Student Support Advisors

Before booking an appointment for financial help, please complete theStudent Financial
Assistance Form

At the appointment, you will need to:

1. Tell us where your money has gone this week (we will need to see transactions for the last week – showing us on mobile/internet banking at the appointment is fine, but we do prefer this to be uploaded with your application if possible)
2. Demonstrate what has put you in hardship
3. Provide verification of any bills/costs you have paid this week (we will need to see a receipt, or show us the payment on mobile/internet banking)
4. Discuss your completed  Student Financial Assistance Form

*Please note - you need to be currently enrolled and attending classes to apply for this funding. International students cannot apply for financial assistance through Student Support at Unitec.

To apply for short-term financial hardship assistance, please follow these steps:

• Book an appointment with a Student Support Advisor 
• Fill in the Student Financial Assistance form
• At your appointment, your Advisor will discuss your situation with you and why you require assistance at this time
• If your appointment is face-to-face, you can show the Advisor verification of your situation at this appointment. We need to see ten days of transactions from all accounts you hold and the main overview page of your internet or mobile banking app showing all accounts you have. These documents must show your name.
• If your appointment is online or a phone appointment, you must upload the main overview page showing all accounts you hold and an unfiltered screenshot or statement showing each account's last ten days of transactions. These documents must show your name.
• You will then discuss the income you receive and outgoing expenses so we can get a full picture of your situation and any assistance or referrals you may need.
• If approved, your Advisor may approve partial or full assistance, which may be a voucher or payment as appropriate and at the discretion of your Advisor and/or the Team Leader for Student Support. 
• Payments to your account may take several weeks, which does not make this an appropriate option where your need is urgent.

We have two grants available for domestic (students who don't pay international student fees) ākonga (students): 

Limited Study Grants are available for most domestic students:

• Study Grants are specifically available for ākonga who are unable to purchase the essential materials they need for their studies
• Ākonga (students) must be currently experiencing financial hardship. 
• These are paid at a maximum of $500 for the year. 
• Approved recipients are unable to apply again in the same calendar year for another Study Grant.
• Successful applicants do not automatically receive $500. Amounts approved will vary and may not match the amount applied for.
• Successful applicants may receive approved funding through vouchers, items needed for study (such as art supplies or safety boots), or a bank transfer. This will be determined at the discretion of the panel assessing the application.
• We have limited funding, so these grants may not always be available.
• You must follow the same steps as the short-term financial hardship assistance (above). You will also need to verify your costs as essential (the name of academic staff who will confirm this should be provided in your application), provide confirmation you have used your StudyLink Course-Related Costs, a one-month bank statement for all accounts you hold and an overview showing all accounts.
• We may request additional documents to support your application or understand your situation better.
• We will not approve grants to ākonga (students) who have not paid their programme fees or have outstanding loan laptops or other debt with Unitec.
• All complete and eligible grant applications will be assessed by a panel of at least three Unitec staff to ensure a fair outcome.
• Students must be enrolled for at least 0.5EFTs for the year to apply.
• Students studying micro-credentials are ineligible for this grant.
• Grants are unavailable during your first two weeks (or 10%) of study each semester.
• Our Advisors do not assess grants. 

Limited Kate Edger Foundation Grants are only available for female ākonga (students).

• Ākonga must be currently experiencing financial hardship. 
• These grants are paid at a maximum of $250 per year and can only be approved once per year.
• Successful applicants will not automatically receive $250. Approvals will vary and may not match the amount applied for.
• Successful applicants may receive approved funding through vouchers, items needed for study (such as art supplies or safety boots), or a bank transfer. This will be determined at the discretion of the panel assessing the application.
• We have limited funding, so these grants may not always be available.
• You must follow the same steps as the short-term financial hardship assistance (above). You will also need to verify your costs as essential if you are requesting course materials (the name of academic staff who will confirm this should be provided in your application), provide confirmation you have used your StudyLink Course-Related Costs, a one-month bank statement for all accounts you hold and an overview showing all accounts.
• We may request additional documents to support your application or understand your situation better.
• We will not approve grants to ākonga (students) who have not paid their programme fees or have outstanding loan laptops or other debt with Unitec.
• All complete and eligible grant applications will be assessed by a panel of at least three Unitec staff to ensure a fair outcome.
• Students must be enrolled for at least 0.5EFTs for the year to apply.
• Students studying micro-credentials are ineligible for this grant.
• Grants are unavailable during your first two weeks (or 10%) of study each semester.
• Our Advisors do not assess grants.

Kate Edger Foundation criteria:

• Ākonga (students) must have New Zealand Permanent Residency or New Zealand Citizenship to apply.
• The grant is to be used for financial difficulty affecting a student's studies caused by an unexpected event.
• The grant must not fund a single event.

Grants will only be awarded for:

• Essential course materials and equipment (for example textbook/s, art supplies, safety boots, nursing uniform)
• Travel to practicum or placement
• Medical, dental, welfare (for self or dependents)
• Accommodation
• Food

We have a food cupboard at both Mt Albert and Waitākere campuses. 

To access the food cupboard, you must:

• Book an appointment with a Student Support Advisor.
• Your Advisor will speak to you about your current situation and why you are requiring food at this time. 
• You do not need to fill in any forms, but we do need to see that you don't have funds to buy food yourself. This will involve showing us via internet banking or mobile banking you do not have the funds to purchase food.