Yes, you will need to apply for the awards available through Chester Aspire.

Please click here for more information on the available awards.

The Digital Inclusion Funds are "credit" funds loaded on to a personal Chester Aspire account that is set up by the University for eligible students. These funds can be used as a payment method to purchase resources on the Chester Aspire online shop. Some other awards may be restricted to use with purchasing certain products.

Most of the other funds are "cash" funds. They are also loaded on to a personal Chester Aspire account that is set up by the University for eligible students. These funds can either be used as a payment method to purchase resources on the Chester Aspire online shop or withdrawn using NatWest Payit.

If you have been awarded funds, you will be sent an email stating how those funds can be used.

There are several ad hoc hardship awards that can be accessed through the Chester Aspire portal. Please see some of them below:

• Digital Inclusion Funds
• AV Funds
• Employability Funds
• Sanctuary Funds
• Food Vouchers
• Emergency payments

Chester Aspire helps you make the very best of your time at University by improving access to the learning tools and supplies you need to support your studies.

Not only can you access and use your funds on the Chester Aspire portal, but there is also access to free online resources that cover a wide range of topics like Study Skills, Money Matters, Wellbeing and Employability. 

Your funds will expire around the 31st of July each year but please check with the University's bursary team for the exact date.

Funds will also expire if you leave the University prior to your course ending.

This will depend on which award you have been issued.

More information about the available awards can be found at:

• https://www.chester.ac.uk/student-life/fees-and-finance/bursaries-and-scholarships
• https://www.chester.ac.uk/student-life/fees-and-finance/bursaries-and-scholarships/terms-and-conditions

If you can't find the answer via the above links, please contact the University of Chester at university.bursary@chester.ac.uk for further information.

Please click here for more information on the available awards.

If you believe you are eligible to receive funds via Chester Aspire please contact the University university.bursary@chester.ac.uk for further information.

It may be that you have not completed enrolment, have outstanding debts or there may have been a delay with the data uploading. The University will be able to look into this and advise you correctly.

If you are eligible for funds through Chester Aspire you do not need to register or create an account on the Chester Aspire portal.

A personal account will be created for you automatically when your funds are awarded and an email with the details will be sent to you when the account is ready for you to log in.

If you are not eligible to receive funds through Chester Aspire, you will need to register for an account to access the shop and the free resources on the Chester Aspire portal.

If you need to update your 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) mobile number please go to "My Account" and select "Edit My Details".

Enter the UK mobile number you want to use in the "2FA Cash Withdrawal Mobile Number" box, and click on "Update Details".

Please allow up to 5 minutes for the system to update before starting your cash withdrawal.

If you have already started withdrawing your cash funds before updating your number, this will automatically cancel any withdrawals that you have not completed.

Please allow up to 5 minutes for the system to update, before starting the withdrawal process again.

If you wish to delete your account, please contact us. Please note if you have an account balance, this will be removed, and any remaining funds or order details will no longer be accessible.

When you first logged into your account you were given the choice to opt in/out of marketing. If you wish to change your preferences, click on 'My Account' and 'Contact Preferences' from the drop-down menu. Make sure to save your changes.

To update personal details on your account, click on 'My Account' and then 'Edit My Details' from the drop-down menu. If you have other details you require to be updated please contact us.

Please double check you are entering the correct username and password. 

If you can't remember your password after your Chester Aspire account has been set up:

- Go to the login area

- Click on 'Forgot Password' under the login section

- Enter your Chester Aspire account email address in the box and press forgot password.

A secure email will then be sent to you with a password reset link.

If you are still having trouble accessing your account, please contact us.

If your account is showing as "not verified" please contact us and we will be happy to look into this for you.

If you are eligible for funds through Chester Aspire, you will be sent an email with the log-in details once your personal Chester Aspire account is ready for you to log in.

When you login for the first time you will be prompted to change your password to something more memorable and secure.

If you are not eligible for funds through Chester Aspire, your login details will be the ones you used to set-up your own Chester Aspire account.

Your account balance is displayed on the top right-hand corner of the page once you are logged in. You can check that your balance is correct by going to 'My Account' and clicking on 'Check My Balance' from the drop-down menu.

Your orders can be found by going to "My Account" > "View My Orders"

Once you are there you can open each order and view the order status of the products that you have ordered.

Once logged in, click on 'My Account' and then 'My Transactions' from the drop-down menu.

If you have been awarded funds, this page will show you when those funds were added to your Chester Aspire account, and when any funds were spent, refunded or expired.

The funds currently available via Chester Aspire are not loans and you do not have to pay them back. The funds are provided to you by the University to set you up to succeed and help with the extra costs associated with studying.

Yes, your account can be topped up by yourself, family, or friends. When accounts are topped up, these funds can only be spent in the shop and can't be withdrawn or refunded. To top-up your account, click on 'My Account' and 'Top-Up' from the drop-down menu. You will need to enter your student ID number.

Two types of awards are available for access via the Chester Aspire portal.

The Digital Inclusion Funds are "credit" funds which are only available for use on the Chester Aspire online shop.

The other type of awards are "cash" funds that can be used on the Chester Aspire shop or withdrawn.

If you do not find an option to withdraw your funds on the portal then you have not been issued funds that can be withdrawn.

Yes, the university can reclaim or restrict access to funds that they have issued. This may happen if:

• funds were issued in error,
• you are no longer eligible for the award due to a change of course,
• you are suspended pending disciplinary action,
• you interrupt or defer your studies,
• you repeat a year or module,
• you have gone on placement,
• you have left university or graduated.

There may be other reasons not listed above.

You can check the status of your withdrawal transaction on your Chester Aspire portal by going to 'My Account' and selecting 'My Transactions' on the drop-down menu. 

Once you have found your current transaction you will be able to see the status of your transaction. Should there be any further action required, you will be instructed to click a link to continue the process. 

If you need further help with this, please contact us here.

If you need to update your 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) mobile number please go to "My Account" and select "Edit My Details".

Enter the UK mobile number you want to use in the "2FA Cash Withdrawal Mobile Number" box, and click on "Update Details".

Please allow up to 5 minutes for the system to update before starting your cash withdrawal.

If you have already started withdrawing your cash funds before updating your number, this will automatically cancel any withdrawals that you have not completed.

Please allow up to 5 minutes for the system to update, before starting the withdrawal process again.

The Digital Inclusion Funds are "credit" funds loaded on to a personal Chester Aspire account that is set up by the University for eligible students. These funds can be used as a payment method to purchase resources on the Chester Aspire online shop. Some other awards may be restricted to use with purchasing certain products.

Most of the other funds are "cash" funds. They are also loaded on to a personal Chester Aspire account that is set up by the University for eligible students. These funds can either be used as a payment method to purchase resources on the Chester Aspire online shop or withdrawn using NatWest Payit.

If you have been awarded funds, you will be sent an email stating how those funds can be used.

Cash awards can be withdrawn directly into your bank account using NatWest Payit.

For information on exactly how to withdraw, please see the video here: HOW TO WITHDRAW VIDEO

Please note: If you chose to enter your bank details manually rather than through your banking app, please triple check you enter your sort code and account number correctly, as mistakes can't be rectified once the transaction has completed.

The maximum limit is your available withdrawal balance, this is shown on your screen. The minimum value is £20, or if the balance is below £20 then the full value under £20 can be withdrawn.

You do need a UK based or GBP/Sterling(£) bank account to be able to withdraw your funds through Payit.

If you do not have a UK based bank account, the Payit service does allow GBP/Sterling(£) payments into neobank* accounts such as Monzo, Revolut and Wise where a GBP/Sterling(£) pot has been created in the account. This method has been used by other international students to successfully withdraw their funds.

If you do not have a UK based or GBP/Sterling(£) bank account, and do not want to set-up an account with a neobank please contact student services or the department that awarded your funds.

*Neobanks are online financial services that offer digital banking options and do not have a physical location. We cannot make any recommendation on which banks you should choose to use. Any queries about the services they offer should be directed to the individual companies.

You do need a UK Mobile number to be able to withdraw your funds.

If you do not have UK Mobile number, please contact student services or the department that awarded your funds.

Please ensure that you have good service, and that your 2FA mobile number is correct on your account*. This SMS code may take up to 15 minutes to arrive.

*If you notice that your 2FA mobile number is incorrect, you can update it by going to "My Account" and selecting "Edit My Details". Further information on this process can be found under question "How can I update my 2FA moblie number?"

Most UK banks are available on Payit and if you use mobile banking you can use this to pay your funds into your bank account.

However, if you cannot find your bank in the drop-down list, or you do not use mobile banking, click on 'Can't see your bank?' at the bottom of the page and simply enter your bank account number and sort-code.

Please note: If you chose to enter your bank details manually rather than through your banking app, please triple check you enter your sort code and account number correctly, as mistakes can't be rectified once the transaction has completed.

If your funds have disappeared from your account but haven't yet arrived in your bank account it is likely that you have not fully completed the withdrawal process.

You can check the status of your withdrawal by clicking on 'My Account', and selecting 'My Transactions' on the drop-down menu. 

If the transaction status shows as 'Click Here To Claim Your Funds ' you will need to continue the process to withdraw your funds into your bank account.

For a reminder on how to withdraw your funds please see the video here.

Once you have started the withdrawal process, your funds will disappear from your Chester Aspire account while they wait to be deposited into your bank account.

If you do not complete all the steps in the withdrawal process, the transaction will time out and your funds will automatically be put back into your Chester Aspire account after 7 days.

Please contact us and our team can unlock the transaction for you.

Once unlocked you will be able to continue withdrawing your funds by clicking on the 'Click Here To Claim Your Funds ' link under the 'My Transactions' section of your account.

This may have happened if the banking systems are experiencing technical difficulties.

You can continue the withdrawal process by following the below steps:

• Clearing the cookies on your web browser, and if you are using a mobile switch off and restart your phone.
• Click 'Start' on your Payit email or the 'Click Here To Claim Your Funds' link on the Chester Aspire portal, found under 'My Account', 'My Transactions'.
• Once you get to the stage where you select your bank, continue scrolling to the bottom of the bank list and select 'Can't see your bank?'. Then enter your bank details manually.

If this does not work please take a screenshot/picture of the error message and contact us here.

Please allow up to 5 minutes for your withdrawal status to update to 'Click Here To Claim Your Funds'.

If you have not received your confirmation email and your Transaction Status has not updated to 'Click Here To Claim Your Funds' within 2 hours please contact us so we can look into this for you.

Most of the Chester Aspire awards can also be used to purchase anything on the Chester Aspire online shop. However, some of these awards like the Digital Inclusion Funds may have product restrictions on them.

If the award is product restricted then this should be advised when you are sent the award information.

If you don't use your funds before they expire, any remaining balance will be removed and you will no longer be able to use those funds.

Your funds will expire around the 31st of July each year but please check with the University's bursary team for the exact date.

Funds will also expire if you leave the University prior to your course ending.

This will depend on which award you have been issued.

More information about the available awards can be found at:

• https://www.chester.ac.uk/student-life/fees-and-finance/bursaries-and-scholarships
• https://www.chester.ac.uk/student-life/fees-and-finance/bursaries-and-scholarships/terms-and-conditions

If you can't find the answer via the above links, please contact the University of Chester at university.bursary@chester.ac.uk for further information.

Your account balance is displayed on the top right-hand corner of the page once you are logged in. You can check that your balance is correct by going to 'My Account' and clicking on 'Check My Balance' from the drop-down menu.

Once logged in, click on 'My Account' and then 'My Transactions' from the drop-down menu.

If you have been awarded funds, this page will show you when those funds were added to your Chester Aspire account, and when any funds were spent, refunded or expired.

Your transaction reference number was shown on screen when you started withdrawing your funds.

You can also find it by clicking on 'My Account' and selecting 'My Transactions' on the drop-down menu. 

Please first check the answer to "What can I spend my funds on?" under the "My Funds" section, and the email that was sent to you when the funds were awarded for any restrictions on what your funds can be used for.

If you can't see any advised restrictions and you believe you should be able purchase the items in your basket with your funds, contact us here.

If you do not find an option to withdraw your funds on the portal then you have not been issued funds that can be withdrawn.

If you can locate the option to withdraw your funds, but the amount available to withdraw is showing a "£0.00" balance this means that the remaining funds in your Chester Aspire account cannot be withdrawn and can only be used on the Chester Aspire online shop.

There are a few reasons that funds may no longer be visible.

• Funds may have been spent or expired, or in some cases the amount awarded is adjusted or removed by the Institution. You can check for these changes by looking at your transaction history under 'My Transactions' on your Chester Aspire account.
• If you have withdrawn, deferred, are currently on placement or redoing a module/year, your account may have been put on stop. This means the funds may not have been removed but access to them has. These changes don't always reflect under 'My Transactions'.

If you are still unclear on why your funds have disappeared, please contact us.

If you believe you are eligible to receive funds via Chester Aspire please contact the University university.bursary@chester.ac.uk for further information.

It may be that you have not completed enrolment, have outstanding debts or there may have been a delay with the data uploading. The University will be able to look into this and advise you correctly.

You have 14 days from placing the order to request cancellation for the course providing the course has not been accessed.*

*Please note: Language courses cannot be refunded or exchanged once supplied.

We cannot exchange one course for another.

A delivery address change is not usually possible once an order has been placed. We recommend that you double-check the delivery address before you place your order.

If you do need to change the delivery address, please contact us from your account email address with your order reference number and we will do our best to get that updated for you.

We may be able to cancel and refund your order IF the content has not been accessed and you have contacted us within 14 days of the order.

If you have not accessed your Kortext eBook and want to cancel, please request cancellation through your order details.

Chester Aspire online shop has millions of products available to order and our product ranges are regularly reviewed and updated. If the product you are interested in is not currently available we hope you can find a suitable alternative to support you with your course.

Apple Products: We do try our best to get in new releases from Apple as they are very popular. The stock availability for these items can be delayed, so we are unlikely to stock these directly after release dates.

Please continue to regularly check your Chester Aspire portal for new products.

We always welcome suggestions for products that will support your studies. To submit your suggestion, contact us here.

eBooks are designed to be read on electronics only.

You may be able to print a section of the eBook that you have purchased, but you cannot print a full paper copy of the book due copyright. Each eBook has its own quantity of pages that can be printed set by the publisher.

The Chester Aspire online shop is not currently set-up for stock notifications, but this is something that we are looking to develop.

Please note: Stock availability for Apple products is regularly restricted by Apple during the popular Christmas period (November to mid-January). During this time, we do not get estimated times when stock will be arriving with us.

Yes, you will receive a certificate on the completion of your course.

Some of the certifications available through academy+ include CPD, RoSPA, CMA and several others. Which certification you be awarded will depend on the course you have chosen and whether you have fully completed/passed the course.

No, if you don't use the entire value of the grocery voucher in a one transaction, the remaining balance will stay on your voucher until you use it again, or until it expires.

Please note: you can't receive change or exchange the balance for cash.

For Sainsburys: After each use In-Store, any remaining balance on the grocery voucher will be printed on a receipt. It is the recipient's responsibility to retain the receipt as evidence of their outstanding balance.

For Aldi and Tesco: the balance can be checked on the till.

You will need internet access when you first receive the eBooks as they will need to be downloaded/added to your Kortext account/app. However, once the eBook is downloaded to your app you will be able to read it offline.

More information can be here.

No, if you have been awarded funds provided by your institution and they do not cover the full cost of your order you can add a payment method at checkout to pay the difference.

At various points throughout the year we may have special offers or discounts!

If we have any valid discount codes available, they may be shown on your Chester Aspire Portal, or if you are opted into marketing emails or text messages, these will be sent to you directly.

Our aim is to offer students the best value and the widest choice of products to support your student journey. As we do not buy products in bulk (like Amazon & Curry's do) we are unable to price match.

The courses do not have an expiry date.*

*The course will only expire if the platform is shut down, but there are no known plans to do this.

Chester Aspire online shop uses stock from our own warehouse, as well as external direct delivery suppliers, to fulfil your orders so that we can offer a greater range of products.

This means that you may receive several parcels for your order rather than just one.

We are working to improve visibility on how your order will arrive.

Refunds are issued to the original payment method.

• If you paid by Chester Aspire funds, any refunds would be issued back to your Chester Aspire account which can you access again through the Chester Aspire Portal.
•  If you paid by voucher, then a refund would be issued back to the original voucher code.
• If you paid by bank card, then a refund would be issued to your bank card.
• If you paid part by bank card and part by Chester Aspire funds, then any refund would be issued part to bank card and part to your Chester Aspire account or voucher. (Bank card payment is prioritized to be refunded first, then any remaining amount is refunded to your Chester Aspire account or voucher.)

Once your order has been has been despatched, an email or text is usually sent from the courier to advise that your order is on its way.

We're excited to advise that we are working on automatically including the tracking information on your order details, so tracking is more accessible.

Once your order has been processed, a Kortext account will be automatically set up for you and you will be sent an email with your account login details, a temporary password and a link to Kortext site so you can log in and access your book.

Please note: The Kortext account will be set-up under the email address you use to place your order.

If you already have a Kortext account set-up under your Chester Aspire account email address, then an email will be sent to you once your new eBook has been added to your Kortext Library.

If you already have a personal Kortext account under a different email address and you have placed an order through your Chester Aspire account email address, please contact Kortext and they will be able to merge the accounts.

Once your order has been processed, an welcome email will be sent from the course provider to your Chester Aspire account email address with the course information and login details.

This email is normally sent within 24 hours of the order being placed (Monday-Friday).

• Login with your account details* (We do not currently offer guest checkout).
• Add the products you wish to order to your basket
• Once you've added all the products you wish to order, click on the basket icon in the top right-hand corner of the Chester Aspire portal and follow the instructions to place your order. 

SHIPPING/DELIVERY ADDRESS: Please ensure that you have entered a complete shipping/delivery address. If you are in university accommodation, you will need to include your room/flat number, not just the building name. 

* For more information on whether you need to create an account, please look under the Help & Supports 'Account' section > 'Do I need to register for an account?'

Please see our eBook policy here.

Please visit our Returns Policy. 

Once you have received the link to your voucher, you will need to activate it by clicking on the link and saving the file.

For Tesco and Sainsbury's voucher purchases:

The voucher can be printed or presented on a phone and scanned in store to pay.

For Aldi voucher purchases:

The voucher will need to be printed and presented at the customer service desk in any Aldi store in the UK to be redeemed.

Please note: These are UK, IN STORE vouchers only and cannot be used online or at petrol stations.

For more information on grocery vouchers, click here.

Please visit the below links for further information about Kortext:

https://www.kortext.com/university-students/

https://www.kortext.com/help-centre/

Voucher codes that are still valid can be applied to your basket during the checkout process. 

You will have access to your eBook indefinitely as long as you have access to your Kortext account.

This will depend on which product you have ordered.

Some products are 'in stock' and can be shipped immediately or the next working day. Other products may be 'available to order' but are not currently in stock.

This includes products that we normally keep stock of but are 'temporarily out of stock', and products that have to be ordered specifically for your order. 'Out of stock' products can take a few days to a few weeks to ship depending on the product.

PLEASE NOTE: The estimated despatch dates on your order confirmation are an estimate. The product(s) may be despatched before, or after, these dates.

We are working to improve the availability and clarity of stock information.

You can log in to the Kortext app on up to 5 devices.

For more information please visit Kortext's Help Centre.

Please visit our Postage Policy page. 

Click here to find all the information about size guides.

If the product you were trying to buy is no longer on the Chester Aspire shop it is likely that it is currently out of stock and we won't know when it will be available again. In some cases, it may have been replaced by a newer version.

The range of products on the Chester Aspire online shop are updated daily so please do keep checking to see if we've been able to make the product available again.

If you can see your eBook on your Kortext account but are having trouble accessing it, or if there is an issue with the quality please check Kortext's Help Centre.

Please contact support@starskillstraining.co.uk with your account email address and a description of the problem.

If you have placed an order using your bank card instead of using your available Chester Aspire funds, please contact us immediately.

If you are eligible to use your funds to purchase the product(s) you have ordered, we may be able to resolve the issue for you without you needing to cancel the order and place a new one.

Once an order is placed, each item within the order will have an individual status. The status will continue to update until the item has been shipped. It will also update if a product has been returned or lost in transit. 

Order Status Codes:

If you will be losing access to your Chester Aspire account email address please contact Kortext who will be able to advise you further.

It may be that you will need to create a second account with a personal email address and then Kortext will merge the two accounts. However, we would recommend contacting them first to confirm if this is required.

PDF eBooks: These are standard, non-interactive electronic copies of the book.

ePub eBooks: These are more flexible and have an interactive functionality. There is greater ability to adjust how the book displays to suit your needs.

You can use these vouchers to buy food and drinks from Tesco, Sainsbury's or Aldi (depending on voucher purchased).

Please note: this voucher cannot be used to buy products like alcohol, tobacco or lottery tickets. There may be other restrictions that apply.

For more information about grocery vouchers, click here.

Your voucher will need to be activated by clicking on the link and saving your voucher within 90 days of receiving it or it will expire.

However, once you have activated your voucher it will then be valid for 2 years.

Please note: we cannot replace or refund expired vouchers.

For more information about grocery vouchers, click here.

Your order confirmation email and dispatch emails are your proof of purchase. If you specifically need a VAT receipt or a manufacturer requires this as a proof of purchase, please contact us and we will provide you with a PDF proof of purchase once your product(s) have been shipped.

We are working on with our IT team to make a downloadable version available in the future.

Your orders can be found by going to "My Account" > "View My Orders"

Once you are there you can open each order and view the order status of the products that you have ordered.

If you have placed an order for a grocery voucher (eg. Tesco, Sainsbury's or Aldi), a link to the voucher will be emailed to your account email address. This should normally arrive within an hour.

If you can't locate the email please check your junk/spam folder before you contact us.

For more information about grocery vouchers, click here.

These can be accessed via the Kortext platform, either online or via the app. The Kortext app is currently available on Mac, iOS, Android and Windows.

For further information on this click here.

Kortext eBooks cannot be used on Kindle or other Amazon owned eReaders.

Please first check the answer to "What can I spend my funds on?" under the "My Funds" section, and the email that was sent to you when the funds were awarded for any restrictions on what your funds can be used for.

If you can't see any advised restrictions and you believe you should be able purchase the items in your basket with your funds, contact us here.

Refunds to your Chester Aspire funds can be found by clicking on 'My Account' and 'My Transactions'. It may be that your funds have since been removed, or you have been refunded and have since spent your funds.

If your refund has not been removed, and your balance is not showing correctly we would recommend following the below steps: 

1. Empty your basket if anything is in it.
2. Log out of your account and close the web page.
3. Open a new internet browser.
4. Clear your cookies via the settings/options section (depending on your browser).
5. Go to the search engine and go to your Chester Aspire Portal
6. Log in to your Chester Aspire account and go to 'My Account' and 'Check My balance'. 

This should resolve the issue and you should then be able to see your correct balance, but if you do not believe this to be correct, please contact us so we can look into this further for you. 

Refunds to bank cards: Please allow up to 5 working days for any refunds to show in your account. If it's still not showing after this period, please contact us and we will be happy to check for you.

Refunds to PayPal: Please allow up to 5 working days for any refunds to show in your account. If it's still not showing after this period, please contact us and we will be happy to check for you.

If you are expecting your PayPal refund to go through to your bank account and it hasn't, check your PayPal transactions before contacting us. If the refund has gone through to your PayPal account but not any further, please contact PayPal.