Supporting Undergraduates

Every donation to Magdalene helps ensure that the College continues to provide outstanding education, support, and opportunities for its students. Contributions, large or small, make a real difference in sustaining bursaries, enhancing facilities, and securing the future of academic excellence at Magdalene.

The Magdalene Undergraduate Bursary Scheme

Since 2012, the Magdalene Undergraduate Bursary Scheme has provided crucial financial support to undergraduates facing financial barriers. Thanks to the generosity of Members and Friends, the scheme has funded full and partial bursaries, enabling students to make the most of their time at Magdalene.

Each year, nearly 20 per cent of Members and Friends choose to contribute, reinforcing the College’s commitment to ensuring that financial concerns do not prevent talented students from studying here.

The Rowan and Jane Williams Bursary Fund

Launched in 2020, The Rowan and Jane Williams Bursary Fund was established in recognition of the outstanding contributions of former Master Dr Rowan Williams and Professor Lady Williams to Magdalene. The fund provides up to three annual bursaries, each worth £5,000, to support undergraduates facing financial challenges.

Dr and Professor Williams have long championed the belief that no student should be discouraged from reaching their full academic potential due to financial constraints. The College shares this commitment, ensuring that all suitably qualified UK students can apply to Magdalene regardless of their financial background.

Reflecting Dr Williams’s Welsh heritage and Magdalene’s strong links with Wales through our outreach and access work with the Welsh Government’s Seren Network, one of the bursaries will be awarded to a student from Wales whenever possible.

The Carne MML Fund

The Carne MML Fund, generously established by Mr Philip Carne (1958), provides vital financial support to language students undertaking their compulsory Year Abroad as part of their undergraduate studies in Modern and Medieval Languages (MML), History and Modern Languages (H&ML), and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES).

This fund is designed not only to assist students facing financial challenges during their Year Abroad but also to ensure that no applicant is discouraged from pursuing a language degree due to the additional costs involved. By reducing financial barriers, the fund encourages talented linguists to apply for courses that include a Year Abroad, knowing that support is available.

The Carne MML Fund offers assistance to Magdalene students in receipt of a College bursary, as well as those who receive partial bursary support. It also helps cover the cost of the intensive language courses that first-year students undertake.

In addition, every donation to the fund will be matched pound for pound by the donor, up to £50,000, doubling the impact of each contribution.

Supporting Magdalene

Your support ensures that Magdalene continues to provide exceptional education, vital financial assistance, and the best possible opportunities for its students. Every donation, no matter the size, has a lasting impact—funding bursaries, improving facilities, and safeguarding the future of academic excellence at the College.

By making a gift today, you help us uphold our commitment to attracting and supporting the brightest students, regardless of their financial background. Make a difference today!