If you find yourself in an unexpected and temporary situation that impacts your ability to study, the Emergency Financial Hardship Grant may be able to help.
This grant provides one-off financial support to help students manage urgent and essential expenses arising from situations that are:
- unexpected or outside your control
- short-term in nature
- directly impacting your ability to participate in study.
This grant is funded through the Student Services Levy and supports students experiencing urgent, short-term financial hardship. The grant aims to support as many students as possible within a limited budget.
Who can apply
You may be eligible if you have an unexpected financial need, and:
- are enrolled in the current semester
- are actively participating in your courses, attending classes and submitting assignments
- have passed at least 1 course in the past 12 months, are newly admitted or returning after a period of no enrolment.
What can the grant help with?
An unexpected financial need is a sudden, urgent expense that you did not plan for and that is essential to your wellbeing and ability to study.
It might be:
- a medical or dental emergency
- a sudden loss of income
- an unexpected housing issue such as eviction or urgent repairs
- a critical utility bill that risks disconnection
- a transport issue that prevents you from attending classes
- a funeral or tangihanga of a close relative.
These are situations that arise outside of your control and weren’t part of your regular budget or predictable costs. They are also circumstances that are unlikely to reoccur.
How much can you receive?
The funds available any individual student are limited to:
- up to $500 per semester
- up to $800 over a 12-month period.
Application dates
Applications open 14 days before the semester’s administrative start date.
All applications close no later than 7 days before the semester’s administrative end date.
What you need
Your application will ask about:
- Your current study status and participation
- The nature of your financial hardship
- How it’s affecting your ability to study
- The amount you’re requesting
- Supporting documents such as quotes, invoices, statements.
You’ll also be asked about:
- Who from Massey you’ve spoken to
- Whether you need wellbeing or academic support
- Other financial supports you’ve explored.
Need help before you apply?
We encourage you to speak with a Student Support Liaison Adviser or your regular student support person. They can help you explore other options, connect you with support services and guide you through the application process.
How to apply
1, Log in to your student portal
2, Select the Scholarships tab
3, Select Apply for a scholarship
4, Locate Emergency Financial Support Grant in the list
Scholarships are listed alphabetically. To find “Emergency Financial Support Grant” either:
- Search for "Emergency”
- Go to the page containing scholarships that start with the letter “E”.
5, Select Apply now
6, Read the scholarship rules, then select Commence application.
7, Complete the application form
If you have discussed your situation and support needs with someone at Massey, and you would like us to involve that person when making our assessment, please include their full name in your application.
What happens next?
Your application will be received by a Student Support Liaison Adviser, who will make sure that your application has everything it needs before going to the committee.
The committee will assess your application against the grant criteria within 10 days of your application.
If approved, you’ll be notified directly and the grant will be paid on the next available payment date.
If declined, you’ll be notified directly and the decision will stand for the duration of the semester.
Related content
Hardship & emergency support
Get emergency support to pay for unexpected medical bills or to meet your basic living costs.
Financial & budgeting help
Get help with funding your study and advice on managing your money. Access support during times of financial hardship.
