The Annual Fund
Help us build a future in which every student flourishes at Girton
The Annual Fund at Girton College helps us to take a flexible approach to student support and enrichment activities throughout the year.
With an unrestricted gift to the 2024-25 fund, you will be part of:
Breaking financial barriers
Excelling in the academic life of the College should not depend upon a student’s financial situation. We want all students facing pressures around the cost of living to have access to support.
We’re already taking proactive steps to alleviate these financial pressures. For the 2024-25 academic year, we are freezing rent costs at the level charged to the 2023 cohort of undergraduate and postgraduate students.
We have also decided to offer top-up residence bursaries to help students who are particularly struggling with the cost of living.
Your support for the Annual Fund will help us develop the best and brightest minds at every stage of their Cambridge journey.
Girton has put a lot of time and thought into determining which student support initiatives are financially viable and will have the greatest impact. The rent freeze for 2024-25 is a massive benefit for all new students, and we are grateful to our College for making this possible.
James Walsh, MCR President (2022, PhD)
Find out more about our work on wellbeing from our Head of Welfare, Deji Olaniyi-Maxwell.
Leading the way in student welfare
Cambridge Colleges are on the frontline of tackling student welfare crises.
Thanks to the support we have received in the past year, we have been leading interactive group sessions that build practical skills and psychological strategies to help students build resilience in the face of academic pressures. We are also one of the few Colleges that has a dedicated clinic staffed by nurses on site.
But we need to support our frontline staff working with students who have complex needs. In cases where students are struggling to access treatment through the NHS, we want to offer financial support for alternatives.
A gift to the Annual Fund can help us ensure that access to healthcare and welfare support never prevents our students from reaching their potential.
Cultivating extra-curricular opportunities
A well-rounded education involves more than academic study. Our goal is to open up enriching activities in music, the arts, sports and more to all Girton students, whatever their financial situation.
We know that creative activities and exercise hold huge power to improve wellbeing. Your gift to the Annual Fund will help us:
- Widen access to sport at Girton with grants for sporting equipment and in-College taster sessions.
- Champion excellence with further awards for our sporting stars.
- Boost creative activities through events across the academic year.
"Playing hockey has really helped me build my time management skills. Juggling training sessions, matches and my workload has, at times, been demanding but also valuable. Being captain of the team has also pushed me to build my leadership skills, and I've learned how to bring together people from different year groups and different subjects together into a tight-knit community."
Zara Wedgwood, Hockey Captain for University 2nd team and Girton College team (2021, Classics)
Find out more about our work on our student programmes from the Deputy Senior Tutor, Dr Stuart Davis.
Accelerating academic achievement
Our commitment to bringing the best and brightest minds to flourish at Girton does not end with the admissions cycle.
In 2023, we launched the Girton Skills Programme which aims to elevate our students’ approach to academic study and build crucial competencies for their careers. Whether it’s learning to write an exceptional essay or mastering the Cambridge supervision, these sessions position students from all backgrounds to thrive in the academic life of the College.
“The Girton Skills session on essay writing was hugely useful. Learning how to write a tailored essay with a strong conclusion that addresses what examiners are looking for has made a massive difference. In fact, my supervisor commented that the essay I submitted after completing this session was the best one I have written so far.”
Alexandra Bates (2022, Natural Sciences)
Empowering students to make an impact
Preparing Girtonians for the future is our priority. Girton’s Careers Accelerator Programme inspires students to take charge of their career ambitions through workshops, internships, and volunteering.
From writing a persuasive cover letter, to giving a business presentation and making an impact in meetings, your donation helps prepare the next generation of leaders to flourish long after they graduate.
“I am incredibly grateful for the Girton Skills Programme sessions. They have been instrumental in helping me gain a better understanding of the possibilities that lie ahead after graduation and supporting my personal growth.”
Kwun Shing Lau, (2023, MPhil)
