Top-Up Bursary Scheme
Student support is a key priority for the College: gifts enable young people to study here who could not otherwise do so.
Human, Social & Political Sciences undergraduate student Zak Ali (2019) explains what the support has meant for him:
The funds I received were very important in enabling me to meet the financial demands that accompany university; allowing me to meet the living expenses at Cambridge, both in terms of rent and travel. As I come from a single-parent household, the worries my mother and I had in terms of moving on to university meant many sacrifices had to be made, but receiving a bursary has undoubtedly alleviated many of our concerns, and for that I am hugely grateful. The bursary is by far one of the best ways in which students from working class backgrounds can get a footing in terms of life at Cambridge. Having both academic and financial support has allowed me to flourish in my first year, putting aside a set of financial worries in order to focus on my studies. I thank my donor for granting me that reassurance, which can only help me to go a long way in terms of my degree.
The Top-Up Bursary Scheme was piloted by a group of Colleges in 2018-19. It is designed to supplement the Cambridge Bursary scheme, which offers grants to students from households with lower incomes. Thanks to a donation from an alumnus, we were able to offer Top-Up Bursaries for the first time in 2019-20. This meant 26 students who started in October 2019, received a Top-Up Bursary to help with their living costs. This was in addition to the 70 students we helped support with a Cambridge Bursary last year.
This academic year 36 Top-Up Bursaries will be offered to Freshers, making 62 awards in total. Again these Bursaries have been made possible through philanthropy. Offering Top-Up Bursaries relieves the financial pressure felt by undergraduates, enabling them to focus on their studies and ensuring they can make the most of their College experience.