What is the Fund? 

The Postgraduate Events Hardship Fund is a fund for students who are struggling to attend GSA events due to financial constraints. The fund was created in collaboration with YuFund and is open to all Postgraduate students, though claimants are restricted to apply for funding for GSA events only. Other financial support will not be granted.

How do I apply? 

Applications for the Postgraduate Events Hardship Fund are relatively straightforward. Applications can be made here, after reading all of the information on this webpage. We ask that if possible, you purchase the ticket for the event you wish to attend first before applying. However, we recognise that this is not always possible, and as a result a limited number of tickets will be reserved for each event specifically for applications via the hardship fund. Then please apply to the Events Hardship Fund, and the GSA will consider your application. However, we cannot guarantee that spaces will remain available for the events as we consider your application. We cannot consider applications for events that have already sold out.

Who can apply? 

Any Postgraduate students can apply. This includes part time students and distance learners. The criteria of the Fund is that you must be able to demonstrate financial hardship. This might be that you are a student parent or carer, or that you are in an overdraft. You will be given space to explain why you are applying for the Postgraduate Events Hardship Fund.

Full step by step details of the fund – please read before applying

Students will be asked to provide a statement explaining why they feel they need financial support for attending a GSA event along with some questions about themselves. Please specify any financial or social information you believe relevant. There will also be an opportunity to provide screenshots or other documentation.

Applications will be reviewed on a weekly basis by Troy Carruthers, Communications and Events Manager, and Bella Lin, Vice President Wellbeing and Community.

If the annual allocation has been spent in full before the end of the academic year, further applications to the fund will not receive any funding.

The decision of the staff team is final.

A decision on an application will be provided within a maximum of  10 working days upon receipt of the application. Where further information or clarification is requested to inform assessment of an application, this decision may take longer.

Once an application is accepted, the agreed upon  funding contribution is directly transferred to the bank account of the applying member.

Events hardship funding will be reimbursed to students who have already bought a ticket to a GSA event. Funding cannot be provided to students who cannot prove their attendance at a GSA event.

This funding is specifically relating to events. This is not a general hardship fund. If you are struggling financially or to pay bills, we suggest you visit the University of York webpages available here:

If you are unable to purchase a ticket in advance for an event or you wish to discuss funding for something else related to events and activities at the GSA, please email communications@yorkgsa.org with your query.

This funding would not be possible without YuFund, so we extend our sincerest thanks to them for their grant.

Application Form

Please make your application for the Events Hardship Fund here