Managing Your Money
If you are struggling to understand how student finance works, you need to find out what funding you may be eligible for, or you need help to manage your money, we can help!
About this page
Student life presents lots of unique financial challenges that require a unique approach. We are here to help! In addition to student finance, fees, and funding advice, we can also support you to:
- Check what funding and financial support you’re entitled to – and make sure you don’t miss out
- Create a budget so you know what’s coming in (income) and going out (expenditure)
- Access specialist agencies for more in depth help if you are struggling with debts
- Explore emergency options if you are having unexpected money problems or struggling with cash flow
Service Hours: Mon – Thu 9:30am to 4:30pm; Fri 9:30am to 4:00pm; Sat – Sun, closed.
Phone: 0113 222 3508, 0113 222 3419
Blackbullion
As a Leeds Conservatoire student you get free access to Blackbullion, an easy-to-use resource designed for students, filled with: videos, graphics, and quizzes designed to help you to take control of your financial future and get to grip with all things money related. Learn essential financial skills and habits that will help you throughout your life.
Go to the Blackbullion website and register with your Leeds Conservatoire student email address. You will then receive a login and password and you can start using the resource.
Blackbullion App
Blackbullion’s ‘Money Manager’ app is a budgeting app designed specifically for students, unlike other personal finance apps.
Money Manager uses open banking to give you on overview of your finances, and can give you insights in how to reduce your spending.
As well as helping you manage your money, you can also earn ‘Bullions’ by using the app, which you can use to enter cash giveaways and win prizes.
Popular Blackbullion Learning Pathways
Once you’ve signed up, to help get you started we’ve listed some of the most popular learning pathways and tools:
- Starting University – Figure out your finances, sort out your spending and start living the university life
- Fees and Funding – Find out how tuition fee loans work, how much you’ll repay and how interest on your loan is calculated
- Budgeting – Learn how to create a manageable plan that will set you up for success
- Budget Calculator – Understand and plan for your financial circumstances with this easy to use budgeting calculator
- Student Lifestyle – Make the most of your uni experience and find out how to cut costs on necessary spending
- 21 Day Money Saving Challenge – Challenge yourself and get your finances in shape for the academic year with some quick, long-lasting courses.
- Scams – Discover ways to recognise scams and more importantly how to protect yourself against them.
If you need help making sense of anything or have a query about using Blackbullion, please email studentfunding@leedsconservatoire.ac.uk
Getting Ahead With Your Finances
Our top tips for keeping on top of your money!
Plan Your Finances With Our Easy Budget Planner Sheet
Open A Student Bank Account
Pick Up Some Money Saving Strategies
Check Out The Survival Guide Podcast
Check out the series from Leeds Conservatoire showing industry professionals talk about finance, legal, marketing, concert programming & performing survival tips.
Learn Some Budget Friendly Recipes
Support at Leeds Conservatoire
Here at Leeds Conservatoire, we are doing our part to try to help students with the increase in the cost of living.
Support offered at Leeds Conservatoire
We provide the following resources for students to take advantage of if they find themselves struggling.
- Progression Portal – help with performance opportunities, jobs, and funding schemes to gain experiences and help with promotions material
- Sign up to Blackbullion which helps with finding extra funding and tips on how to maximise income
- Free sanitary products within the conservatoire buildings
- Food vouchers
- Free hot water from the Café:Bar
- Warm spaces on Level 5, the Café:Bar (you don’t have to buy anything), the Rooftop Bar and the Library
- The Leeds Conservatoire Discretionary Support Grant – a fund for students who need financial support with small essential purchases such as medical or prescription costs, or costs associated with graduation; such as gown hire. Email studentfunding@leedsconservatoire.ac.uk to apply.
- The Leeds Conservatoire Financial Assistance Fund – a limited hardship fund to provide emergency financial support for students, who have an immediate need for help, in order that they can continue their studies – apply below.
External Advice and Resources
We’ve put together a list of resources, services, and advice:
Financial Assistance Fund
If you’re struggling with essential costs (like food, travel, or medicine), you may be able to apply for an Emergency Award from the Hardship Fund.
Fund Terms & Conditions
Who can apply?
Undergraduate students facing urgent short-term financial difficulties, such as delayed student finance or sudden cash flow issues.
What support is available?
Non-repayable grants of £100–£500 (sometimes partly as supermarket vouchers).
Paid directly into your bank by BACS (processing time applies – about 7 days).
Before applying:
Please explore other reasonable options (e.g. family, part-time work, overdraft). Do not use payday loans.
Budgeting requirement:
To receive the full award, you must complete the “Budgeting 101” pathway on Blackbullion (using your student email). Half of your award can be released before completion, the rest after. This part of the process ensure you are able to budget in future and avoid crises as much as possible.
Do not create your own emergency situation by failing to budget and waiting until you have completely run out of money before you apply for help.
The maximum award available is £500 and will be paid directly into your bank account by BACS payment, as soon as possible after applying.
Budgeting and Avoiding Future Crises
We don’t ask you to itemise all your expenditure on your own, but part of this process involves ensuring that you are able to budget in future, and avoid further crises as much as possible. Therefore, you will be required to complete the ‘Budgeting 101’ learning pathway on Blackbullion before the full award is made.
You can complete this by signing up to Blackbullion using your student email address. You may submit your Financial Assistance Fund application before completing the Budgeting pathway, but we will only pay half of the award until you’ve completed the pathway. The other half will be paid on completion.
If you have already completed the Budgeting 101 pathway, you must choose to complete one of the following pathways instead: 21 Days of Savings or Financial Risk. You can also refer to the advice elsewhere on this page, and our Student Money Resource List.
Applying for the fund
You will need to submit copies of the following documents:
- Your tenancy agreement
- 3 months of recent bank statements (all accounts)
There is no automatic entitlement to an award, and applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
[1] Finalists: when you finish a full-time programme you no longer count as a student for benefit purposes, and can claim benefits if you have not gained employment or are on a low income.