Support Our Students
Find out how your donation could help students from all backgrounds benefit from the full experience of a Newcastle University education.
All students should experience what makes belonging to Newcastle University so special.
The Newcastle University Student Fund helps students get into university and make the most of their experience. It creates opportunities for the future and offers help when times get tough. With cost-of-living challenges, extracurricular and social activities are among the first things that many students need to give up. But it is these activities that stay with you for a lifetime.
They 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.
Since the Newcastle University Student Fund was launched in 2021, over £1.5 million has been donated to support current and future generations of students across our three campuses.
Donations have:
- Increased hardship support so we can be there when students need it most.
- Offered bursaries to students so they can buy the equipment they need to study and reach their potential.
- Provided participation bursaries so any student can get involved in Students’ Union clubs, sports and societies, no matter what their financial situation.
- Removed the financial pressures associated with attending job interviews, internships, international field trips, work placements and volunteering programmes.
- Stocked the Students’ Union foodbank, offered discounted hot meals on campus and free period products during the cost-of-living crisis.
Supporting students arriving on campus this September
Today, almost 30,000 students call Newcastle University ‘hyem’ and 30% of these are from socio-economically challenged backgrounds. Without financial support and family connections, these students can end up at the back of the queue for internships and work experience. But getting involved in extra-curricular activities builds a network that can help students climb the career ladder.
Such opportunities have a cost attached, whether that be money, time or resource. And this means that around a third of students are left out. With a new term starting soon, we are encouraging our alumni and supporter community to change the narrative.
Every Newcastle student deserves a warm welcome (it’s what the Toon is famous for!). They deserve to dream big. Please help us warmly say ‘Howay in’ to students this September by donating to the Newcastle University Student Fund today. Your donations will give every student the full Newcastle experience, like Isla and Jacob below.
As an additional incentive, any donations made before 1 August 2025 will be matched, meaning you can make double the difference. Thank you.
Jacob's story
"Being from a single parent and low-income household, alumni donations have given me a vital helping hand to make the most of my time at Newcastle.
"It has given me the chance to try out new sports like powerlifting and taekwondo, as well as playing football. 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.
"I graduate this summer, and I know I’ll always look back on at my time at Newcastle University with a smile on my face as I’m sure you do too. Thank you."
Isla's story
"I’ve dreamt of working in the Games industry since I was 14, and today that dream is within reach because of my experience at Newcastle University.
"Donations helped me gain a work placement at an industry-leading company in Sweden – the opportunity of a lifetime and one I would not have been able to accept without financial support. This has developed my skillset and prepared me for life after graduation – I can’t wait to begin!
"It’s not just professional opportunities that I’ve been gifted from our supporter community. I received a participation bursary which enabled me to join the Gilbert and Sullivan Theatre Society, where I have made lifelong friends and cherished memories."
Scholarships
Thousands of our students rely on financial aid to support their education. Our scholarship programmes are designed to meet the individual needs of our students as effectively as possible.
Students in receipt of scholarships are also offered support from our wellbeing team during their studies. And, they have access to volunteering and/or paid work experience opportunities through our careers service.
If you would like to know more about setting up a scholarship at Newcastle University please contact Alexa Charlton at alexa.charlton@ncl.ac.uk.
