Employability Learning Fund

Each application is reviewed on a case by case basis. Eligible costs must be related to activities in the UK and may include (but are not restricted to) any of the following:

• Transport costs - standard class travel or petrol cost (19p p/mile) - to and from interviews, assessment centres and temporary work experience/internships
• Subsidence (meals and soft drinks) up to £25 (£30 if London) for a day, or up to £30 (£35 if London) if staying overnight
• Accommodation up to £100 a night (£180 if London) to attend an interview, assessment century or short-term work experience opportunity
• Up to £150 towards professional clothing costs for interviews
• Essential uniform and tools
• Costs associated with securing a Non Practice Placement (all departments) or Practice Placement (in departments other university funding is not available, inc. Social Work and Education) e.g. travel to interview
• DBS Certificate where this is essential criteria to undertake an internship/work experience and cannot be supported through other University funding
• Applications to recover lost documents such as birth certificates, which may be crucial in order to obtain work experience in the first place
• Course/conference/networking event attendance (in-person or online)
• Software packages for online recruitment
• Online training and development opportunities e.g., 'LinkedIn Learning' initial subscription

Those who are eligible can apply for up to £500 per academic year in aggregate. The amount approved will be based on need/cost/benefits. Only reasonable requests will be approved funding; this will include following value for money principles. The activity will need to have demonstrable employability impact. Depending on the amount of funding requested and/or available to the University, we may only provide part of the money requested.

ELF cannot be used for:

• Any costs associated with travel and accommodation outside of the UK
• Ongoing Placement costs – information on funding a Practice Placements can be found on the Student Portal
• If you can claim the money back through other means (e.g NHS)
• Any travel which involves fundraising for another cause
• Any activity which is outside the described remit of the Fund or determined by the University
• Rent and other living costs such as weekly food shopping and utility bills
• Rental deposits
• Daily commuting costs

Please note that the entire process – from initial application to receiving the funding in your bank account – can take up to 21 days.

Newcastle and London campus registered Home undergraduate (UG) students, who fall within the following Widening Participation (WP) student groups, can apply for funding:

• Black Asian or Minority Ethnic Student
• Care Leaver
• Commuter Student
• Estranged Student
• First Generation
• Gypsy Roma and Travelling Communities
• LGBTQ+
• Low Participation Neighbourhood
• Mature Student
• Student with a Disability or Specific Learning Difficulty
• Student with a Household Income of less than £42,641
• Student with a Military Background
• Student with Caring Responsibilities
• Student with Refugee Status
• Student Seeking Asylum

Click here for a description of each student group listed above.

Apply via this link

Every application is considered on a case by case basis by a panel. If the funding is agreed, we will ask you to provide evidence of the expense(s).

You must apply for funding in advance of an opportunity (not retrospectively).