England to download and complete your Estrangement Confirmation form. If your funding is from Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, please contact those providers to request the Estrangement Confirmation form.

All students who are as assessed by Student Finance as Estranged or Independent, and meet the household income criteria, will be entitled to the RVC Bursary which is £1,000 per year. The RVC also offer an additional summer bursary for students who are Estranged or Care Leavers.

StandAlone support people who have become estranged from their parents.  Their guide offers a variety of information for estranged students. It gives information and advice on the documents you will need to send to Student Finance to confirm you are irreconcilably estranged from your family. 

The EaCES Handbook was created by Estranged and Care Experienced Students in the UK and Republic of Ireland.  It offers hints and tips on applying to university, studying at university and following graduation.  It is was created by students, for students.  You can access the handbook here.

If you are a UK or EU student considering studying on the 4 year Accelerated BVetMed or the 5 year BVetMed as a second degree, please note you will be able to access a maintenance (living cost) loan only. 

Students studying a second degree can not access a tuition fee loan so please consider how you will pay the tuition fees for each year before enrolling.

You may wish to consider applying to charities or trusts for additional financial support.  Please take a look at our Other Funding Sources page.

We would encourage you to apply for your funding as earl as possible (even if you are not sure which university you will be attending) so you know how much funding you can access.  Think carefully about how you will pay your fees for each year of the course and create a budget to consider your living costs.

If you have any questions or queries about funding the Veterinary Medicine as a second degree, please email: moneymatters@rvc.ac.uk

Are you a parent thinking of starting at the RVC or perhaps you are a parent and already here? UCAS has a helpful section for Student with Parental Responsibilities to help you plan for university with lots of advice on things to consider before starting a course, what support the university can offer during your studies and funding as a student parent.

Did you know you could be entitled to additional funding from Student Finance if you are a parent?  Please check out the .gov.uk website for information on the Parent Learning Allowance and Childcare Grant.

Parent Learning Allowance:  Maximum of £1,863 for the 2022/23 academic year

Childcare Grant: To help with the costs of childcare at a registered childcare provide.  Students can claim up to 85% of the costs for children under 15, or under 17 if they have special educational needs.

Gingerbread is a charity who support single parent families and their website has a wealth of information on a variety of areas including funding, benefits and childcare.