Apply for financial hardship assistance

To be eligible to apply for financial hardship assistance, you must:

• be currently enrolled at UQ
• have completed at least one semester of full time study, or be enrolled after census date of your first semester
• be able to show that you have a temporary, unexpected financial need in one of the categories listed below
• demonstrate that you have the ability and intention to complete your program

You can use financial hardship assistance grants for: 

• rent or bond
• utility bills (e.g. electricity, gas, water)
• public transport
• required study-related equipment
• medical expenses, including medicine, hospital treatment and specialist appointments (e.g. X-ray, CT scan, emergency dental)
• basic furnishing for establishing a living environment
• emergency relief (e.g. for family illness or theft)
• relocation costs due to crisis (e.g. fire, domestic violence or unsafe living conditions)
• unforeseen school and childcare costs.

You can't use financial hardship assistance grants for:

• tuition fees or Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF)
• university fines
• speeding and parking fines
• holidays or non-essential spending
• credit card repayments
• house repairs
• student visa fees and charges
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OHSC)
• costs or debts you had before you started studying at UQ
• costs incurred outside of Australia. 

Step 1: Submit an application

To apply, you need to submit an online application with the following supporting documents:

• identification: your UQ student ID, plus one of your driver's license, Medicare card or passport
• proof of income: at least 2 payslips or a current Centrelink Income Statement
• bank statement: current bank account statements for the past 3 months (this must be an official statement; you can't submit a screenshot of your account)
• proof of financial need: a quote, invoice or bill for the item you require financial assistance with.

Step 2: Meet with a Student Adviser

After you submit your application, a Student Adviser will contact you to request more documents (if applicable) or to arrange a face-to-face or ZOOM meeting to:

• confirm your eligibility for financial assistance
• talk about other support services that may be helpful
• give you advice on managing your finances.

The Student Adviser may ask you to provide more documentation before they organise the meeting.

What happens next

After the meeting, you'll usually find out whether your application is successful within 5 business days.

Meeting the eligibility criteria doesn't guarantee that you'll receive financial assistance. Grants are awarded based on financial need. If your application is unsuccessful, it doesn't mean that you're not in need, but other applicants have been assessed as having a greater need.