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Survive Thrive Transform the true impact of student financial support delivered via Aspire Feedback from over 4 000 students who have received funding via Aspire illustrates how student financial support transforms student experience continuation future prospects
SURVIVE I was in a desperate moment I have never experienced in my life being homeless the funding helped me out It means a lot to me THRIVE Funds allowed me to participate in extracurricular activities and clubs which adds to my overall university experience TRANSFORM It has provided me with the resources needed to access essential academic materials participate in valuable extracurricular activities and even attend conferences that enhance my learning experience
Table Of Contents Executive Summary 5 Survive 6 From Hardship to Hope Continuation Thrive 8 Participation Travel Resources Transform 10 Managing Finances Opportunity Beyond The Money 12 Conclusion 13
Numbers Themes 4 168 Students feedback on financial support delivered via Aspire 11 Universities 1 Russell Group 2 Guild HE 3 Million Plus From this detailed student feedback the top 10 key themes on the true impact of financial support delivered are Support through crisis ability to continue studies Worries relieved participation belonging Rent bills food groceries dependants Transport commuting Books resources equipment In October 2024 we published our annual report which detailed insights and trends identified across our delivery of almost 40 million of financial support to over 162 000 students in 2023 24 and touched on student feedback This follow up report focuses on student voice feedback whilst drawing out key themes and insights and we hope that you find it interesting Page 4
Executive Summary Financial support helps students not only to survive but also to thrive and as this report highlights can also open up transformational opportunities Students across the UK are under increasing financial pressure as evidenced in recent reports by HEPI Cost of Learning Crisis various articles in WONKHE and National Union of Students reporting that student foodbank use has doubled since 2022 Building a better understanding of what makes a real difference and sharing best practice feels more urgent than ever This report will not answer the big questions but we hope it can add useful insights into the conversation as we seek to draw out some golden threads from across this large body of students who provided detailed and often visceral feedback on their experience Finally we are proud to be able to report that for the vast majority of students funding delivered via our Aspire service has improved their student experience But more than that the support provided by their universities has helped students to survive thrive and transform their student journey beyond Survive Students used the words vital lifesaving or survival to describe the funds they also mention relief security stability and safe I was able to focus on my studies rather than my hunger Thrive Students are enabled to fully participate and belong they have better wellbeing and balance to their lives Helping me buy textbooks and memberships integral to the student experience but also in allowing me to participate in more social activities Funding delivered by Aspire was described as empowering Students felt encouraged and supported to pursue Transform transformative opportunities It s about the sense of empowerment and the belief that despite my circumstances I can still pursue my dreams Page 5
Survive Hardship To Hope From hardship to hope despite students working more hours in paid jobs to fund the continuing rising living costs for some even the bare basics of life can seem out of reach 14 of students have used foodbanks 13 have experienced homelessness https www nus org uk cost of living survey 2024 The funds helped me afford basic necessities such as sanitary products and food I was in a desperate moment funding helped me out It means a lot to me It helped me live normally whilst I was homeless and allowed me to access help I needed The role played by university hardship funds cannot be understated One student said During my time so far at the university I have experienced financial hardship to the point of not knowing where my next meal would be or if I have enough money to pay for rent Using this funding to help me with my bare necessities has been so beneficial and I am so grateful for it Hardship funds have become essential for some students survival From bereavement and homelessness to job loss or covering unexpected bills the feedback students gave us often described times when life was in crisis When they were despairing and felt unable to continue even small amounts of financial support provided hope and a way forwards I stopped eating because I couldn t afford it Went a week without food The funding helped me not be depressed allowed me to continue studies and be productive got me out of despair Page 6
Survive Continuation For a large proportion of students funding made the difference between being able to continue their studies or being forced to drop out Financial support through this tough time in my life provided me with hope and stability enabling me to carry on doing my course and stay passionate instead of leaving when things got tough As an estranged student the scheme has been a huge relief for me helped me continue my studies which I didn t think I d be able to do My life had changed drastically I thought I would have to drop out of university but the funding allowed me to continue Having a small amount of assistance or knowing there is a support network in place for emergencies provides essential security Peace of mind emerged as a recurring theme across the feedback repeatedly students told us that once financial support reduced the burden of worry it enabled them to focus on their studies and get the most out of their life at university without making the difficult decision to drop out For students with caring responsibilities who are experiencing financial hardship the support they receive is a gamechanger The university money scheme has been a lifeline for me as a young caregiver for my disabled mother It has alleviated the financial stress allowing me to focus more on my studies and personal growth without the constant worry of making ends meet Page 7
Thrive Participation Participation belonging It has long been known that a sense of belonging contributes to student engagement and continuation Having sufficient funds to participate in university life beyond academic study can have a particularly strong impact on the experience of students from disadvantaged backgrounds or those who for any reason may struggle to feel equal to those around them Being from a low income background funding for uni was always a huge worry for me despite the help from student finance so to receive that little extra from university really helped me ease that worry and allowed me to participate more in the uni life Students described what it meant to them to be able to join clubs societies attend extra curricular events and trips and spend time with friends and peers on an even playing field For one student their Aspire funds allowed me to be more present and gave me the financial freedom to feel able to be fully involved especially during first year almost putting me on a level field as to those who come from better financial backgrounds Others explained that these activities helped reduce social isolation boosted their confidence and supported integration into university life I was able to have a normal university experience like my peers It has also allowed me to remain equal with my peers so I have not been left behind in activities and I have made friends for life Page 8
Thrive Travel Resources We see that students especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds are benefitting from additional funding in I could afford to come to university every time I needed to as I live outside the city multiple ways helping them thrive throughout the academic journey It would be very difficult for me from purchasing resources to to get to campus and continue travel to university placements my studies without a car which is massively helped by this Travel bursaries support students funding in being more physically present on campus Due to the scheme I have been able to commute more to the university campus It helps massively when I m struggling to get to uni to socialise more with friends I met in a society This has helped me gain more confidence and encouraged me to try new things As many as half of students nationally are commuting to university broadly these students are much more likely to face significant travel costs to get to campus Students said the funds made the difference between attending university or not The scheme has helped buy a laptop food transport and car parking It is a clever way to budget it made me very happy Thank you Students undertaking placements often face substantial commuting expenses whether in public transport fares fuel parking costs or vehicle maintenance As they are often not reimbursed this can be a significant barrier to students successfully completing placements The funding helped me to fund essentials for my paramedic placement and being able to pay for transport to get there and back Without this funding I was struggling and had fear of losing out on my placements due to lack of money Page 9
Transform Managing Finances I would highly recommend using this type of service to practice money budgeting and balance Being able to flexibly access funds through Aspire helped students manage their budgets more effectively They told us that having the freedom to make multiple cash withdrawals whenever they wish makes it easier to thoughtfully prioritise and monitor their spending it has allowed me to budget how much I withdraw allowing me to wisely use the money given to me Allowed me freedom with what to spend my money on Didn t have to pick between groceries or travel The ability to set aside funds for future expenses helps students balance immediate needs with long term planning I was also able to save some of it for when I needed it more preventing any sudden cost worries Students say the system is easy to use and were amazed at the speed with which they were able to access funds I was able to easily withdraw money through bank transfer It was instantaneous This can positively impact wellbeing removing uncertainty about timings or concerns about access when facing urgent needs It takes a lot of stress and worry off me Because it is quick I don t have to worry about withdrawing it early it comes almost immediately Aspire uniquely allows students to Draw funds in tranches Draw funds to a bank account of choice Is available 24 7 365 days a year Page 10
Transform Opportunity Targeted financial support can open up deeply enriching opportunities for students Through access to resources networks and activities they would not otherwise have experienced students told us about ways this changed their future prospects The impact of the funding has been profound enabling a richer more diverse and supportive academic journey that prepares me for future success Funding to support international study or placements such as Turing and Taith awards provides an outstanding and life changing experience while events and travel reimbursements expand the sphere of opportunity It helped me to new horizons for presenting my research to an international community Changing the pattern For some students the funding has been truly transformative allowing them to change their circumstances to look towards a different future The scheme provided crucial support creating opportunities that paved the way for my academic and professional success One of the strongest themes throughout the feedback we received was a sense of empowerment motivation and renewed commitment to study inspired by the support financial and otherwise of the various Aspire schemes Many told us they felt deeply supported and inspired by the support which provided opportunities they otherwise would not have had The support has also given me the opportunity to participate in activities and experiences that I might have otherwise missed out on helping me to build a brighter future for myself and my family It s not just about the financial assistance it s about the sense of empowerment and the belief that despite my challenging circumstances I can still pursue my dreams and achieve my goals Page 11
Beyond The Money Receiving hardship funding allows a student to get back on their feet in a physical sense but more than that throughout the feedback we saw that all types of funding helped students feel valued and cared about motivating them towards a better future It made me feel like I wasn t alone and I was supported and upheld in my university journey It really meant a lot Students reported a significant impact to them beyond just recieving the money Students told us that receiveing funds quickly had real impact For students in crisis this could be the difference between eating or not Additionally they liked the ability to draw their funds in tranches when they needed them as this helped them to plan and budget Many students shared that they appreciated feeling supported in a non judgemental way which gave them the motivation to continue This feedback aligns with Jim Dickinson s thoughts on compassionate communication and recent Department for Education advice in this WONKHE article I was really struggling financially so reached out to the university They helped me so much to stay on my course and attend my classes Without their help I would have failed or dropped out I wasn t judged only helped Thank you The benefit of the scheme to me is how stress free and easy it is as I m not the most savvy with technology but even I was able to navigate what to do Personally using it for taking part in social activities was the path for me as it helped boost my low confidence and self esteem and fully immersed me into student and university life something which essentially money can t buy Page 12
Conclusion A strong theme across the full dataset is that financial support has a profound impact on the lives of students whether that be accessing basic needs averting a crisis or simply but powerfully enabling them to continue on their educational journey Another golden thread is that funding enabled students to participate in university experiences Joining Clubs Societies accessing the same resources as their peers or commuting more regularly to campus all of these things felt valuable to students in receipt of support Another universal theme was the sense of gratitude and increased belonging to their university for delivering the support Across all fund types and institutions students reported that the support made them feel valued and often that this motivated them to renew their efforts in working towards a better future From an Aspire specific perspective we were pleased that students valued the speed at which funds are delivered under 15 mins that the ability to draw funding in stages and support budgeting was valuable and finally that the service was quick and intuitive to use Finally we hope that this short follow up report has been helpful and that it has played a small role in building our knowledge base around the student side of the delivery of financial aid Page 13
About Us We are a trusted friend and expert partner currently working with 36 universities in the sector We have delivered over 250 million pounds of funding to students via Aspire and have a long history of delivering and managing student bursaries scholarships emergency cash and other student financial support in ways that drive better investment in student engagement and futures Our aspiration is to support better learner and life outcomes for all the beneficiaries we work with Our university partners report that we remove administrative and cost burdens for them while providing the data and insight that ensures maximum student benefit for their financial investment in student support Find Out More If you would like to know more about Aspire or our data please get in touch we d love to hear from you Send Us An Email david marshall jsgroup co uk Director Group Board Follow Us On LinkedIn For the latest information