Demand for Student Finance Services Spike
- Salient Mag
- May 26
- 2 min read
By Dan Moskovitz
In 2021, every financial hardship scholarship the university offers received an average of 67 applications. In 2025, that number is up to 105.
Those numbers, obtained via the Official Information Act, show how the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite students specifically. However, according to Paige Jarman, manager of Student Finance, it’s also a deliberate move on the university’s part.
“Wellington's a potentially tough city to live in. It’s expensive,” said Jarman. “So we’ve been trying to reach a wider audience so more students are aware of the scholarships.”
In sync with this increase in demand, Student Finance is also trying to diversify the services it offers. This includes initiatives such as community service bus cards, the winter clothing drive and the winter kitchen drive, alongside the Winter Energy Grant. The latter service is particularly valuable as students are the only beneficiary group excluded from the government’s Winter Energy Payments.
Student Finance also offers its own specific Hardship Fund Equity Grants thrice yearly in March, June, and October. These scholarships tend to get over 200 applications, with roughly 100 successful each time.
Student Finance also has a weekly Hardship Fund, which gives one-off emergency funds to students following a meeting with one of Jarman and Hunter’s team.
Interestingly, applications to both funds have remained steady throughout the crisis. Demand for Student Finance’s services overall is on the upswing, though.
“What we’re seeing is that more students are coming in for budgeting and other help before they’re really in true financial trouble,” said Associate Director of Student Operations Stephanie Hunter.
The reality is, Studylink isn’t enough to cover living costs for most students anymore. Hunter finishes off our interview by making a quip about how when she was studying, Palmerston North was the place you could study while living off just your loan.
That ship has probably sailed there now, too.
