More than £1 million of support has been made available to our students, thanks to generous donations to our Emergency Hardship Appeal from over 3,000 of our supporters in 80 countries across the world.

Our Emergency Hardship Appeal was launched at the end of April to support Manchester students facing financial hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, donations to the appeal have been helping to make sure students are not left struggling, enabling them to continue their education and fulfil their extraordinary potential.

Because of such kindness, the University has already been able to increase the number and value of grants available to students in hardship to more than four times their normal level. And those from disadvantaged households have benefited from a special IT Access Scheme, to ensure they are able to take part in teaching and learning from home.

Extended support has also been provided to students estranged from their families, and to master’s students from low-income backgrounds. This means that more of those students hit hardest by the pandemic have been able to start – or continue – at Manchester this year.

More than 200 donations came from our staff and we also received gifts from alumni, parents of students and friends of the University.

Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students Professor April McMahon, Chair of the Disbursement Group, said: “The Covid19 pandemic has been difficult for so many people and yet our supporters have found it in themselves to be so generous. It has made such an impact on our students who need support. I have been truly moved and am really proud of what we have achieved in our University community.”

This support has added to our University’s strong record for widening participation, helping talented students from non-traditional backgrounds to progress to Manchester and achieve their potential. This year, according to internal data and prior to registration, we expect to exceed the target we have set with the Office for Students (OfS).

For this academic year we have a greater number of students starting University having completed one of our access initiatives. We expect to have 235 Manchester Access Programme students, compared with 147 last year; 189 Manchester Distance Access Scheme students compared with 128 last year; and 55 students starting courses in the School of Social Sciences after completing the Pre-University courses and Pathways to Law.

Further information

To see the full details of our projects supported by the Emergency Hardship Appeal, visit: Emergency Hardship Appeal projects

You can read more about our work to help talented students from non-traditional backgrounds at: UoM Widening Participation