Skip to content

Creating Opportunity

The College is committed to ensuring that all students can take advantage of every opportunity during their time in Cambridge. No student should feel prevented from studying at Trinity because of their financial background, or experience hardship while studying here. By making a gift to student support, you are creating an opportunity for a talented young person to not only explore their academic interests at a world class institution but to also experience all that Trinity and Cambridge have to offer.

Eve Simpson (2019), Law

‘The bursary means so much to me. Without it, the financial strain and stress would have a very detrimental impact on my ability to study effectively, enjoy my time at university and do all the extracurricular things that I love to do. I always like to try new things and that is simply impossible when you are on an extremely tight budget. I would just like to say a very big and sincere thank you to alumni. It really does make all the difference and I do not think I could ever express how grateful I am.’

Second year History and Politics student

‘Receiving a bursary is certainly one of the best things that could have happened since coming to university.

‘It means I can live life to the fullest without having to constantly worry about money, which is so important given the existing stress of work would probably become unbearable if coupled with the stress of insufficient money. But because it means I know with confidence that I don’t have to financially rely on either a job during the holidays or my Mum who has already made unbelievable sacrifices to get me to the position I’m in today. Also, the bursaries are possibly the greatest means for tackling social divides which naturally exist between students of different socio-economic backgrounds. The money helps overcome the financial barriers which exist in many activities and parts of student life that are not a concern for students from wealthier families. Thank you to alumni for their donations that allow us to make the absolute most of our time at College, hopefully putting us in a position at some point in the future to pass on the favour to other students.’

Emily Song (2017), TCSU President 2019-2020

‘The financial support that is available to Trinity students makes a world of difference to their university experience. We are incredibly thankful to the College and to its donors. After the hard work that goes into achieving a place at Trinity, it’s important to give everyone the best chance to excel while they’re here. For those with financial struggles, it can be difficult to focus on studies and take advantage of the wonderful opportunities at Cambridge.’

UNDERGRADUATE SUPPORT

Home and EU undergraduates now pay tuition fees of £9,250 per year, and for international students this figure is much higher. Students are also expected to take out loans to cover living expenses, but these often fall short of what they actually need to keep up with the rising costs of student life.

Trinity has led the way in meeting this shortfall by devising and piloting, along with other Colleges, an enhanced top-up bursary scheme (PTUBS). But more is needed to ensure that all Trinity students can concentrate on their studies without worrying about debt and unexpected expenses. Giving by alumni has been vital to the success of the pilot top-up bursary scheme but more is needed.

Lewis Croney (2017)

‘I strongly welcome and appreciate financial support as a student of Trinity. Primarily, it allows me to be able to focus on my studies during term time, without needing to seek any employment. It has also given me freedom from worry over affording accommodation, meals and stationery, while preventing me missing out on all the opportunities Cambridge has to offer.’ 

Lewis featured in a Channel 4 documentary aired in 2018 about his application to Trinity, you can read more about it here. 

Martha O’Neil (2016)

Prior to graduating in June 2019, Martha told us what the support of alumni had meant to her during her time at Trinity. Please click here to hear her story.

GRADUATE SUPPORT

The graduate community has grown exponentially at Trinity, now nearly one third of the 1000 at Trinity are pursuing MPhils or PhDs. Securing funding for further studies can often be precarious and difficult, especially for arts and humanities students. Trinity offers a range of graduates studentships, but more is needed to keep up with the growing competition for the best students.

Other world-class universities have higher course fees for graduate studies, but those universities have more readily available funding to support their students. In order to compete with them Trinity must offer similar packages to attract and retain the most talented graduate students. Trinity’s academic reputation depends on its ability to recruit and nurture the very best students from around the world, and to provide them with the funding they need to pursue their academic careers at Trinity.

Benjamin Stewart (2018), recipient of the Louis and Valerie Freedman Studentship

‘I’m hugely grateful to the donors whose generosity has impacted my time so far at Trinity, and which will undoubtedly benefit my years to come. My hope is that this generosity will prove to be an investment in my career as a physician-scientist, which will come to fruition with tangible advances impacting patient lives.’ 

Any gift, of any amount can have an huge impact on the life of a Trinity student.

Alumni donations have made such a difference in expanding the provision we are able to offer students, as illustrated in our latest brochure.  To help Trinity students now, please click here.

Back To Top
College Crest


Contact us

        MyTrin | Student Hub

Access and Outreach Hub