9 November 2020
N J Mete
By email:
[FYI request #13927 email]
Tēnā koe N J Mete
I refer to your request for information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act)
dated
7 October 2020:
1. “How much funding has Victoria University received from [the Tertiary
Education Commission’s] hardship fund?
2. Of that funding, how much has gone to students to cover the cost of their
University accommodation [(that being all 14 halls listed here, regardless
of whether or not they are directly owned/managed by VUW)] ”
Context
The University is conscious of the pressure on many of its students as a result of COVID-
19 and has provided a comprehensive package of support to assist them to cope with the
financial, emotional and practical impacts of the pandemic.
Accommodation support from the University
In terms of accommodation support, students in University-owned halls of residence were
not charged any accommodation fees during alert levels 3 and 4 and were given until
15
May to cancel their hall contract without financial penalty. In addition, students who
opted not to return to their hall of residence until Trimester 2 were not charged any fees
until they returned. These fee discounts have cost the University $6,872,560. In addition,
the University provided students living in Stafford House, which is managed and operated
by UniLodge, with a four week full rent rebate over the alert level 4 period, regardless of
whether they remained in the hall in that period or had left to stay with family or friends.
This was at a cost of $270,750 to the University.
Other financial support
The University has always operated a Hardship Fund as an emergency fund which all
students contribute to. The purpose of this fund is to help students facing financial
difficulties. It is open all year to students who are already studying and need help at a
particular point in time. It covers costs such as necessary medical, dental, or optical costs,
unforeseen flatting or family problems and costs related to teaching experience
placements.
Hardship Equity Grants are to encourage students who are facing financial hardship to
continue in their studies at the University. Students apply before the start of the trimester
and usually find out whether their application has been successful in the first week of the
trimester—they are designed to give students some certainty that they will receive the
necessary financial support to stay on.
The table below outlines the number and value of hardship grants, and other
financial support programmes provided between
15 March 2020 and
28
October 2020:
Grant type
Grants approved
Amount granted
Hardship Fund (includes 750
$739,362
Tutor Relief Fund and
Study abroad flight
reimbursement)
Hardship Fund Equity 169
$230,700
Grants
Accommodation grant for 2,246 students
$5,792,183
students in VUW halls
Accommodation fee rebate 239 students
$270,750
for Stafford house residents
Total
3404
$7,032,995
Funding received from the TEC’s Hardship Fund for Learners (HAFL)
In addition to the support provided through the University’s Hardship Fund, the
University has received $912,173.49 from the HAFL to distribute to students experiencing
financial hardship this year. This information is
publicly available.
Amount of funding from HAFL that has gone to cover student
accommodation
Please see the table below which sets out the amount of funding from the HAFL
that has gone to cover student accommodation, broken down by hall.
Hall
Total HAFL support for
student accommodation costs
by Hall
222 Willis
$3,272
Boulcott Hall
$3,468
Capital Hall
$16,080
Cumberland Hall
$9,580
Education House
$6,491
Everton Hall
$3,035
Helen Lowry
$8,811
Joan Stevens
$5,671
KJ Hall
$9,334
Stafford House
$1,953
Te Puni Village
$11,004
UniHall
$692
Victoria House
$2,000
Weir House
$14,183
Whānau House
$21,918
Total
$112,578
If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact me
at
[VUW request email].
Yours sincerely
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
