The importance of bursaries and hardship funding

As students are increasingly affected by the current economic situation, we discuss with Dr Andrew Hull, Head of Undergraduate Programmes at Henley Business School, the importance of the support that Henley bursaries and hardship funding provide.

What is the importance of the availability of financial support for students at Henley?

The provision of financial support for our students is critical to the School’s ethos. The availability of bursaries and hardship funding give academically gifted young people the opportunity to study at Henley and to continue to do so when their personal circumstances change for the worse. I have seen young people from non-traditional backgrounds flourishing in their studies and doing well in the workplace afterwards thanks to the financial support offered by Henley.

How is the current cost of living crisis impacting students?

Students are disproportionally impacted by the current economic situation. Also, the School’s proximity to London makes living and studying at Henley Business School an expensive proposition. An increasing number of students are taking on part-time jobs and/or they are living at home, because they cannot afford their own accommodation. This makes it more difficult for them to concentrate on their studies. The situation is harsher for those for whom living at home or taking part-time work is not an option due to personal circumstances.

What further support would you like to see?

The collective generosity of our alumni allows the School to support a limited number of bursaries, a small proportion of the deserving applications that we receive each year. If a higher number of our alumni supported the Student Support Fund, the impact on the students would be greatly increased. It would also be desirable to be able to help students with the hidden costs of studying, such as the cost of transport, books, and computers. Only some students can count on family support for these expenses, which for many families are a burden adding pressure on their already strained finances.

Thanks to the collective generosity of the Henley Business School community, we are able to support financially vulnerable students. However, the number of students applying for bursaries and hardship funding continues to increase, in line with the situation reported by the Financial Times and The Guardian. In response to this, we have launched a Student Support Appeal to ensure the sustainability of this important provision.

To learn more about student support at Henley please contact the Development Team.              

To make a gift to the Henley Student Support Fund please visit the dedicated website.