Sources of Financial Assistance
This page is about sources of funding which are available to help you with expenses or if you experience financial hardship. These are not sources of funding for your entire graduate degree. For information about overall degree funding, visit university website's pages on funding or see the applying page.
This page is about sources of funding which are available to help you with various types of expenses or if you experience financial difficulty for whatever reason. Apart from the University Access to Learning Funds, all of these sources of funding are specific to Downing college.
- University Access to Learning Funds
- These are available to all Home and EU students with special application forms for graduates. Application forms available in the Tutorial and Admissions Office. These must be completed by the student and then checked and signed by their Tutor. Payments are means-tested and can be very generous (over £3,000). There is no deadline date and applications can be made at any time. Decisions are usually made within three weeks and cheques are distributed soon after. Further applications can sometimes be made during the same academic year. The fund has been particularly useful to graduate students in their 4th year.
- Graduate Support Fund (Downing Bursaries)
- The Graduate Support Fund is a fund of last resort i.e. applications should be from students who find themselves suddenly in financial difficulties through unforeseen circumstances. Application forms for the Graduate Support Fund are available from the Tutorial and Admissions Office and students are encouraged to discuss the matter with their Graduate Tutor. There are no deadlines. Applications are considered quickly and amounts available are typically between £100 and £800 this year.
- Downing Conference/Travel expenses
- This is a Downing fund used specifically to assist graduates with travel to conferences etc. Applications can be made at any time and forms are available from the Tutorial and Admissions Office. Forms must be signed by the graduate's Tutor who is also responsible for deciding the amount. Typically graduate students can expect an "allowance" of £100 per year of study i.e. an MPhil student would receive a maximum of £100 during their year of study whereas a PhD student might have either £100 per annum or one grant of £300 during their three years. It is hoped to be able to slightly increase these amounts for the academic year 2006/2007.
- Downing Association Grants
- These are small grants which are available for any student to purchase of books or other educational materials needed for particular courses, such as special computer software, sheet music, drawing office equipment and materials. Grants for other specific educational purposes will also be considered, including travel, vacation study or conferences for which no other University and College funds are available. Grants made last year ranged between £40 and £400 and a usual request is that the books are given to the Library on graduation Application can be made at any time and forms are available from the Tutorial and Admissions Office. Receipts are required before funding is given. The application form is available online, and you can also visit the Downing Association website
- Oon Khye Beng Ch'ia Tsio Bursaries
- These are available for students doing biological preventative research (mostly, but not exclusively medics). Application forms are available from the Tutorial and Admissions Office and the closing date is 31st March each year although occasionally payments are made outside of this period if sufficient monies remain in the fund.
- Downing Studentships
- Downing also has various studentships available: Parke Davis, Oon Khye Beng Ch'ia Tsio, John Treherne, F E Fritsch and Glynn Jones. Details of these can be found on College noticeboards at the appropriate time of year as well as in the electronic newsletter.
Other Sources ofInformation
- The University website's pages on funding, which also contains information about overall funding for graduate degrees.
- There are numerous other grants available throughout the University and checking through the Awards edition of the Reporter is well worthwhile ...it is also simpler now that all Reporters are available online and can be searched rather than wading your way through interminable pages!
- There is a large notice board in the Tutorial and Admissions Office which is dedicated to funding. Posters from a variety of sources are placed there and are checked on a regular basis to ensure that they are in date.
- External funding notices which we receive are posted in or outside the MCR room.
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Useful Links
Graduate Union Website
Official College Website
Downing JCR Website
Central University Website
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