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Alumni donate £20,000 to support students affected by the pandemic
In partnership with its alumni community, the University created the Success for All Fund, set up to support students experiencing unexpected financial challenges. Since March 2020 the University has provided financial support in the form of rent rebates, payments for IT equipment, travel bursaries and assistance for other unexpected bills. Over £1million has been disbursed amongst the student community.
Funding is fast-tracked for those on the lowest household incomes and since it began, more than 1,000 payments have been made from the scheme, which is partly funded through the generosity of University of Exeter alumni and a gift from Santander Universities UK in addition to core university funds.
The impact has been immediate and gratefully received. In the words of one student, “I cannot quite express how much of a difference this is going to make. All I can say is thank you so much. It is so wonderful that the University has put these measures in place – I was quite scared about how I was going to manage financially over these next few months, but this grant will allow me to survive whilst I figure out my next steps.”
In January 2021, faced with another lockdown, the University announced further support including waiving rent charges on accommodation. The Fund was receiving around 200 applications per month and we were aware that so many of our students were having their financial safety net snatched away without notice due to opportunities for casual and part-time jobs disappearing once again. Undergraduate students made up around two thirds of all applicants and mature, BAME and disabled students were being impacted by the crisis disproportionately. At this point, we appealed to our alumni community, who collectively donated £20,000 in support of the Success for All fund. One donor describes why she felt compelled to support the appeal:
“As my own son is now applying for university places, I am awakened to just how lucky I was to have the opportunity I did, and how difficult it is now for students to manage the financial burden of university- especially given the additional challenge of this pandemic. This is such a small gift, but hopefully when added together it can help make a difference to students facing hardship. We need talented young people to help rebuild our future when this is over, and universities such as Exeter have a vital part to play in this. I am so grateful for my time there, my education and the life lessons I learned.”
The positive impact of this fund has been considerable, with students telling us that receiving grants has helped them avoid serious financial hardship, allowing them to concentrate on their studies and maintain their mental and physical health.
More information on the Success for All fund can be found online.
Date: 7 June 2021