Access & Success Fund
We are committed to improving the equality of opportunity for underrepresented key student groups to access, progress and succeed in Higher Education. As part of our commitment, we offer a discretionary Access & Success Fund to enhance the 'university experience' for our students from underrepresented groups. Students can receive up to £1,500 in each year to help them to get the most out of their time at Keele University.
The Access & Success Fund can help students in many ways; for example, if you need a laptop to study but can't afford one, the fund might be able to help. If you're interested in joining a society or sports club but unable to afford the membership fee, the fund could help with that too. Or if you would benefit from access to music or streaming platforms, the fund might be able to help you to pay for it.
There's no limit on what the Access & Success Fund can help students achieve, as long as you can demonstrate how it would help you, and you meet the eligibility criteria.
Applications for the Access & Success Fund 2024/25 will open between 21st October 2024 - 15th June 2025.
The deadline for applications from final year students is 15th March 2025, to ensure that grants can be processed in advance of the end of the course.
You can find further information below, including eligibility criteria and testimonials from previous Access & Success Fund recipients.
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"The Access & Success Fund has taken off some of the financial pressures and meant I had more time to study, could afford a gym membership to let off some steam and subscribe to a streaming service to give me some time to relax. The less worrying has helped my mental health and made completing the course, which was always my dream, seem possible."
"The Access & Success Fund has benefitted my university experience by allowing me to full invest in an extra curricular activity. It has made me not only be social with people outside of my course but allowed me to learn, to a moderate extent, a skill I've never otherwise had the opportunity to learn and experience. Because of this fund, I've been able to experience uni life outside of the academic space."
"This fund meant that I could replace a laptop that was failing on me. The Access & Success Fund gave me the ability to place such an unreliable and slow laptop, which I depended on for all of my essay writing. I was able to buy a new laptop that wasn't simply another low range laptop, which I otherwise wouldn't even dream of being able to afford! This laptop will help me get through the rest of my studies at Keele and means I don't have to worry about an unreliable piece of equipment which is such an integral part of my uni experience."
"Part of my Access & Success grant went towards food, and part was used for a bike for transport in my second year. It helped me shorten commute times for second year allowing me to get to campus easier."
"I don't think I would have been able to complete this year due to childcare cost, the fund has had a huge positive impact for me personally and I greatly appreciate it. I used the fund to buy myself a new desk for home as I had been working at the kitchen table where my children's schoolwork is."
"I have used the Access & Success Fund to join societies and clubs at university which has become a big part of my experience. It has opened doors for me that I never would have been able to experience otherwise and not to mention the amount of amazing friends that I have made through this makes the experience 10x better."
"I used my award to purchase gender affirming items and medical care which greatly improved my future. I also used it for course related purchases such as streaming servies to access films and television shows required for my studies. I was able to be more confident by my gender affirming items and engage more effectively with my studies."