Pūtea Tautoko Student Relief Fund

The purpose of Pūtea Tautoko is to provide financial relief to current University of Otago students for whom unforeseen financial hardship has become a severe barrier to successful study, and for whom other forms of support are not readily available.

Applications to Pūtea Tautoko Student Relief Fund are managed through eVision. The application link is located in the My Finance section.

Strict confidentiality is observed when considering applications for support from the Fund.

Grants are typically between NZ$500 and NZ$2,000 and are typically provided to assist students with meeting necessary living costs.

Outcomes are normally delivered within 20 working days, however this can vary. Incomplete applications will be declined.

It is possible to apply for and receive Pūtea Tautoko funding more than once. Students can only receive one grant per semester unless there are exceptional circumstances.

The application will need to make clear how the financial hardship was unexpected or could not have been predicted. This fund cannot be used to cover costs that can be anticipated, such as usual vehicle expenses such as registration and warrant of fitness, or course-related costs such as those associated with placements, tests, uniforms, and required equipment.

The application requires applicants to confirm they have already tried all other possible sources of financial support (StudyLink, Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ), or savings).

Applicants may be required to provide evidence of their financial situation, such as bank statements, invoices, or other documentation considered necessary to support the application.

Referee details will need to be submitted as part of the application. The referee must be someone impartial who can confirm the applicant's circumstances. Suggestions for appropriate referees are noted on the application form and in the related article: Referees for Pūtea Tautoko

Anyone in receipt of a Pūtea Tautoko grant who is found to have provided misleading information, or used any of the funding inappropriately, may be required to repay the grant (in whole or in part), and may be barred from making future applications to the Fund.

The Pūtea Tautoko Fund is maintained from a few financial sources, one of which is from staff members of the University who have chosen to support the Fund via the Payroll Giving programme.

The panel which assesses applications includes:

• Director of Student Services
• Manager of Student Pastoral Care
• Manager of Māori Centre
• Manager of Pacific Islands Centre
• Manager of Graduate Research Centre
• Manager of Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships
• Manager of OUSA Student Support
• Manager of Student Relief Funds

For further information, email: student.relief@otago.ac.nz

For other support options, refer to: OUSA Student Support — financial assistance