All applicants for the fund must:

1. Be a registered student of Queen’s University Belfast enrolled on a programme of study leading to an award (degree, diploma, certificate). (*)
2. Not be in their final year of an undergraduate programme in 2023-24. (i.e. not have successfully completed their programme). (**)
3. Be:
   • A parent: have legal parenthood of a child under 18 years of age, or
   • A carer: looks after a family member, partner or friend who needs help because of their illness, frailty, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction and cannot cope without their support.

Applications will be prioritised from student parents / carers who are ineligible to receive the following payments / support:

• Full-Time Undergraduate Students: Childcare Grant
• Pre-Registration Nursing and Midwifery: Contribution Towards Childcare Costs
• Carer's Allowance

Eligible postgraduate taught & research students and all eligible international students are welcome to apply to this fund.

* Students of St. Mary’s University College, Stranmillis University College or INTO-Queen’s are not eligible to apply.

** Postgraduate students scheduled to complete their studies in September 2024 are eligible to apply.

• All applications will be processed after the application deadline.
• Awards will be decided by a panel within the Students’ Union.
• The panel will make a collective decision, based on the balance of probabilities, on the likely benefit of an award to an applicant to assist them in discharging their parenting / caring responsibilities and in supporting their educational attainment in Queen’s.
• Information provided on applications will be made available to panel members, will be treated confidentially by the panel and used only for the purposes of processing applications and making awards under this scheme.
• Data will be used in accordance with the Students’ Union’s Privacy Notice and only held for as long as is required by the Student’s Union’s Data Retention Schedule.
• Successful applicants will be informed by email of their award within seven working days of the application deadline.
• Awards will only be paid into a UK-based bank/building society account.
• Successful applicants must provide their UK banking details to the Students’ Union within three working days of notification of their award. (The notification date is the date on which the Students’ Union sends notification of the award.)
• Failure to provide UK banking / payment details within the required timeframe will result in a withdrawal of the award.
• Applicants may be disqualified, or awards withdrawn, if untrue/inaccurate information is provided in an application.
• Awards will only consider information provided by applicants in their application.
• Only one application per individual will be accepted.
• The decisions of the panel are final.
• The Students’ Union reserves the right to amend the terms of the fund at any time. Any such changes shall be published on the Students’ Union website and communicated to all applicants via email.
• If an applicant believes that there has been an irregularity in the process, they can make a complaint using the Students’ Union’s Complaint’s Procedure.

• The University has lots of useful information about support and resources for student parents and carers.
• You can find out about the University’s Student Financial Support, including the Support Fund and the Hardship Fund.
• The Students’ Union's SU Advice service can provide confidential advice to Queen’s students on a whole range of issues. They also have loads of great financial support resources which are easily accessible on their website!