Student Urgent Relief Bursary (SURF)

About the Student Urgent Relief Bursary (SURF)

Through the generosity of our community and donors, the Student Urgent Relief Bursary (SURF) provides support to ANU students who are experiencing financial hardship and require immediate financial assistance.

Students may apply for more than one expense; however, the maximum total amount disbursed may not exceed $2,000 AUD per calendar year. Successful applicants do not have to repay the money (i.e. it's not a loan).

There is no deadline to apply and every effort will be taken to process applications in a timely manner, generally on a weekly basis. Funds are limited and the SURF will operate until current funds are fully spent.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the SURF, you must:

  • Be a currently enrolled student at the ANU;
  • Be experiencing significant financial hardship;
  • Require immediate financial assistance.

Exclusions

Accommodation costs may be supported by the following grants and bursaries and therefore will not be covered by the SURF:

Other costs that are not covered by the SURF include (but are not limited to):

  • HECS/Tuition fees/Services and amenities fee (SA-FEE)
  • Travel costs
  • Buy now/pay later services and money transfers
  • Credit card debt and other debts
  • Leisure activities
  • Immigration/visa-related expenses
  • Non-immediate costs
  • Discretionary expenses

How to apply

You must complete the online application form and provide receipts, quotes or other evidence of expenses for which you are seeking financial support.

After your initial submission, further information may be requested to support your application which may affect processing timelines. All correspondence, for example to seek clarification or to inform us of a change in your circumstances, must be via your ANU student email account.

Any funds paid from the SURF will be deposited into the Australian bank account nominated in your ISIS account, so you must make sure those details are accurate and up to date. If you are currently overseas, you will be contacted to provide the relevant information.

Your personal information will be treated confidentially but may be shared across ANU records systems or University stakeholders (e.g. ANUSA) as part of assessing and processing your application.

 

 

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