For Undergraduates

The Academic Fund will be open for applications once a term, with an additional round early in Michaelmas Term.  Applications to the Academic fund will close in the second half of each term.  

Applications close:

Michaelmas: 11 October ; 22 November 2024

Lent: 7 March 2025

Easter: 6 June 2025   

• You should approach your Faculty or Department and/or other College funds in the first instance. The Committee will refer applications to other appropriate funds where possible.
• Students should discuss their application with their Director of  Studies  in the first instance.  Your DOS may be able to direct you to other appropriate funds. 
• If you do apply to the Academic fund, your DOS will be asked if they support your application. 
• Students should apply online. The application form is available here.
• A maximum of £350 per student per year can be awarded from this Fund.
• Claims should be submitted, with receipts, after expenses have been incurred. Please contact fwo@girton.cam.ac.uk if this will cause financial difficulties for you. 
• Students may be asked to write a short statement about how the Academic Fund helped them, in order to publicise the fund.

 If you have any questions about the Academic Fund please contact the Financial Welfare Office (fwo@girton.cam.ac.uk).

Applications to cover the following will be considered:

• A contribution to College rent when students stayed out of the residence period for academic reasons, at the discretion of the committee depending on demand and on available funds. This may only be at a percentage of the daily rate. Subsistence is not usually supported.
• A contribution towards non-compulsory field trip expenses, including research trips for dissertations (eg to library/archives). Where applicable for field trips, you should apply to UG Travel Awards first.
• A contribution to support internships with additional costs. Girton’s Academic Support Fund is able to support students with the cost of taking up an internship, where there is a shortfall between the pay received from the employer and essential expenditure for accommodation, travel etc. Please note that the College will not support any costs associated with unpaid internships or unpaid work experience, e.g accommodation, travel and maintenance costs. The College takes the view that unpaid positions create inequality of opportunity for students, which is in conflict with our commitment to a Widening Participation agenda. Internships and work experience opportunities that pay at least national minimum wage ensure that economically less advantaged students can afford to apply for these opportunities without creating financial worry for them and their families. Subsistence is not usually supported.
• A contribution to exceptional dissertation or coursework expenses but not usually for printing.
• A contribution to other academic related work, with a strong case from your Director of Studies. This can include compulsory farm-based practice during vacations for Veterinary Science students, or top up funding for course related travel for a year abroad, where a student is travelling further afield than is usual.
• The maximum UK transport costs that can be claimed is the equivalent of a second class rail fare on a student railcard, where practicable.
• Applications for a second CULP Language course, subject to DOS confirmation that it is related to the course.

The following will NOT be considered:

• Expenses due to resits or College examinations out of the residence period.
• Compulsory field trips advertised as part of the course.
• Purchase of books/digital recordings.
• Pens, pencils, glue, printing paper, delivery charges.
• Course Fees for MPhil.
• Purchase of software will not normally be considered unless the IT Office confirms that it is not available free to students via the University. Normally any software would be available via the College computers, subject to appropriate licensing.

If you are having difficulty meeting expenses such as those above not covered by the Academic Fund, please approach your Tutor or the Financial Welfare Officer to see if other funds are available.

Read here soon how the Academic Fund has helped previous recipients. 

The Harry Barkley fund was set up to provide a contribution towards the costs of  the 5^th year elective period of training for clinical medical students. It was established from a bequest by Dr Harry Barkley in 1981.

Students should apply by 1st April in their 4^th year. Apply here.

Applicants will be asked to provide an outline of the elective proposed, a risk assessment and an estimate of expenses.

Preference will be given to applicants who have a good academic record. Both the academic content of the elective and the financial needs of the applicant will also be considered.

Students are encouraged to attend the Risk Assessment presentation, details to be advised.

Applications to this fund which relate to Tropical Medicine or a related Global Health field will be considered for a Dinah James Award. Apply here.

The Dinah James Award was established by a bequest from Professor Dinah James, Visiting Clothworker’s Fellow, 1975-76.

This bursary is available for clinical medical students in their 5th and 6th years.

Details of the NHS bursary can be found via the Cambridge Students website.

Students can also apply to Student Finance - if you think you may be eligible for a Cambridge Bursary, follow the instructions on the link above  when you apply to SF.

Any student displaced by the war in Ukraine who is in financial need can apply for extra support. Details of this support can be found here: https://www.ukraine.cam.ac.uk/schemes

The University has launched a Humanitarian Response Fund to provide extra financial support for current students who are affected by conflict or humanitarian crisis. Details of the application procedure have now been published online, including eligibility criteria and an application form

Humanitarian Response Fund eligibility criteria and guidance | University of Cambridge

Students are encouraged to take one of the language programmes organised by CULP. Students may request partial reimbursement from their College for the fees, for up to two programmes during their undergraduate and/ or postgraduate course.

The current fee is £285 and typically £142.50 can be reimbursed.

Please apply here with your completion certificate and receipt.