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Grants

What Is The Guild Grant Scheme?
Eligibility
Terms and Conditions
Application Process

What Is The Guild Grant Scheme?


The Scheme is one of the key parts of the Guild's Financial Assistance Program that provides a range of different types of assistance to students. Guild Grants specifically aims to help students who are experiencing severe financial hardship that is directly impacting on their ability to meet living/study expenses. The Guild supports the Grant Scheme each year both in direct funding and in the employment of the Guild Education Officers who are responsible for delivering the scheme.

The Coop Bookshop has been a major sponsor of Guild Grants for well over a decade. Each year the Coop provides textbook vouchers that can be provided directly to students who have applied for help. Over the years, Guild Grants has also received contributions from Guild News, Melville Mitsubishi and Student Impact. It is hoped that a variety of contributors and donations will be expanded so that we can help you out is many different ways.

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Eligibility


Applicants for a Guild Grant must:

  • Be a currently enrolled student at the University of Western Australia;
  • Be a current, financial member of the UWA Student Guild (Presidential approval will be required where an applicant is not a member);
  • Demonstrate severe financial hardship due to unforeseen and unavoidable expenses;
  • Demonstrate that they have exhausted all other options; and
  • Demonstrate that the repayment of a loan represents an unreasonable financial burden to the applicant.


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Terms and Conditions


The UWA Student Guild recognises that most students are on very tight budgets and that many students live on means below the poverty line. However, the Guild Grant Scheme is not aimed at providing ongoing financial support to students.

  1. A Guild Grant can only be made for unforeseen and unavoidable expenses or in situations where the need to meet these expenses has severely impacted on the student's ability to meet basic living expenses.
  2. Each application will be assessed against the eligibility criteria and judged on its own merits. The value of any grants will be determined after consideration of your application, the type of assistance being sought, the number of students seeking grants and the availability of funds/items.
  3. A Guild Grant can be made for many purposes including:
    • Emergency medical expenses such as prescriptions, glasses etc.;
    • Guild Membership fees (only through Presidential approval);
    • Essential textbooks or related study expenses;
    • Unexpected child care costs; and
    • Travel expenses to attend University.
  5. A Guild Grant cannot be made for payment of:
    • HECS or course fees;
    • Non essential items such as social / sporting costs;
    • Holiday costs;
    • On-going living costs.
  7. Confidentiality of student records will be maintained within the Guild in accordance with the Guild Privacy Policy.


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Application Process

  1. Forms are available here and from the Guild Student Centre and applicants will need to attend an interview with a Guild Education Officer to discuss the situation and bring any supporting documentation to the interview.
  2. The application form will need to be completed, providing all required information to demonstrate eligibility and circumstances with all supporting documents attached. All supporting documents will be witnessed and returned where possible. In complex cases, documentation may be retained until a decision is made and then returned with a letter explaining the outcome.
  3. The most recent bank statements showing the last four weeks transactions will need to be provided. Where obtaining a bank statement presents a financial burden that the student cannot meet, then this should be discussed with the Guild Education Officer.
  4. Final decision making for requests will depend on the amount of grant requested:
    • Up to $150.00, an immediate decision will be made by the Education Officer;
    • $150.00 - $250.00 the application will be presented to the Guild President or Acting Guild President for a decision; and
    • To Guild Executive for amounts higher than $250.00 with a maximum cap of $500.00.
  6. Where approved, a cheque will usually be drawn and made out to the creditor or a voucher for books/food provided.
  7. All reasonable steps will be taken to make a decision within the shortest possible time.
  8. Where not approved, a letter will be sent outlining the reasons for the decision and returning any submitted documents.


Contact Us
Click here to make contact and/or to find out more about the role of the Education Officers.

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