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Students have been beneficiaries of the Sussex Fund

Students today face significant financial barriers. Overcoming these challenges often consumes a great deal of time and energy, as well as causing worry about how to make ends meet or finding extra paid employment to cover living costs. Added to this is the pressure of completing assignments. It’s why so many students consider leaving university before the end of their studies. Thankfully, for students at Sussex, the generosity of alumni and Friends of the University provides a safety net.

Through donations to the Sussex Fund, we’re able to provide hardship awards to help students overcome their financial worries so they can focus on completing their degree. The Student Funding Team that manages these awards also provide students with financial counselling and budgeting advice, enabling them to plan and manage their money.

As one student applying to the Sussex Fund said: “Having the time to focus on my studies is important to me. Financial help will allow me to do this; without help I would have no choice but to pick up a third part-time job, which would take time away from my studies and no doubt reduce the quality of my work.”

Regular gifts, one off gifts, legacy gifts, responding to appeals – every donation to the Sussex Fund will help students enormously.

Susan Angoy, Sussex alumna and member of the University’s Council, is a regular supporter of the Sussex Fund. She says: “I’ve been donating regularly since the early ‘90s and have gained hugely from knowing the difference my support has meant. In these challenging economic times, our help is needed more than ever. I belong to a generation for whom higher education was free to home students, and considerably cheaper for those from overseas than it is now. We were very privileged. It is so different for the average student now. My support of the Sussex Fund continues to be one of my most rewarding acts of philanthropy and I recommend it to my fellow alumni. Give whatever you can afford. Every donation counts. You won’t regret it.”

Thank you

For so many students, alumni donations are great acts of kindness. On behalf of our students and the University, thank you to all Sussex alumni and our Friends who have given and continue to make donations to the Sussex Fund.

We know many students would like to thank you all personally but, for now, here are a few messages of thanks from Sussex students who have benefited from your generosity:

“Thank you so much for the generous award. I am so elated by this mail and can now focus on my studies peacefully. The award is enough to clear most of my debts and I hope to one day be able to support somebody in this manner.” ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½Ó°ÊÓ Masters student

“This is amazing news!!! I honestly can’t thank you enough, you don’t know the difference this will make. Thank you so much for everything.” ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½Ó°ÊÓ PGCE student

“Thank you for the response to this application. This support is much appreciated as it does help to take the weight off my mind while working towards completing my PhD. Many thanks to the alumni and others who have supported students who are encountering difficulties.” Overseas postgraduate research student

Facing the costs

During the pandemic, we saw a 60% rise in student hardship at Sussex: from 791 applications for support in 2019/20 to 1,306 in 2020/21. Thanks to the cost of living crisis, energy costs and inflation reaching 10%, studying for a degree has never been more expensive or prohibitive for those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½Ó°ÊÓ calculates the average annual cost of living for a UK student living away from home is £12,870, while tuition fees cost a further £9,250. This means the amount required to live and study totals about £22,120 per year.

While the government’s Tuition Fee Loan can cover tuition fees in full, the Maintenance Loan for living costs currently only extends to a maximum of £9,706, which means that our most financially disadvantaged students must, on average, find a further £3,164 to meet the shortfall.

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If you would like to increase your level of support to students, please contact jack.merrington@sussex.ac.uk.