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The Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund Guidelines

Guidelines for Applicants

The Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund exists thanks to the generous donations from alumni, friends and ¾«Æ·¶ÌÊÓ staff whose support ensures that all of our students have the opportunity to achieve their academic, personal or vocational goals.  

Grants from the Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund are designed to support student-led projects, initiatives and activities which are based in the UK or overseas and which can be demonstrated to have a positive benefit to the student and/or the University.  

The Fund is designed to support only projects, initiatives, and activities which would not happen without receiving financial support.

Applications to the Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund are invited from all undergraduate, postgraduate and research students currently enrolled.   

The criteria for funding under the Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund has some cross-over with criteria for other funds, for example Santander Universities. You are welcome to apply to more than one fund, but please note that the same project will not be funded twice.

Applications will be assessed by the Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund Panel consisting of ¾«Æ·¶ÌÊÓ senior staff.

Please read the following carefully to see whether your project meets the necessary criteria:

1. Your project must enhance your experience whilst at ¾«Æ·¶ÌÊÓ, academically or personally, as well as improve your future employment prospects.
   
   
2. You must show how your project will improve the reputation of ¾«Æ·¶ÌÊÓ and relations with external organisations.
   
   
3. You must be able to demonstrate that support from the Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund is essential for your project/initiative to go ahead.

Please Note: 

1. The Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund is not a general fund for hardship, fees or subsistence.

2. The Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund will not support overseas projects which are:

     (a) elective placements

     (b) travel to and from your home country (if you live outside the UK)

3. Any awards relating to overseas travel will be subject to the and the University being satisfied risk assessments have been completed before funds will be released (if found to be necessary). 

All other awards will be subject to Government advice and the University being satisfied that the event/study/project can still go ahead safely.

4. Applications must be submitted online here.

5. All applications should have a written reference from a member of ¾«Æ·¶ÌÊÓ staff in support of the application or provide an email address we can contact. 

6. References for research projects must highlight the relevance of the project to the University’s strategic research aims as preference will be given to research projects which support the University’s strategic research aims. 

7. Applicants may only submit one application. 

8. The deadline for the 2024/5 fund is noon on 24 February 2025

9. Applications will be considered at the Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund Panel meeting and a decision will be reached and given to the applicant no later than week commencing 10th March 2025. 

*Please note, when submitting an out of cycle application (ie. seeking a decision before the deadline), email the above address for confirmation this is possible.

10. Monies will be credited to the successful candidate’s bank account. If for any reason the event/study/research project does not go ahead, you will be required to return the award to the University in order for it to be re-awarded.   

11. Occasionally, the committee will seek extra information from an applicant before making a decision.

12. The Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund’s limited awards have to be made on the merit of each applicant and in the context of all applications received.

13. The majority of awards will be around £750. Only in exceptional circumstances will funds be awarded up to a maximum of £1,250.

14. Applicants should be aware that successful grants may not reflect the full amount requested. A contribution to the total fund requested may be granted instead. 

15. In accepting an award, a student must agree to attend the annual ¾«Æ·¶ÌÊÓ Student Support Reception and write a report on their experiences and send this report to the Development & Alumni Office within six months of the project taking place.

16. Each student must agree to participate in some publicity if required, for example for the alumni magazine, leaflets, booklets, web pages and social media. Where appropriate the support of the ¾«Æ·¶ÌÊÓ Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund should be acknowledged. 

17. Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund grants are awarded for one year only.

18. Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund grants will not be awarded retrospectively (i.e. after the project has taken place).

19. The decision of the Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund Panel is final. No correspondence will be entered into. 

20. The Vice-Chancellor’s & Student Development Fund Panel may apply additional terms and conditions to a specific grant if it feels this to be necessary.

 

Rae Kenny
Development & Alumni Office 
development@qmu.ac.uk

September 2024