SUPPORT FUNDING APPLICATIONS OPEN 26 OCTOBER
Please take some time to read through the information below before completing the application Student Group Support Funding (Term 1) Application Form. The form will open on 26 October and close on 16 November.
As part of a Student Group, we understand that sometimes finances can become an issue and can even prevent any growth and development. One of our aims at the Students’ Union is to support your groups’ progression, which is why we have funding opportunities available throughout the year. You can read more about these in the Student Group Funding Policy Framework.
In this article, we will be talking about Support Funding. Support Funding applications open when a group's membership has been active for around eight weeks. This should allow enough time for committees to more accurately project their income and expenditure for the rest of the year.
This funding takes place in Term 1. Applications open in October and close in November. It is important to note that, although applications take place in Term 1, the funding will be allocated following the announcement of decisions in December. Therefore, this funding should not be relied upon to cover any Term 1 activities.
This year's application dates are:
Applications open: Monday 26 October 2026
Applications close: Monday 16 November 2026
Decision emails sent: Second week of December 2026
Eligibility requirements
There are some requirements to being able to apply for funding. The eligibility requirements are:
The group must be ratified by the Students’ Union.
The three core committee roles (President, Treasurer and Secretary/Vice President) must be filled.
The group should contain a sustainable number of members.
The committee will have discussed the funding request and be in agreement with the application.
If the group has a historical deficit, the student group must have a working Deficit Management Plan in place.
The group must have adhered to the published deadlines and completed a comprehensive application form within the timeframe given.
You must also have filled in your budget form over the summer. If not, you will need to fill in the budget form provided on your Google Drive.
You must provide evidence of attempts to secure fundraising or sponsorship.
Please make sure your group meets these requirements before applying.
The process to apply for Support Funding will be:
First, you will need to check if your group is eligible to apply for the funding. You can read about the eligibility above or in the Student Group Funding Policy Framework.
The committee will need to fill in the application form with the help of the Student Group Funding Policy Framework, including the funding principles and criteria in Appendix 1.
Once the deadline has closed, the application will go to a panel where a decision will be taken. The decision will be based on the funding principles and criteria and how these apply to the submission.
Once the panel has reached a decision, applicants will receive an email. This year, decision emails will be sent during the second week of December 2026.
How are funding decisions made?
All decisions are made by a panel consisting of two Sabbatical Officers, two SSO members and three members of permanent staff.
The panel will assess applications against the published funding principles and criteria. Funding is not guaranteed, and the amount awarded may differ from the amount requested.
All decisions are final, and there is no appeals process available. Any emails regarding appeals will be met with the same response.
When will funding be allocated?
Funding will be allocated following the announcement of decisions in December 2026 and will go into your group's grant account.
Please remember that this funding should not be relied upon for the running of your group in Term 1, as the outcome will not be communicated until the second week of December.
Any money not spent by the end of the academic year will be reclaimed by the Students’ Union.
Ready to apply?
Applications open on Monday 26 October 2026 and close on Monday 16 November 2026.
[Student Group Support Funding (Term 1) Application Form – available from 26 October]
Please make sure you have read the Student Group Funding Policy Framework before submitting your application.