CURRENT STUDENTS

If you’re looking for information on rents and accommodation-related charges, have a look at the rent and accommodation page.

If you want to know how to pay your college bill, please see the relevant section of our FAQ.

Applying for Funds

Before applying for major grants or bursaries, students should in most cases talk to their Tutor first. They will be able to check you’re applying to the right place and may be able to give assistance with the application. It should also be noted that most applications – even at a university level – require approval from a Tutor in college.

For more information on the College schemes, please visit the student finance part of the College website – in particular the document which contains more detailed information about financial assistance from college written by Dr Holly Canuto, the Senior Tutor. Application forms for college bursaries are also on the website (but remember that it’s worth checking with your Tutor before applying).

Grants and Bursaries

University Bursaries

The Cambridge Bursary Scheme

The Cambridge Bursary Scheme is a non-repayable bursary that is administered by the Newton Trust.

Funds Available – The Cambridge Bursary scheme provides bursaries of up to £3,500 (for students starting in 2021), with the exact amount depending on your household income (further details of exact amounts can be found at this link on the university website: Cambridge Bursary Scheme For New Undergraduate Entrants in 2021 | Cambridge students)

Applying for the Bursary – There is no application process for the Cambridge Bursary Scheme, you are automatically considered when you send in your application, just make sure you keep an eye on your emails so you don’t miss any updates or additional information.

 Education Premium – students who have been eligible for free school meals receive an additional £1000, which requires a confirmatory letter from the school once a place is confirmed.

 Enhanced Award – those classed as “independent” by their regional funding bodies are also eligible for an extra 60% on top of their award.

Commonwealth Trust/Overseas Trust (Non-EU students)

The Commonwealth Trust and the Overseas Trust provide some scholarships to overseas students from certain countries. When you are offered a place at the University, the college will invite you to apply for financial support from the Trusts (you cannot apply directly to the Trusts). See details on their website.

Disability Bursaries

See the Disability Resource Centre website. Please contact our Disabilities Officer, Athith Anandavathanan, or the Disabilities Tutor, David Bainbridge, if you are seeking any advice.

Other University Hardship Funds

There are other university funds available to support students financially, such as the Access to Learning Fund, and the Bell, Abbott and Barnes Funds. You can find more information on the University website.

College Bursaries

The Hardship Fund

.One form of support that the college is able to provide is the Hardship fund, and this can be applied for by speaking to your Tutor and downloading the form off the college website. This fund is intended to be used in order to support students financially, for example if their financial circumstances change, and can be applied for on many different grounds.

 With the hardship fund, there are no application deadlines, and these applications can be made at any point during the year. The amount you receive is dependent on your personal circumstances and can be in the form of either a grant or an interest free loan.

The Home Bursaries Fund

For the Home Bursaries Fund you don’t need to specifically apply, as if you receive the Cambridge Bursary, the College will use the information you provide and will inform you if you need to apply. The amount provided depends on your household income and varies from £500 to £1000.

The Overseas Bursaries Fund

The College has one or two Overseas Bursaries available at any one time, with a maximum award of £5000, tenable for three or four years.

College Advice if your Household Income suddenly decreases:

If you find yourself in a situation in which your financial situation suddenly decreases, the College recommends that you should apply to the SLC for a “Current Year Assessment”, as you may be eligible for an increased maintenance loan or Cambridge and College Bursaries. In addition, you can apply for the College Hardship Fund.

Sports, Travel and Music Grants

Departmental Travel Grants

Some departments will offer vacation study grants to assist with the costs of fieldwork abroad or outside Cambridge. Your DoS should know if any are available and be able to help you with relevant applications. Check your department’s website for more information.

College Travel Grants

College Travel Funds are available for undergraduate travel, and for other Tripos-related or extra-curricular activities. The College gives out about £40,000 annually for travel and other related activities. Any undergraduate may apply to these funds, with priority being given to academic projects, those that aim to contribute to the good of others, and those who wish to travel for cultural enrichment by those whose opportunity to do so to this point has been limited.

 There is one deadline per term, and please apply using the form on the College website. Please also discuss this application with your tutor before submitting it. For people joining sporting or other tours, see Caution Money grants instead.

Caution Money Grants

Money from the caution money fund can be awarded as a grant to individuals, groups or societies who wish to go on sporting tours, musical tours, expeditions or to travel. The deadline for applications is in February. To apply, download an application form from the college’s website and it will need to be accompanied by detailed budgets.

St Catharine’s College Society Travel Grants Fund

The St Catharine’s College Alumni Society provides around £2,000 annually for distribution as travel grants to recognised College Clubs and Societies to support UK and overseas tours. Priority is given to applicants who link up with alumni in the places being visited. The application deadline is the first Friday in December. Applications received after this date will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. (For more information see the Society website).

St Catharine’s College Society Music Tuition Fund

The St Catharine’s College Alumni Society provides around £1000 in funds, generally distributed into three grants for Students who aren’t studying music as their degree subject to help fund music tuition. The deadline is the first Friday in November. (For more information see the Society website).

St Catharine’s College Society Performing Arts Fund

The St Catharine’s College Alumni Society fund is for students seeking to improve their personal skills and experience in theater, dance etc. It is not for funding specific productions. Up to £1000 in total is available for distribution annually, and from that sum up to three awards can be made in a year. The application deadline is the first Friday in November. (For more information see the Society website).

St Catharine’s College Society Old Member’s Sports Fund

The St Catharine’s College Alumni Society fund generates up to £4000 annually for distribution to students chosen to represent the College or the University at any competitive sports and who are faced with extra or unusual expenditure. Awards are typically of the order of £50 to £100, and application deadlines are the end of each Full Term. (For more information see the Society website).

Annual Sports Bursaries

The college can offer £250 to £500 for students to assist with extra costs related to competing in sport to a high level within the college and/or university. Such costs may be incurred by the need to go on training camps during the university vacations, to pay extra College rent for a sports related reason, or by the need to purchase specialised sporting equipment. However, this list in not exhaustive, and all applications for a Sports Bursary will be assessed with respect to the needs of the students concerned.

The deadlines for applying are towards the start of November, in the middle of February and in the middle of May. To apply, download the form from the college website, and submit it to the Senior Tutor, Dr Holly Canuto.

Hawks Fund

You can apply to the Hawks fund if you compete in a Blue or Half-blue sport for the university, and require financial assistance to train or compete. Awards range from £100–£750. For more information, see the Hawks Trust website.

Blazer Fund

There is a fund available to assist with the purchase of a full blue or half blue blazer for people who have represented the university. The maximum that can be awarded is £150. Contact Dr Peter Wothers for details.

Joining University Sports for which no provision exists in College

Any sports person who has to join a University sports club because the College doesn’t provide a facility for them to play their sport may be able to claim up to £15 to help with membership costs. There is a limit of one claim per person. To apply at any time, email Dr Peter Wothers, then with his agreement, take a receipt to the finance office.

Funds for University Gym Membership

The Annual Fund provides funds to pay part of the University gym memberships of members of College who compete in sports at a College or University level, providing a subsidy of up to £10 per month, and up to a maximum of £90 in one academic year. You can apply using the Annual Fund Sports Bursary form, making sure to included details of your sporting commitment and proof of university gym membership costs. You should apply as soon as you have written receipts of your total gym membership costs for the entire academic year.

College Language Grants

The College will normally fund half of the cost of a language course at the University Language Centre. You can apply for a grant when you have completed the course and you should provide a copy of your certificate or other evidence to show that you have completed the full course. You can apply for this grant using the College Bursary Form, which can be accessed on the college website.

Overseas Language Course “Pressland Fund” Bursary

The University Language Centre also has a bursary for students who are based in the schools of Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Technology or Clinical Medicine, and who wish to take a language course overseas during the long vacation. See the language centre website for details.

Internship Bursaries

St Catharine’s College Society Internship Bursaries

The St Catharine’s College Alumni Society is offering (on a trial basis), a limited number of bursaries to support the cost of internships. Those in receipt of 80% to 100% Cambridge Bursaries are eligible to apply for an award of up to £500 each. The scheme is targeted at students who have arranged an internship in not-for-profit organisations / the media / other organisations where little or no pay is offered. For more information please see the Society website.

University Careers Service Summer Bursary

The university careers service offers a similar internship bursary scheme to the one run by the college society. It is open to all undergraduates, but priority is given to people with a Cambridge Bursary. It is available only for Not-for-profit, Arts and Heritage, or Media Internships. For more information see the career service website.

Other Funds, Grants and Bursaries

College Gender Expression Fund

The Gender Expression Fund has been created with the purpose of funding items used by individuals to express their true identity. Given the limitations of the fund (around £100), this is for individuals who require the funding from the college, as opposed to their own finances. However, this should not deter your application, as applications are kept confidential between the LGBT+ Officer and applicant. The items which may be covered by the fund, whilst not a definitive list, include: packers, concealing underwear, and binders, amongst others.

By no means is identity something that should be hindered by financial background, and the college, and its JCR, wish you to experience utmost liberation within our community and beyond.

The application process applies on a case by case basis. The individual should contact the JCR LGBT+ Officer (email/Facebook Messenger/in person), who will review the application for funding, and on acceptance will provide the funding.

The LGBT+ Officer recognises the fact, and is under obligation to ensure, that any application must be treated with utmost confidence, and so the application will not be discussed beyond the Officer and applicant. However, to require funding, the Officer must request funding from the treasurer. To protect confidentiality, this will be done under a Gender Expression Fund Request, and will not disclose details beyond that title and the amount of money requested.

The Master’s Fund

This grant gives funding to individuals or specific projects that would otherwise be unlikely to receive funding. You can find out more about this fund on the college website.

College Academic Course-related Bursary Fund

This Fund is to assist undergraduates with the costs involved in such things as: additional course costs, laboratory placements, project or research expenses and the like.

College Scholarships and Prizes

The College awards prizes and scholarships of £100–£200 to all students attaining First-class results in undergraduate examinations. In addition, there are named College prizes and awards in several different fields.

Other College Grants

There are additional small grants available for several sporting needs, for group activities and for expeditions, please visit the College website for more details on grants that are available.

If you have any further questions regarding bursaries, funds, grants, or financial assistance, please do not hesitate to get in contact with the JCR Access and Admissions Officer (Rachel Duke) or your Tutor.