18 October 2022

Dear Students, 

I do hope that the first few weeks of term have gone well. I wrote to you two weeks ago setting out the measures we had put in place to support you during the current Cost of Living crisis. I know that this is a time of financial uncertainty, and that this can cause us all to feel concerned, even anxious at times. We have therefore continued working on the development of a further package of support with your representatives from the Students’ Union in Cornwall and the Students’ Guild in Exeter, and I would like to extend my sincere thanks for their leadership and support on this issue. Last week I took these proposals to the University’s Council and I am pleased to say that these were approved.

My last message set out the help we have already put in place and below I am outlining the additional ways in which we will support you this year

• At the heart of these measures is a one-off winter payment of £150, which will be paid to undergraduate home fee-paying students who have a declared annual household income of less than £30,000. These payments will be made automatically to eligible students.
• All students, including those who have received the winter payment, can apply for additional support via our Hardship Fund, which may provide help if you are experiencing unexpected financial difficulties, or are unable to cover essential costs throughout the year. The Fund also offers specific bursaries including an IT bursary to help financially if you are struggling to afford computer equipment and support if you are unable to afford to pay for a diagnostic assessment (e.g. for Dyslexia). As mentioned in my previous email to you, we have added an additional £1 million to the Hardship Fund to increase the level of support we can provide this year.
• The new package of support also includes measures to help you minimise your costs, for example, to ensure we always have a low-cost hot meal available for you on our campuses, a range of low-cost food options in our shops and warm places to go on campus to help if you are trying to save costs on fuel.
• We have committed to the 13% rise in the PhD Stipend, having lobbied the UKRI to do the same. We have also added a further £250,000 to our Hardship Fund to provide support for self-funded PhD students who now find they are struggling financially.  
• We are continuing to support the Students’ Union and the Students’ Guild in the provision of free sanitary products across all our campuses
• Free healthy snacks are being introduced to our Hubs and Info Points
• We understand how important it is to stay active, particularly to manage wellbeing, and so we have made available various free and low cost sports and gym sessions.  The Student Guild has also extended its ‘Give it a Go’ scheme to enable you to try new activities at low cost.

Throughout this process we’ve been working very closely with your representatives from the Students’ Union in Cornwall and Students’ Guild in Exeter. We are all united in our desire to do what we can to help you at this time. Our Cost of Living Task Force continues to meet weekly to seek additional ways to offer support and I, and the senior leaders at the University, receive regular updates from them. We are also working on a package of support for University staff, who also face challenges, and we hope to be able to share details with them soon.

• Remember that financial difficulties are also now included as a reason for seeking mitigation, for this academic year. You can read more about that change of policy on our web pages.
  
  
• We’re working with the UK’s leading debt advice charity, Step Change, to provide you with free, impartial and personalised support for your money and debt worries. You can get help from them in the following ways:

Online: use the online debt help tool to get advice now.

By phone: call 0800 138 1111. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am-8pm, and Saturdays 8am to 4pm. Please use their budget form before calling.

• You can get in touch with the brilliant Students’ Union Advice Team  run by the Students’ Union. They are here to offer support.

Keeping in touch

We will continue to update you throughout this term. Don’t forget that we have a dedicated webpage which details our initiatives and the support you can get, from financial help to offers on our campuses. Do keep checking back as the page is updated regularly. We are also sharing updates via our weekly University Updates and our social media channels.

If you think there are other ways in which the University may be able to offer additional support, please share these with your representatives in the Students’ Union in Cornwall  (via this page www.thesu.org.uk/welfare/costofliving/).

Your wellbeing

If your finances are affecting your mental wellbeing, please do get in touch with our wellbeing service for support and guidance; they are here to help. You can reach them here. 

I know this is a worrying time but we will continue to look for ways in which we can support you. 

Best wishes,

Lisa

Professor Lisa Roberts

Vice-Chancellor

Previous messages from the Vice-Chancellor 

Message from the Vice-Chancellor 6 October 2022

20 March

Stannary Bar Quiz

Every Tuesday 50p entry per person and the winning team gets the jackpot. Starts at 8pm but you are welcome to arrive early to grab a seat and drink. Find out more. See the full range of events at The Stannary Bar and find more free and low cost things to do at Penryn campus, on our events on campus page.

Cocktails deal

Enjoy two cocktails for £6.50, in The Stannary Bar, Wednesday 22 and 29 March 1pm 'til late. The offer is available on selected cocktails, usual price £3.50 each. Find out more.

Success for All Hardship Fund

If your financial situation is affecting your ability to study, please apply for help through our Success for All Fund.

When you apply to the fund, we’ll make an individual assessment based on your circumstances and a review of your supporting documentation. If successful, we’ll award you funds that contribute to the level of support you need.

Are your finances getting in the way of your deadlines?

Remember that financial difficulties are also now included as a reason for seeking mitigation, for this academic year. You can find out more on our web pages.

Help and advice

If you need advice about budgeting and money, please book an appointment with your Students’ Union Advice Team. The independent advisors can help you create a budget, apply to the Hardship fund or consider the best ways to make your money work better for you. And please get in touch with your SU Presidents  if you’d like to share any feedback or ideas. 

13 March

Too Good To Go app

Special offers are available on unsold food through the Too Good To Go app. The Penryn Campus shop and the Fox Cafe at Falmouth campus list offers in the app, and for our Truro students WHSmith in Royal Cornwall Hospital and Costa Coffee at Treliske Retail Park are also listed. 

With Too Good To Go you can buy a 'magic bag' of goodies that are at the end of their use by, or best before dates. Bags cost around £3, and the RRP of the contents is around £10. So you're saving money while helping to reduce food waste. Items can be anything from sandwiches, to drinks and jars, and you won't know what you are going to get until you pick it up. There are other shops locally which are part of this scheme and publicise what they have to offer through the app.

Download the app and see what's available in your area.

Things to do for less

We’ve got loads of free and low-cost events happening on Penryn Campus. Whether you’re into quiz and games nights, creative making sessions, getting your hands dirty in the gardens, or you just fancy a social get together over free drinks and cake, check out the events on campus and find more to do for less.

Success for All Hardship Fund

If your financial situation is affecting your ability to study, please apply for help through our Success for All Fund.

When you apply to the fund, we’ll make an individual assessment based on your circumstances and a review of your supporting documentation. If successful, we’ll award you funds that contribute to the level of support you need.

Are your finances getting in the way of your deadlines?

Remember that financial difficulties are also now included as a reason for seeking mitigation, for this academic year. You can find out more on our web pages.

Debt advice from Step Change

Don’t sweep it under the carpet. Ignoring it can make a debt problem worse. We’re working with the UK’s leading debt advice charity, Step Change, to provide you with free, impartial and personalised support with your money and debt worries.

Click on their online debt help tool to get advice now.

Call 0800 138 1111. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am-8pm, and Saturdays 8am to 4pm. Please use their budget form before calling.

6 March

Res Life weekly events

Join Res Life for their regular weekly events – fun activities that also offer free food. 

•Mondays/Tuesdays: Crafternoons
•Tuesdays: Takeover Tuesday (online)
•Wednesdays: Wednesday Walks and Study sessions
•Thursdays: Glasney Café
•Fridays: Movies and Games

Follow Res Life on Instagram for all the details and look out for more events on campus.

Bring your own food to campus

Loving your leftovers and bringing your own lunch to campus? We have microwaves for you to use to heat your home meals.

At Penryn campus, find microwaves available for everyone’s use upstairs in The Stannary and for Master's students in the kitchen area outside the Masters Suite (opposite the Students’ Union Office)

At the Truro campus (Knowledge Spa), the kitchen area in the newly refurbished common room area of the Knowledge Spa has free hot water, plus a microwave and fridge for your use.

Save on public transport

Bus services

If you travel to and from Uni by bus, you can save money with a First Kernow Unlimited ticket. The monthly ticket subscription is taken by direct debit and will automatically activate on your renewal date.  Find out more.

Download the First Bus app to get timetables, offers and savings.

Trains

Planning your journey home for the Easter break? Remember the 16-25 railcard is available to all full-time students in higher education, and gives you a third off rail tickets.

Get more information on public transport to our Cornwall campuses.

27 February

Lunchtime deals at Penryn campus

Lunchtime deals in the Stannary Kitchen, from 12 noon.

•  Small chilli and rice £3
• Small chilli and nachos £3
• Grab and go hotpot £2.95
• Beans and two slices of toast £1.50
• Jacket potato (plain) and side salad £1.50

To see all the food offers available on campus visit the food and drink pages.

Koofi Meal Deals - great for sharing

•  Two 10” pepperoni pizzas for £11.50, or
• Any two 10” vegan or margherita pizzas for £10
• Buy any 10” pizza you can get garlic bread pizza for £2.50, potato wedges for £2 or a can of drink for 75p 

Make your shopping go further

Try batch cooking to make your shopping go further, reduce food waste and save yourself valuable time for when you don’t have time to cook or don’t feel like cooking. Cook one big dish then portion it into separate containers. Let it cool and store in the fridge or freezer within one to two hours of cooking.

Find out how to store and reheat your meals safely in the Food Standards Agency’s Students’ guide.

20 February

Change to TOTUM Co-op offer

If you have a TOTUM student discount card, you can use it to get 10% off Co-op food in the Penryn Campus shop.

To get the 10% discount in Co-op stores, such as at Gyllyngvase seafront or Truro town centre, you will now also need to be a Co-op member, which costs just £1. Scan both your blue Co-op Membership Card (or the associated QR code in the Co-op app) and TOTUM Card at participating stores when at the till.

The TOTUM student discount card and app offers a range of discounts on essentials, tech, travel and home delivery.

Supporting you with the Cost of Living

We want you to be able to get the most out of your time at Uni, and appreciate that the ongoing Cost of Living crisis is making that more difficult. Thank you for sharing your experiences, your representatives in the Students’ Union (SU) have listened to what you’ve told them, and used your input to champion new initiatives and support that provides you with practical help where you need it most. Please keep talking to your SU about any issues you’re facing and ideas for ways we can support you.

We’re continuing to work with your representatives at the Students’ Union. Through our joint Cost of Living Task Force, together we’ve provided a package of support to help you minimise your costs, as well as targeting specific help to those in the greatest financial need. We’re still looking into other ways we can help.

Support so far includes:

Financial support

• An additional £1.25 million added to the Success For All Hardship fund this academic year, to support any students whose financial situation is affecting their ability to study. Find out more and apply here.
• Increasing the PhD Stipend by 13%, and lobbying the UKRI to do the same.
• Providing £519,000 of support, in a one-off winter payment, to nearly 3,500 of our UK Undergraduates identified with low household incomes.
• We’ve included financial hardship as a reason to apply for mitigation, to help if your circumstances mean you need to delay exams or need extra time for assessments.
• Increasing the opportunities for students to get paid work, at a real living wage, in University and campus departments and services.
• We’re working with debt advice charity, Step Change, who can provide you with free, impartial and personalised support with your money and debt worries.

Affordable essentials

• Removing late fees in our libraries, where you should be able to find all your essential course reading without having to buy the books.
• Ensuring there are always low cost food, drink and grocery offers at our Penryn campus outlets and that these are visible and promoted. See their website or follow their socials for the latest deals.
• We’ve provided microwaves and hot water on campus so you can heat your own meals from home, while our libraries and study spaces provide warm, welcoming places to study and spend time.
• Making sure there are free, warm, social spaces. At the Truro campus, the recently refurbished common room has comfy seating, plus tables for eating or working, a kitchen area with fridge, microwave and free hot water, as well as free games and activities. On the Penryn campus you are welcome with no purchase necessary in the ESI cafe, AMATA cafe, Stannary, Upper Stannary, Stannary Bar and Sustainability café.
• Special offers on unsold food at The Penryn Campus shop through the Too Good To Go app. Sign up to the app for offers from this and other local outlets, including WHSmith in Royal Cornwall Hospital and Costa Coffee at Treliske Retail Park in Truro.
• Providing regular free games nights and social events in the Stannary Bar.
• Providing free period products in toilets on Penryn and Falmouth campuses through the Students’ Union’s ‘We bleed’ campaign.
• Sharing tips and advice on cooking more efficiently, eg batch cooking and freezing leftovers and perishable food.

Staying active and well

• Making sure there are plenty of free and low-cost activities available on campus to help you stay active and well, many with free food and drink included. There’s lots on offer from the Sports Centre, the Multi-Faith Chaplaincy, The SU, clubs and societies, The Stannary Bar, Wellbeing Services, ResLife and more. See what’s on.
• Providing wellbeing support and advice to help you if financial pressures are affecting your mental health, including 24/7 access to support and a new self-help course on Silvercloud to help you manage money worries.
• The Students' Union Advice Team provides independent information and advice on budgeting and managing your money, along with events and campaigns, including Talk Money Week.

Your Students’ Union

•  The SU is ensuring student voices are heard in University meetings related to supporting you during the Cost of Living crisis.
• Alongside partnership working, your SU Presidents have worked on several campaigns and initiatives so far this year, including free period products in campus toilets through the We Bleed campaign, lobbying local MPs about financial support for students and Talk Money Week.
• Look out for SU Money Week 6-10 March.

Our Cost of Living Task Force continues to meet regularly to look at other ways we can support you.

If you need advice about budgeting and money, please book an appointment with your Students’ Union Advice Team. The independent advisors can help you create a budget, apply to the Hardship fund or consider the best ways to make your money work better for you. Get all the details, support and advice on these Cost of Living pages, and please get in touch with your SU Presidents if you’d like to share any feedback or ideas.

Whether you’re just starting out at University or are returning to your studies, we have some tips to help you keep on top of your money. 

1. Consider opening a student bank account. 

If you’re getting a maintenance loan you’ll need it to be paid into a bank account. Banks offer a range of different accounts with different benefits and incentives. Find out more about the types of account available at Money Helper or check out Money Saving Expert for their advice on choosing the best account for you.

2. Work out your budget

• Look at your money and how long it needs to last you. If you’re receiving a maintenance loan it will come in 3 termly instalments.
• Work out how much you need for all your essential contracted fixed costs, such as rent and your phone bill – make sure you can pay these first.
• Next how much do you need to live and study – for food, books and transport?
• Then look at what’s left for other things you want to do, and balance what you can afford.

The UCAS budget calculator may help you, or there are other free budgeting tools online.
And the Students’ Union can help you with budgeting advice.

3. Make sure you’re getting all you’re entitled to

Depending on your circumstances you may be eligible for extra financial support, bursaries or benefits. For example, if you have caring responsibilities, need help to join a society, or need additional equipment to support your learning, there may be extra money available to you. Find out more in our Success For All Fund FAQs or ask your Students’ Union Advice Service. 

4. Look out for deals and savings

Lots of places offer student discounts and special deals. Check out Save The Student for the latest deals and freebies out there. Consider shopping together with your housemates so you can make the most of 'Buy One Get One Free' deals and bulk buying economies of scale.

5. Up your income

Consider a part time job if you can fit it around your studies. Career Zone advertise part time jobs that can help you gain experience and earn money while studying. Save The Student has a whole host of other money making tips, from shopping on cashback sites to completing paid surveys.

6. Don’t be tempted to use loan sharks, illegal money lenders, or quick-money schemes that may not be legitimate

If you’re struggling you can apply to our Success for All Fund for help during your time at Exeter. 

7. Deal with your debt

Although it can be stressful, problems with debt only get worse if you ignore them. Talk to your creditors about your situation and try to negotiate an affordable payment plan. If you’re struggling with paying your tuition fees, or the rent on your University accommodation, talk to us. You can contact us through the Student Information Desk (SID).  You can get advice on managing your debt from your Student Union or Student Guild advice service, or from debt organisations such as Step Change or National Debtline.

7. Ask for help

If you’re worried about your money, or dealing with debt, don’t keep it to yourself.  Please speak to your Students’ Union Advice Service. They can help find the right advice and support for you.