Graduation Support Fund

Graduation will always be a special day in a student’s life and at De Montfort University we work especially hard to ensure you have the most fantastic finale to your time at university. We recognise some students might not be able to attend their ceremony as they are unable to meet the cost guest tickets and gown hire.

We are therefore offering students who are facing genuine, unexpected and unavoidable financial hardship the opportunity to apply to our Graduation Support Fund by submitting an application to receive two guest tickets and gown hire with no charge. Note students don’t have to pay for their own ticket go graduate.

Important Information about tickets

 If applying to the Graduation Support Fund you must: 

• Still book your own place at the relevant Graduation ceremony by the deadline of Monday 16 December at 5pm
• Purchase guest tickets - as the outcome of your application to the fund won’t be known until after the ticket booking window has closed. 

Don’t wait until the outcome of your application to the support fund – your ceremony may have sold out of guest tickets and there will be no alternative guest ticket option.   If your application to the Fund is successful and you have purchased two guest tickets, you will receive a refund for the cost.  

In applying for the fund, you are acknowledging that: 

• If your application to the Support Fund is successful and subsequently you do not pass your course in full – and the results notified to you by the faculty – you will not be able to attend the graduation ceremony, the award of the Fund doesn’t confirm you have passed your course.

How to apply 

In order to apply you need to submit: 

• The Graduation Support Fund Application form
• A statement of 300-400 words on the application form, detailing recent, unexpected financial pressures which may prevent you from attending your graduation - note that any content over 400 words won’t be considered
• Up to four supporting documents evidencing your application – no applications will be considered without supporting documents  
• Submit the form and supporting evidence by email to academicawards@dmu.ac.uk with ‘Graduation Support Fund’ in the email title by Monday 16 December at 5pm

Applications received without supporting evidence will be ineligible for consideration.

How applications are assessed: panel procedure 

Eligible applications are considered by a university panel with experience of assessing student financial hardship. The panel will consider all eligible applications and decisions will be notified to applicants no later than 15 January 2025. The support fund is awarded where applicants have demonstrated they’ve met all or most of the criteria, based on the panel review of the information submitted.  

If your application is successful and you have already purchased two guest tickets and ordered your robe, the cost of these will be refunded. If your application is successful but you have not successfully passed all of your course the award will not be processed as you will no longer be eligible to graduate in February 2025 and graduation robes and guest tickets will be cancelled.   

The panel will only consider applications from students eligible to attend the current graduation schedule and not defer their application to a future ceremony. The decision of the panel is final and is not subject to appeal. 

Please see eligibility checklist below before submitting your application.

Eligibility checklist 

The support fund is awarded where applicants have demonstrated they’ve met all or most of the below criteria. The maximum award is for the cost of graduation robe hire and two guest tickets.

Students must be eligible to attend the February 2025 graduation ceremonies as you have passed all aspects of your course between the dates of  1 July 2024 and 29 November 2024  and received confirmation from the Faculty. 

• Must not be a debtor to the university, including library, tuition fees (including fee payment plans) or equipment debt.
• Must demonstrate financial hardship through a 300 to 400 word submission on the application form and up to four supporting documents which evidences the application (each must be no more than one side of A4)
• Your documentary information could for example, evidence:
  • Disability (Personal Independence Payment/Disability Living Allowance)
  • Evidence of unexpected loss of income such as redundancy (P45) or reduced working hours
  • Income related benefits, medical evidence,
  • Current bank account statements which demonstrate financial hardship, income, proof of current day to day cost of living outgoings
  • Demonstration of exceptional circumstances that have caused you recent financial hardship 

• Your submission could, for example, include reference to:
  • Substantial hardship
  • SLC funding not covering living expenses
  • Previously receiving some form of hardship payment i.e. estranged student’s bursary
  • Studying whilst supporting a family or family members
  • Being unable to ask for support from family members or family members unable to give support
  • Illness, or incidents that have resulted in financial hardship for the applicant
  • Completion of a programme with additional costs such as high printing or materials costs 

Graduation Support Fund Terms and Conditions 

1. The Graduation Support Fund is not transferrable to another student or alternative ceremony
2. The Graduation Support Fund is not transferrable to a future graduation schedule
3. There is no cash alternative to the Fund
4. You must be eligible to attend graduation in the February 2025 ceremonies, as you have passed all aspects of your course between the dates of 1 July 2024  and 29 November 2024 and this is confirmed by the faculty
5. Decision of the panel is final, there is no route of appeal