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Help us deliver a world-class, research-led education to the best and brightest students, irrespective of background.

Your support allows us to sustain our commitment to excellence and expand our offering to talented students, whatever their means. We deliver a first-rate education in a stimulating and supportive environment, and provide a wide range of opportunities for all students during their time here.

While unrestricted donations give us the greatest flexibility and resilience, there are several strategic priorities for our fundraising at the moment.

• Student Financial Support
• Teaching
• Outreach and Widening Participation
• Buildings and Facilities
• Student Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Careers and Mentoring
• Choir
   

Student Financial Support

“Without my bursary, I would have really struggled with my living costs; I would love to be in a position someday to help Jesus students, like me, to pursue their academic dreams within the University of Cambridge.”

Emma Kavanagh (2013, Music)

Nearly 50% of students receive some form of financial support from �������� every year. The College always aims to assist any student in financial need, awarding means-tested bursaries to undergraduates, scholarships to postgraduates, and ancillary grants for students facing urgent or unexpected expenses.

In the 2022-2023 academic year, we awarded a record 137 bursaries to undergraduates, with more students than ever before being eligible for a bursary of between £100-£3,500. The College is grateful that it can offer 60 bursaries fully or partially funded by donors, but as the Senior Tutor anticipates a continued increase in bursary eligibility, the College must find other sources of funding to finance the total cost of bursaries.

With your assistance, we can continue to offer a comprehensive package of financial support to our students. Your contribution is not only critical financial support for students who need it, but also an investment in the future of our College and its ongoing success – your gifts help to ensure that the best young minds, from all backgrounds, will be encouraged to apply to and thrive here at Jesus.

Teaching

Jesus students at all levels continue to achieve remarkable results. For undergraduates, supervisions remain the defining feature of a Cambridge education, and many Jesus academics are supervisors and Directors of Studies – paying close attention to their tutees’ development.

However, this personalised approach with small class sizes and access to experts carries a high price. Cambridge’s new Vice-Chancellor Professor Debbie Prentice recently estimated that a Cambridge BA costs £22,000 per student per year, while undergraduate fees have been frozen at £9,250 until at least 2025-2026.

Donations towards teaching are a vital source of income and help ensure the increasing underfunding of Higher Education does not undermine the quality of a Cambridge education.

Outreach and Widening Participation

“I thought it was posh, strict and unreachable… it turned out to be the opposite.”

Year 10 residential student

We are committed to widening access to our world-class education through our outreach and widening participation programme. This aims to encourage and enthuse young people to apply to Cambridge regardless of financial or educational background.

The Schools Liaison Officer and student ambassadors visit a number of schools delivering sessions aimed at supporting school pupils to consider continuing to higher education in the College’s link areas, which include the county of Tyne and Wear, the London boroughs of Brent, Ealing and Westminster, and three schools in Peterborough. In the 2022-2023 academic year, the North East Schools Tour saw 47 sessions in 30 schools reaching over 1,100 students. Multiple residentials and taster days for students in Year 10 and Year 12 are also held in College.

Donations help to raise the aspirations of the best and brightest, who might otherwise have worried that Oxbridge and other top universities were not open to them.

Buildings and Facilities

The College’s buildings and facilities contribute to an outstanding educational environment for our students. In addition to a rolling programme of repair and renovation across the College estate, we are also keen to reimagine spaces that have the potential to transform the student experience.

The all-important kitchen redevelopment project, which included refurbishment of Hall and Upper Hall – with state-of-the-art technology, sustainability features and innovative design incorporated in the complex layout, was recently completed and the College was delighted to open a new multi-faith space, a calm space for prayer and reflection for College members of all faiths and none.

We also have a responsibility to preserve and protect our built environment for the benefit of our community. Donations can help defray costs to the College and release funds to be used for other projects.

Student Mental Health and Wellbeing

“I certainly would have benefitted from some support during my final year and exams. I hope this makes a difference to many students.”

Donor to Mental Health and Wellbeing

Everyone at �������� cares deeply about the mental health and wellbeing of our students. The stresses and strains of academic study at Cambridge can conflate with financial pressures, family circumstances, and challenges with mental and physical health. We want to be there to support anyone who needs us.

The College takes a proactive approach to mental health and wellbeing, providing a supportive environment for our students, and collaborating with central University support services to provide a high standard of pastoral care and welfare support. Students can access appointments with the College’s in-house Mental Health Nurse, who offers assessments, advice, and signposting to support services. The College’s six Welfare Tutors are available to listen and offer welfare support, and Walk and Wag with the Rev’d James Crockford and Pippy the Welfare Dog encourages physical exercise and mental respite. The College’s sports clubs and societies offer another positive outlet.

With the support of donations for mental health and wellbeing, we can continue to provide the best possible resources, as well as social and recreational facilities that enable every Jesus student to realise their personal potential.

Careers and Mentoring

One of the Master’s main objectives when she started her tenure was to embed a system of support to help Jesus students prepare for life after College. The brief years spent at Jesus are a transformational time, and it’s vital that students are ready to transition from education to the world of work.

, our online networking platform, is a highlight of the programme and has already reached thousands of Jesuans. Students can tap into a wealth of work-related knowledge using this vast network of alumni, many of whom volunteer their time by reading CVs, form mentoring partnerships, or lead a Careers event in College such as ‘In the Business Of...’ sessions.

The Careers Programme was founded by the generosity of our community, and donations will help us maintain and extend the support we can offer our students post-education.

Choir

"�������� has a unique musical heritage, and today embodies the highest standards of choral singing and organ playing. I am proud to have been an Organ Scholar there and would encourage all who are able to lend their support to this valuable tradition."

James O'Donnell (1979, Music)

By becoming a Friend or Patron of �������� Choir, you can help us to continue striving for musical excellence and sharing the gift of music both now and in the future.

For more information about supporting our choirs, please visit the .