From The PIE News: “The PIE sent out a series of freedom of information requests to universities asking for data around the number of applications made by international students for hardship funds…The data they provided showed that there were more than 13,800 applications made by international students between March 2020 and January 2021. Across all the universities, there was an average rejection rate of 26%. Two universities said that international students had no access to hardship funds at all. ‘The fact that over a quarter of international students who are seeking hardship funds are rejected suggests that there is a problem with the process, whether this be insufficient support available or more of a procedural issue,’ Rachel Hewitt, director of policy and advocacy at the Higher Education Policy Institute, told The PIE.”
