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St Cuthbert's Society

Awards and Grants Information Page

St Cuthbert's Society is able to offer some additional financial support to current students and societies to help them progress their personal and professional development. We have established a number of grant and award schemes which can be applied to for support towards various types of activity. Each fund has a different criteria and requires different information, so please read the instructions carefully.

More information about each award can be found below. 

Applications will re-open at the beginning of the Michaelmas Term

Student Development Awards and SCR Grants

Student Development Award

  • Students can apply for a Student Development Award of up to £250 for an individual and £500 for a group and may make multiple applications over an academic year but can only receive one award per academic year.

SCR Performing Arts Grant

  • Students can apply for a SCR Performing Arts Grant of up to £100 and may make multiple applications over an academic year but can only receive one award per academic year.

Notes for Student Development Awards and SCR Performing Arts Grants

  • Applications cannot be made to fund activities which are a compulsory part of your course, or for which you have received full funding from other sources
  • Retrospective applications are allowed for activities which have taken place previously providing that evidence of the activity and expenditure are supplied
  • Applicants must provide evidence of the activities when they apply - this can be confirmation emails from organisers, acceptance letters, receipts, etc. If this is not possible, please provide an explanation. Applications without this evidence will not be considered.

Guidance on Completing Your Application

Remember that your application will be assessed by non-specialists, so it is important that you take the time to complete the form thoroughly and include the required information and evidence. Competition is strong, and therefore the more clear and concise you can be, the greater your chances of success.

You should make it clear how much you require in total, and breakdown this figure into general components (e.g. travel, accommodation, subsistence, conference registration, bench fees, equipment, etc). You should also include details of any additional funding which you are applying for or have received from other sources (including private/personal).

Assessment of the Applications

Applications will be considered by a panel of senior members of the College, with applicants being notified by email.

Follow up

Grant and Award recipients are required to provide photographs and a short 500-word report on activities undertaken by the second week of the following term, which may be made publicly available on the website and other media.

You may also be expected to share your experience with other members of the Society through JCR, SCR or alumni activities.

Postgraduate Research Grant

  • Students can apply for a grant of up to £250 and may make multiple applications over an academic year but can only receive one grant per academic year.
  • Applications cannot be made to fund activities which are a compulsory part of your course, or for which you have received full funding from other sources.
  • Retrospective applications are allowed for activities which have taken place previously providing that evidence of the activity and expenditure are supplied.
  • Applicants must provide evidence of the activities when they apply - this can be confirmation emails from organisers, acceptance letters, receipts, etc. If this is not possible, please provide an explanation. Applications without this evidence will not be considered.

Guidance on Completing Your Application

Remember that your application will be assessed by non-specialists, so it is important that you take the time to complete the form thoroughly and include the required information and evidence. Competition is strong, and therefore the more clear and concise you can be, the greater your chances of success.

You should make it clear how much you require in total, and breakdown this figure into general components (e.g. travel, accommodation, subsistence, conference registration, bench fees, equipment, etc). You should also include details of any additional funding which you are applying for or have received from other sources (including private/personal).

Departmental Endorsement

Applications to the PGR fund need to be endorsed by the applicant's academic department. This should take the form of a brief letter or email from your academic supervisor or another appropriate member of academic staff (e.g. your Department’s Director of Postgraduate Study). This should be included with your application, and not sent to the college separately.

Assessment of the Applications

Applications will be considered by a panel of senior members of the College, with applicants being notified by email.

Follow up

Grant recipients are required to provide photographs and a short 500-word report on your activities by the second week of the following term, which will be made publicly available on the website and other media.

You will also be expected to share your experience with other members of the Society through JCR, SCR or alumni activities.

 

The Dr Anthony J Palmer Postgraduate Award

Dr Anthony (Tony) Palmer passed away towards the end of 2020.

He graduated from St Cuthbert’s Society, Durham University with a BSc in Chemistry in 1964 and then a PhD in 1968 before going on to work on isotopes for x-rays. He continued to visit the Chemistry Department and had a personal interest in Earth Sciences as well as being a proud Cuth’s alumnus.

His kind legacy to St Cuthbert’s Society means that we are able to offer an award annually in his name.

This award is available to students who will be starting any Postgraduate Research Degree in the next academic year, including PhDs and Masters by Research in any discipline.

This award which is worth £2500 is intended to provide help towards living costs and/or tuition fees.

 Funds will be paid to students at the start of the following academic year when they enrol.

Recipients will also be able to live in postgraduate accommodation at Brooks house should they wish to, however this is not funded by the award.

Application process

Applicants are invited to submit their application via this Microsoft form. https://forms.office.com/e/YtuYaDc0Mq

 

The form requires a personal statement of not more than 500 words describing how their personal circumstances make them suitable and deserving of this award. including how the bursary would help and enhance their studies at Durham University and St Cuthbert’s Society.

Please send any queries you may have about the process to Debra Smith cuthberts.collegecoordinator@durham.ac.uk

The deadline for submitting applications is 30th May 2024

Selection Process

All eligible applications for the award will be considered on the basis of their personal statement and academic status by a panel of College Officers of St Cuthbert’s Society. The financial and personal information provided by applicants will be treated in confidence by members of the selection panel. The Award will not be made available to successful applicants until they have fully enrolled.

Successful applicants will be expected to provide a short (500 word) written report about their progress during their funded year.