Each year, our student fundraisers speak with alumni about their time at Bath and gain valuable advice on entering the world of work after they graduate. The students also talk about the impact donations to the Alumni Fund are having on campus and give you the opportunity to make a difference to the lives of our students and researchers, who in turn can make a difference to the wider world.

The Alumni Fund provides grants to current students and staff that support innovative research and teaching projects, boost student inclusion and enrich life on campus. These are disbursed by the Alumni Fund Panel, which includes staff, students and donors.

Past successful applications include a rolltop physics laboratory, a gardening scheme to support students’ mental health and wellbeing, and funding for a robot designed for early breast cancer diagnosis.

Each year, the Alumni Fund supports 10 Gold Scholarships. These provide students from disadvantaged backgrounds with a bursary of £5,000 per year of study, as well as skills development workshops, a network of Gold Mentors and the opportunity to give back to the local community through volunteering.

“Thank you very much for your generosity which has allowed students like me to reach for their dreams,” says one Alumni Gold Scholarship recipient. “I hope that through this scholarship I will be in a situation like you one day to help other students achieve their goals.”

You can learn more about how a Gold Scholarship offers a boost to bright students by watching Sherifat’s story.

Our University is more than a place of learning. It’s where talents are uncovered and lifelong friendships are made. Your donations help students pursue placements overseas and take part in clubs and societies that build their skills and confidence.

“We owe large amounts of our success to the Alumni Fund,” say Team Bath Racing Electric, the UK’s best student electric racing team. “It’s extra special that graduates are keeping the team going and enabling current students to excel.”

Your donations meant that when we launched our first Student Hardship Fund crowdfunding appeal in April 2020, the Alumni Fund was able to make a £10,000 grant.

This money was used to help students who were facing dire financial circumstances as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, including loss of part-time work, increased costs of travelling home and the need to pay rent in cities away from home after placements were terminated early.

Watch Emma’s story to learn more about how the Student Hardship Fund makes a real difference.