Universities are expecting record levels of demand for student hardship funds this academic year

@Blackbullion launches next step in student funding with new digital application experience 

 Blackbullion, the financial wellbeing company for students, is set to upgrade the complete funding application process, with its new 100% digitised capability. The new feature further streamlines funding via an integrated online application form that guides students applying for hardship, funds, loans and scholarships, and is embedded into its Funding Tool.

Universities are expecting record levels of demand for student hardship funds this academic year. Blackbullion’s Funding Tool reduces the application process from an average of 2-4 weeks down to 48 hours. This next step in student funding means university staff have more capacity to support students proactively – and remotely, where necessary. This alleviates disruption,  uncertainty and breaking down barriers for students to access financial support.

It’s the latest development from the award-winning startup, on a mission to transform student financial wellbeing, underpinning learning with fintech solutions.  A number of UK universities are already trialling the extended capability within Blackbullion’s Funding Tool which:

• Guides students with a fully digital funding application experience
• Uses dynamic data fields ensuring students provide all the required information and evidence first time round,  saving on significant admin time 
• Reduces the need for ongoing communication and process delays

Blackbullion founder, Vivi Friedgut comments,

“COVID-19 has in effect accelerated the pace of edtech adoption as universities want to offer the best student experience possible under these trying conditions.  Our new application process was developed in response to our partners desire to use tech smartly. It’s about adding capacity, support and generally making life less stressful for students, getting them that step closer to financial wellbeing.”

Mark Sadler is Student Support Coordinator at Goldsmiths University London,

“When the pandemic happened, we had to transition to that remote, work from home environment pretty quickly. The next day I was doing student assessments from my mum’s kitchen table, like I was still in the office. The transition was seamless and there’s been no disruption to the student experience.”

Blackbullion’s Funding Tool is a customisable fintech solution, taking students through the complete application process.   

Blackbullion is currently available to over 700,000 students across the UK, Australia and New Zealand.