Grants
& Hardship
Class Grants
Each class within the Polytechnic has been allocated an OPSA
fund to assist student groups with social events, exhibitions,
study and conference grants etc.
Access to funds can be obtained by your Class Representative
completing a Request
Form (available from the OPSA Office, or in the sub-menu
on the right of this page). This may not be available from 2012.
Development Grants
Grants may be made at the discretion of the Executive Committee
for any student or group who may require some financial help
with a special “one-off” project or event
Any application must be made in writing to the Executive Committee,
attaching all relevant information.
Student Hardship
OPSA in conjunction with the Polytechnic, operates a Student
Assistant Fund which can help students that may find themselves
in unforeseen financial difficulty. Each case is individually
assessed by a Committee in a confidential manner.
Any student facing a financial crisis or hardship, should first
contact OPSA to discuss and evaluate the situation. We can then
decide the most appropriate form of assistance available.
You can download a Hardship application form, or get one from
the OPSA office, - make sure you also download and fill out the Check-list and Budget planner as well. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any
questions.
Don’t forget, OPSA offers a confidential
Budget Advisory Service, so see us
first before the bling runs out!
Studylink Special Needs Grant
If you have no money to buy food and your need was caused by an essential expense, then you may be entitled to a StudyLink Special Needs Grant. The maximum amount in a 52 week period unless exceptional circumstances or stated otherwise is $400 for a single person.
Citeria:
- You are a Studylink client
- You do not have savings
- You have assured Studylink you have explored alternatives including borrowing money from friends or family etc.
- You can prove you have no available funds (To do this means a verified account balance from the bank that includes the last 10 transactions made). This must be done on the same day as your appointment with Study link. (The official policy is that overdrafts do not count as ‘funds’).
- If you have a part-time job you need to take two pay slips
Mayor's Electrity Assistance Fund
The DCC has a fund to help Dunedin residents in hardship with their electricity bill. This is a one off grant. Enquire at Salvation Army ((03) 474-9852) or Anglican Family Centre Methodist Mission ((03) 477 0801) to apply for this fund.
