£1.5m donated by alumni and supporters to date to support future generations of Newcastle graduates

Since its launch, over £1.5million has been donated to the Newcastle University Student Fund by generous graduates and friends of the university, benefitting our 27,000-strong student community across our three global campuses.

The Newcastle University Student Fund helps students get into university and make the most of their experience while they study with us. From stocking a food bank on campus during the cost-of-living crisis to purchasing society memberships, the Newcastle University Student Fund is a valued lifeline which is made possible only through the kindness of our alumni and supporter community.

Some choose to give a small amount each month to help the next generation of graduates, and some run half-marathons to raise thousands for our students! No matter how and why they give, all of our supporters are greatly appreciated and are making an incredible difference.

Below you can meet just some of the students who have been supported by alumni donations in the past 12 months, and the initiatives on campus that have had a helping hand from the Newcastle University Student Fund.

If you’re interested in giving to the Newcastle University Student Fund, you can donate quickly and easily online. To find out more about the impact you could make and ways to support our students, please contact Alexa Charlton at alexa.charlton@ncl.ac.uk.  

Putting the fun in fundraising

With cost-of-living challenges, extracurricular and social activities are among the first things that many students need to give up. But, as our alumni community will know, it is these activities that stay with you for a lifetime.

In the past year, donations made to the Newcastle University Student Fund have provided 131 Access and Participation Bursaries on campus. These bursaries pay for costs associated with getting involved in one of the 260+ sports clubs and societies organised by our Students’ Union, from Archery and Brass Band to Model United Nations and Zumba!

These experiences enhance students’ confidence in social interactions, expand their social circles, and equip them with new skills and abilities. Most importantly, these activities provide a vital space for enjoyment and relaxation, offering a break from the stresses of university life.

Class of 2025 medical graduate Jacob (pictured above) was able to try new sports like powerlifting and taekwondo during his time on campus, thanks to the Newcastle University Student Fund. He said:

“Getting involved in sports is a great way to make friends and keep fit, but more importantly, as a medical student, I know it helps improve my mental health and mood when studies are getting stressful.

“The Newcastle University Student Fund has allowed me to experience being a Newcastle student fully and take all opportunities that have fallen my way. I know I’ll always look back on at my time at Newcastle University with a smile on my face.”

Celebrating student success

Newcastle University has a long history of success in student journalism, with the newspaper The Courier reaching its 75^th birthday in 2023. This year, donations to the Newcastle University Student Fund enabled six students from our media team to travel to Exeter for the annual Student Publication Association National Conference. This opportunity provided our budding journalists with an opportunity to network with their peers from other campuses across the UK – plus they also came home with a new award for the trophy cabinet as The Courier won Best Sports Section 2025!

The Newcastle University Student Fund has also funded monthly £50 prizes to inspirational students across our three campuses in the UK, Singapore and Malaysia. The Student Spotlight Awards celebrates the impact students are having on campus – as well as a £50 voucher given to winners, their stories are celebrated by the Students’ Union to raise their profile among the student community.

In the past year, the awards have celebrated English Language and Literature student Eloise (pictured), who is the founder of The Sticky Note blog. Here, Eloise provides her fellow students with the opportunity to gain hands-on writing experience, as well as a platform for student-led initiatives such as the Marrow Society, an affiliated branch of the charity Anthony Nolan. Syaeerhan, who is a student on our Singapore campus, has also won a Student Spotlight Award in the past year, in recognition of his leadership for the SIT Project YOUth.

Subtracting barriers from the exam equation

Calculators are perhaps the most used equipment in university exams (other than a pen!), however many students were arriving at exams without the correct calculator, or no calculator at all, due to financial barriers.

To remove this inequality in the exam hall and ensure students have everything they need to succeed during assessment periods, money from the Newcastle University Student Fund was used to establish a bank of 100 scientific calculators that are available to students to loan through the library.

A helping hand on the career ladder

Alumni donations to the Newcastle University Student Fund enabled 50 students from our Business School and School of Arts and Cultures to travel to London in Spring 2025, visiting some of the UK’s leading employers, including HSBC, PwC, and Bloomberg. During the visit, students spoke with alumni and other colleagues at these renowned businesses, hearing industry insights and information on upcoming graduate schemes, as well as being offered advice for entering one of the world’s leading global business hubs. One of the students on the visit was MSc Business Analytics student Anita. She said:

“It was a fantastic opportunity to connect with both alumni and professionals in the field, many of whom shared invaluable advice on career pathways and challenges. This event solidified the importance of building connections and learning directly from those who have navigated similar paths.”

Funding has also been awarded to student society Belonging in Engineering Network (BEN), which provides an inclusive space for Black and Global Majority students to build networks and find a sense of community, connectedness and belonging across the School of Engineering. With support from the Newcastle University Student Fund, BEN was able to offer its members access to the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK), including mentoring with industry leaders, group coaching sessions and inspirational talks.

Other ways our alumni are making a difference on campus

As well as contributing over £1.5 million to the Newcastle University Student Fund since its inception in 2021, our alumni and supporter community have also generously provided circa 400 student scholarships in the last academic year - ranging from tuition fee discounts to contributions to living costs.

30% of our UK student intake were from socio-economically challenged backgrounds in the last academic year, and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have reported that current student loans do not cover the living costs for 58% of students. Our alumni-funded scholarships remove the financial barriers that could otherwise prevent people from accessing higher education and ensure that students can reach their full potential while on campus.

Second year Physics and Astrophysics student Ariana is the first in her family to attend university, and has been financially supported by alumna Ann Cairns (MSc Medical Statistics, 1979) and her family. Speaking of the Cairns Family Scholarship, Ariana said:

“Having this amazing scholarship allows me to seize opportunities like attending conferences or getting involved in student societies without the stress of how I’m going to be able to afford them.

“I always wanted to go to university, but it wasn't something that I would have been able to afford if I didn't receive financial support. My scholarship has truly helped me to achieve my dream.”

Third year English Literature and History student Etienne was awarded a scholarship funded by alumni Charles and Karen Sheppy following her success representing the university in the 100m hurdles at the national British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) league. She said:

“Athletics has been a big part of my time at university. I usually train four or five times a week, and there’s a financial demand to being a student athlete too.

“[My scholarship] has helped with purchasing kit, track memberships and travel costs to competitions.

“The connections I’ve made with my friends, coaches and training partners have been my favourite thing about university. It just makes it feel more like a home.”