RIBAEducationFund-GuidanceNotesforApplicants

7/27/2019 RIBAEducationFund-GuidanceNotesforApplicants

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RIBA Education Fund – Information to applicants

Background and aims

The aim of the RIBA Education Fund is to alleviate the financial hardship ofarchitecture students, in order to widen participation in architectural education and inthe profession.

The Fund exists to aid committed students of architecture to continue their studies bymaking maintenance grants and one-off payments to students experiencing financialhardship during the course of study.

What can it help with?If you’re in hardship or need extra financial support, you can apply to the RIBAEducation Fund.

The Trustees will look at individual circumstances. Grants can be awarded, forexample:

• For general living and course costs that are not already covered by otherforms of financial help;

• For students who encounter exceptional costs, or unexpected financialhardship during the course of their architectural education because ofsituations such as illness, bereavement or changes in family circumstances;

• For specific, one-off costs, such as printing, books or course-relatedequipment or study trips.

Eligibility and selection criteria• The RIBA Education Fund is open to students studying an RIBA-validated

Part 1 or Part 2 course in architecture in the UK.

• Applicants should have successfully completed the first year of an RIBA- validated Part 1 course in the UK.

• The student must have been resident in the UK for at least 3 years prior tothe start of their first course in architecture.

Please also note the additional eligibility criteria:

• Students studying on courses with RIBA candidate status may also beconsidered.

•

Students who have already obtained a degree in another subject are onlyconsidered on an exceptional basis (see FAQ note below).

• A student who is repeating part of the course will normally only be supportedif there are medical reasons, or on compassionate grounds because ofpersonal or domestic problems.

• An exception to the above residency criteria applies to applicants who havelived in the UK for a substantial part of their life but was not a resident threeyears prior to the start of their course because of being moved abroad byparents, guardians, or due to spouse’s employment. Applicants who areresident of the Channel Islands and Isle of Man may also be considered.

RIBA Education Fund - Information to applicants

Last updated 26/07/2011

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Other sources of financial assistance

The level of grants made by the RIBA Education Fund varies, but rarely exceeds£1,000. The funds are very limited, and they cannot substitute assistance provided byStudent Finance or grants provided by Universities.

Universities have hardship funds available to students, and you should apply to thisin the first instance. Please indicate on your application form that you haveinvestigated such sources of assistance, and declare the outcome of your application.

How to applyStudents will need to complete the application form (available to download from

www.architecture.com/educationfund ).

The application form addresses your personal financial situation as well as youracademic record and promise as a student of architecture. It is therefore important

that:• The financial information you provide is complete and accurate. You are

required to submit your most recent bank statements to verify the informationprovided.

• If you are unmarried and under the age of 25, both your parents provideinformation relating to their income and sign this part of the form. If theyprefer, they can provide this information direct to the RIBA in a sealedenvelope. If you are married or co-habiting regardless of age, yourspouse/partner is required to complete and sign this section.

• Your personal statement outlines, as concisely as possible, why you should besupported by the RIBA Education Fund. Please give any specific information

you feel to be important to your case.• Your tutor’s reference provides information of you as a student, your progress

to date on the course and your potential, and acknowledges support for yourapplication.

• Your tutor (or course leader) is also required to sign and confirm that, to thebest of their knowledge, all the information you have provided is accurate.

How are the funds allocated? Applications are considered by the Trustees of the Education Fund. The Trustees ofthe Fund assess all applications rigorously and in confidence.

They will look at your individual circumstances. The following groups are prioritiesfor support:

• If you are thinking of giving up your course because of financial problems andneed extra support to help you keep studying. If this is the case, the Trustees

would expect you to have discussed this with your tutor, or relevant staffmember at your University, and acknowledged in your tutor’s reference.

• If you have experienced exceptional personal difficulties that have impactedon your financial situation

• If you are a final year student (of Part I and Part II), as the intention is tosupport students in their final stages of education in order to allow them toprogress towards qualification.

The level of grant varies depending on the individual circumstances and amount offunding available. Grants can vary between £100-£1,500.



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How are payments made? All grant payments are made by cheque, and are either made as one-off payments oras maintenance grants paid in installments over a period of an academic year.

Deadline Applications are assessed at fixed points throughout the academic year and should bereceived by 5pm on the following dates.

Monday 5 SeptemberMonday 17 OctoberMonday 28 NovemberMonday 9 JanuaryMonday 20 FebruaryMonday 2 AprilMonday 7 May

The Trustees endeavour to respond within three weeks of the deadlines.

Please note that the funds are limited, and grants can only be made for as long as thefunding remains. Applicants are therefore encouraged to apply early in the academicyear, as there will be fewer funds available for applications received towards the endof the academic year.

Duration Applicants can only apply once during the academic year.

All applicants (successful and unsuccessful) are able to reapply for funding in future

academic years if their circumstances require it.

General terms and conditions

• All applications are treated in confidence.

• The RIBA may contact successful applicants for fundraising and publicitypurposes, but we will not pass your details on to a third party.

More useful links:For information on loans, grants, trust funds, university bursaries and other avenues

to explore visit:• The Student Finance website www.directgov.org.uk

• Career Development Loans www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/cdl

• Universities and Colleges Admission Servicehttp://www.ucas.com/students/studentfinance

• National Union of Students (NUS) www.nusonline.co.uk

• Architects Benevolent Society http://www.absnet.org.uk

• Universities can provide selective help at their discretion through Access toLearning Fund to students who have serious financial difficulties. Ask atyour university Finance Office for more information or visit the Directgov

website:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/UniversityAndHigherEducation/StudentFinance/Extrahelp



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• Some universities have their own University Hardship Funds to supportstudents in financial difficulties. The finance office at your university will beable to help.

• Educational Grants Advisory Service: 501-505 Kingsland Road London E8

4AU. T +44 (0)20 7249 6636 www.family-action.org.uk • Citizens Advice Bureau: Contact your local branch or see

www.adviceguide.org.uk

• The British Council offers links to bursaries and scholarships connected toindividual universities and nationalities of students www.britishcouncil.org.uk

• The website www.brightknowledge.org provides a range of information tostudents about education, finance, careers and student life.

• For other scholarships and bursaries offered by the RIBA visit the Educationpages of the RIBA website www.architecture.com/EducationAndCareers

Frequently Asked Questions

1.Q: I am in the first year of my Part II and have only just returned to school after a periodof work experience, therefore I haven’t had enough contact with my personal tutor forthem to feel able to give a personal reference. Can I attach a reference from my mostrecent employer?

A: Yes. The reference is to give the committee information on you as a student ofarchitecture, which includes the professional experience. The reference shouldacknowledge their support for your application. However, in addition, you should

also try to obtain a reference from your tutor in the final year of your Part 1 course.

2.Q: I don’t receive bank statements through the post, how can I provide you with my bankstatements without requesting these specifically from the bank?

A: a statement showing the previous month’s transaction from your internet banking isfine. Please ensure that your name and account details are on the statement.

3.Q: Why do you require details of Parents’ income? What if they don’t want to give thisinformation?

A: If you have indicated parental support in section D of the application form, it isrelevant to the Trustees’ assessment of your financial situation. If you are financiallyindependent from your parents, or it is otherwise not relevant to your financialsituation, you do not have to complete this section. If your parents do not want toreveal this information to you, they can send this information separately to the RIBA.

4.Q: Your eligibility criteria states that you support students studying architecture as asecond degree on an exceptional basis. What do you find define as an ‘exceptionalbasis’?

A: Trustees will consider this on a case to case basis. A typical example might be where a career change has been necessary due to health reasons. The funding availablefor grants is limited, and do not allow the Trustees to help all the students they would



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often like to. Therefore funding has to be prioritised to those pursuing architecture asa first degree.

5.

Q: I am a part-time student, am I eligible?

A: Yes – both full-time and part-time students from RIBA-validated schools areeligible to apply for funding.

As the assessment is usually based on the level of income and expenditure, you willneed to demonstrate that your means are insufficient or that the hardship would becreated for your family due to the financial impact of your education.

6.Q: I’ve just missed the application deadline, but am in urgent need of funding – will

you still accept my application?

A: The Trustees may be able to assess applications outside of the deadlines, if thesituation requires it. Please make this clear on your application form, or contact amember of staff in the Education Department to discuss your application.

Students are encouraged to apply early in the academic year to help them plan theirfinances carefully, but we will try to respond to unexpected situations if the student’scase requires it. Please allow for a maximum of three weeks for the Trustees to assessyour application.

If you have any further questions about the application process, contact JoScott in the RIBA Education Department: [email protected] or 020 7307 6378



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Documents

RIBAEducationFund-GuidanceNotesforApplicants