What is the Placement Support Fund (PSF)?
The PSF assists students who are experiencing financial difficulties attending their placement.
What can it help with?
The cost of accessing your placement where:
- travel is in excess of 40 miles each way, your term-time address is in a North East postcode (NE, SR, DH, DL, TS) and the placement duration is at least one week
- there is no public transport available
- you have unavoidable accommodation costs that cannot be met through the NHS Business Services Authority
- you have extreme short-term cash flow problems.
Is there anything it can’t help with?
Accessing placement that sits outside the specified criteria.
Who can apply?
Students enrolled on a PSRB-registered course that includes a mandatory placement element organised by the University.
I am an international student, am I eligible to apply?
Yes, if you meet the criteria.
How often can I apply?
There is no limit to how often you can apply, but you can only be awarded the fund once a semester. Any subsequent applications within a semester are only accepted in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Associate Dean – Marketing & Recruitment, School of Health & Life Sciences.
How long do I have to pay it back?
Awards are paid in the form of a grant, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back.
How do I apply?
Register for an account at www.blackbullion.com. You can find the application and guidance notes in the funding section. Make sure you answer the questions on the application in full.
Should you experience any problems registering, please contact shlsplacementtravelfund@tees.ac.uk.
What happens once I have applied?
Once you have submitted your application, you receive confirmation of your receipt by email. A member of the team processes your application in line with the criteria you have selected.
All applications made in relation to unavoidable accommodation costs and short-term cash flow problems are managed through an emergency panel chaired by the Associate Dean – Marketing & Recruitment, School of Health & Life Sciences. The panel will come to a joint decision.
What could adversely affect my application?
If your claim does not meet the criteria of the application.
How long does the process take?
Blackbullion provides you with an outcome within 10 days of receiving the application. Please note that these days exclude the University’s Christmas closure period and statutory bank holidays.
If there is a delay, you will be notified through your student email account.
When will I receive payment?
If your bank details are up to date on e-Vision, you receive payment within 10 working days of the decision and this is paid directly into your bank account. We would recommend adding them into e-Vision before applying. If your details are not on e-Vision, this will delay payment.
What if I don’t agree with the decision?
You may appeal in writing to the placement team by emailing shlsplacementtravelfund@tees.ac.uk. Your appeal is then considered by the emergency panel chaired by the Associate Dean – Marketing & Recruitment, School of Health & Life Sciences.
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