The following procedure relates to appeals against financial awards made by the University’s Student Financial Support Team, including but not limited to, the Discretionary Fund, Childcare Fund and Financial Support Funds. When making a nil award to a student the Student Financial Support Team will always provide details on the reason for their decision.

Students can only appeal against a nil award from a Fund, and appeals will only be considered on the following two grounds:

1. Where a student can provide additional information in support of an appeal which was not available at the time of the original decision.
   and/or
2. Where a student can demonstrate why they feel the Student Financial Support Team have made an error in the reasoning for their decision.

Student Financial Support operates a two stage appeals process:

Stage 1

Stage 1 appeals must be submitted within 10 working days of the date the student receives notification of the award via email.

Late appeals will only be considered where the student can provide evidence of extenuating circumstances which prevented them from complying with the deadline.

Stage 1 appeals must be made in writing and contain the reason for the appeal and any information not available at the time of the original decision. They should be submitted to the Student Money Support Team:

• via email at studentmoney@strath.ac.uk
  or
• in person at Student Helpdesk, Level 4, Learning & Teaching Building

The appeal will then be referred to the Student Support & Development Manager¹ who will decide whether there is a basis for appeal. Where there is such a case, the Student Support & Development Manager may either:

1. Determine the appeal in the student’s favour and make an appropriate award
2. Refer the appeal to be considered by the Stage 2 panel

If the Student Support & Development Manager determines that there is no basis for appeal, they will reject the appeal. Only when an appeal has been rejected at Stage 1 may the student request a review of this decision under Stage 2.

The Student Support & Development Manager will respond to the student within 10 working days of receipt of the appeal.

¹ In the absence of the Student Support & Development Manager, Stage 1 appeals will be reviewed by a member of the Student Money Support Team who was not involved in assessing the student’s original application to the fund.

Stage 2

If an appeal is rejected at Stage 1, the student has the right to request a review of this decision by a Stage 2 appeal panel.

Stage 2 appeals should be made in writing and outline the basis for the appeal and any new information in support of the appeal which was not available at the time of the Stage 1 appeal.

Stage 2 appeals must be made within 10 working days of the date the student receives notification of the Stage 1 outcome.

Late appeals will only be considered where the student can evidence extenuating circumstances which prevented them from complying with the deadline.

Stage 2 appeals should be submitted in writing to the Student Money Support Team:

• via email at studentmoney@strath.ac.uk
  or
• in person at Student Helpdesk, Level 4, Learning & Teaching Building

A Stage 2 appeal panel will then be convened of at least 3 members of University staff² from the Student Financial Support Team, International Student Support Team, Accommodation Services Manager, Individual Giving Manager and a representative from the University of Strathclyde Students’ Association³.

No member of staff who has previously been involved in assessing the student’s original application will be permitted to sit on a Stage 2 appeal panel. In instances where a student is appealing against a Stage 1 decision to reject the appeal, the Student Support & Development Manager will not be permitted to participate in the Stage 2 appeal panel.

The Stage 2 appeal panel will convene, consider and respond to the appeal within 15 working days of the date the student submits a Stage 2 appeal. This timescale will only be extended if the panel requires the student to provide additional information, and the student will be advised of the updated deadline at the point of request.

The decision of the Stage 2 appeal panel is final and there is no further opportunity for review.

Submitting an appeal under the Student Financial Support Appeals Procedure does not preclude a student from pursuing a complaint under the University’s Complaints Procedure. However, students are encouraged to utilise the appeals procedure in the first instance should they wish to challenge a financial award decision.

² The University’s EU & International Hardship & Housing Emergency funds have their own discrete arrangements for panel membership, details of which are available on request from the Student Financial Support Team

³ Stage 2 appeal panels will be chaired by the Student Support & Development Manager except in cases where an appeal is against their decision at Stage 1. In this scenario the panel will be chaired by another member of staff from the aforementioned list on a rotational basis.

Advice on appeals

Students can seek advice and support on the Student Financial Support Appeals Procedure from the University of Strathclyde Students’ Association Advice Hub.