Hardship Fund for Learners 2021
Hardship Fund for Learners 2021
The Hardship Fund for Learners (HAFL) helps tertiary education organisations (TEOs) provide temporary financial assistance for currently enrolled tertiary learners who are facing ongoing hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, hardship means any suffering, deprivation or financial challenge faced by a learner due to the COVID-19 pandemic that is interfering with a learner’s ability to progress with their study.
The Hardship Fund for Learners (HAFL) helps tertiary education organisations (TEOs) provide temporary financial assistance for currently enrolled tertiary learners who are facing ongoing hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, hardship means any suffering, deprivation or financial challenge faced by a learner due to the COVID-19 pandemic that is interfering with a learner’s ability to progress with their study.
Update – 30 June 2022: Applications for HAFL have now closed with no extension made to the HAFL funding period. The Final Report for TEOs who have received HAFL in the 2021/22 financial year will be provisioned on Workspace 2 on 1 July 2022. This Final Report will be due for submission to the TEC by 15 July 2022.
In 2020, the Government announced a Hardship Fund for Learners (HAFL) as well as a Technology Access Fund for Learners (TAFL) in response to the nationwide lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the continuing support for learners, the Government announced in June 2021 an extension of the Hardship for Learners Fund (HAFL).
In September 2021, further funding was provided by the Government following the national Alert Level 4 lockdown.
The HAFL has two purposes:
1 - Hardship Purpose
The Hardship Purpose is to provide temporary financial assistance for learners who are facing barriers to continuing their study or training as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
2 - Technology Access Purpose
The Technology Access Purpose is to support learners and prevent them from experiencing technology-related financial challenges, by providing funding for technology-related costs that occur when COVID-19 restrictions remove the option for face-to-face study.
Guidance for TEOs (PDF, 783 KB) (PDF, 783 Kb)