A new COVID-19 Student Emergency Fund has been set up by Dublin City University (DCU).

The college says this is in response to the challenges and financial hardship facing students due to the pandemic.

DCU says it has seen a 183% increase in students seeking help from its Student Assistance Fund since the beginning of the outbreak, when compared with the same period last year.

It is also facing "significant challenges" to maintain the provision of privately-funded scholarships for over 1,100 'Access' students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

It says that many scholarship supporters have also felt the economic impact of the crisis.

The fund has been established by the DCU Educational Trust, the university’s registered charity, and will include support across several areas.

This includes maintaining scholarships for over 1,100 Access students, providing emergency and once-off support to those in serious financial difficulty, supplying technology to ensure students can pursue much of their learning online, and providing mental health support for vulnerable students.

Communications services company BT Ireland has partnered with DCU to match the first €25,000 donated to the fund.

DCU President, Professor Brian MacCraith, said:  "We know that this crisis is creating significant difficulties for our Access students, and for many other students too, but we are determined that no student should feel unable
to pursue or complete their higher education at DCU due to financial hardship caused by COVID-19."

Joe Quinsey, CEO of the DCU Educational Trust, added: "This fund is an important response to the financial plight of students who have seen family incomes decimated, and who have lost the part-time and summer work they rely on to save for next year’s college expenses.

"We are extremely grateful to BT Ireland for their support for vulnerable students in these challenging times."

More information on the fund can be found here

Main image: Twitter/@DCU