Established in 1946, The Humanitarian Trust supports charitable organisations, particularly smaller ones where modest grants can make a meaningful impact. The Trust
funds projects in the area of education, the relief of hardship and disability, and social and medical initiatives. The Trust does not generally fund administrative costs alone; priority is given to clearly defined projects.

Student Grants

In addition to its charitable donations, The Humanitarian Trust awards one-off grants of a maximum of £1,000 to students each year who have a shortfall in their income needed to complete their course of study. These grants are awarded on a one-time basis only, and students who receive a grant are not eligible to apply again in subsequent years. However, students who are unsuccessful in their original application may be eligible to reapply.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for a student grant, applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

• Students must be studying for a higher degree in an academic subject (Masters, PhD,Medicine, Dentistry or similar) or a graduate degree at a university in England or Wales.
• Students who apply must plan to remain resident in England or Wales throughout the course of study.
• Students must have secured the majority of their required income needed for the year - whether this is through student loans, scholarships, university hardship grants, grants from charitable trusts, employment, family contributions or similar.  Please indicate what other grants or loans have been applied for.
• Grants must be used for tuition fees or living expenses only.
• Students must provide details of financial circumstances including a budget of expected income and outgoings, highlighting the total shortfall. Bank statements for current/savings accounts are requested in support of the financial background.
• Students must not exceed the maximum shortfall of £2,000.
• Successful awardees must provide a short report to the Trustees at the end of the term of the grant detailing their progress and what has been achieved.

Exclusions

The Trust does not provide grants for:

• Non-academic courses (e.g. art, music, theatre, youth work, or sports)
• Overseas courses or travel-related/fieldwork research projects
• Distance learning, correspondence, part-time, or short-term courses

Application Procedure and Timelines

Grants are reviewed annually in March and April.   

A completed form must be submitted by email with all the information requested. The application window is open from 1st November to 15th January each year and applications must be submitted in full within this valid timeframe. Early or late submissions received outside of this timeline will not be considered and will need to be duly resubmitted.

Download the Application Form here

Email your completed application to: humanitariantrust@prismthegiftfund.co.uk.  

Please make sure you have included all the following:

•  Completed Application Form
•  Cover letter explaining:
  • Why you are seeking financial assistance
  • Why you chose your course of study
  • What you hope to achieve from your course
• CV 
• Copy of passport
• Two academic references (on official letterhead, dated within the last 6 months—preferably from a course tutor and head of department)
• Recent copies of bank statements and savings accounts showing 3 months history of transactions
• Proof of university offer and acceptance on your chosen course of study
• Confirmation from your university (student fees office) that they are able to administer the grant on your behalf if awarded (an email confirmation will suffice)

Incomplete applications or missing documents may lead to automatic rejection.

For any queries, you can contact   humanitariantrust@prismthegiftfund.co.uk

All grants are awarded at the sole discretion of the Trustees. Submission of an application does not guarantee funding.

The Humanitarian Trust is a Charitable Trust Registered in England and Wales, no. 208575
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