Gifts from alumni and friends mean the Faculty is able to provide emergency assistance, through the Deans Fund, to students who find themselves in unexpected financial need and have no other sources of support available. The Faculty is also able to support students to undertake various opportunities, such as research placements, attending conferences and other events.

Applying for Funds

The Dean’s Fund is used to support students at undergraduate, postgraduate and postgraduate research level across the Faculty. Normally, awards are made to assist students facing financial hardship and/or to enable students to take up opportunities that might not otherwise be accessible to them.

Nominations for awards for individual students may be made by Heads of Department, Directors of Undergraduate/ Postgraduate Studies, Senior Tutors, and other key members of staff using the online form. Students cannot apply direct to the fund and must contact their Department to submit a request. Department contacts can be located on the Faculty webpage. 

Nominators must specify the amount of funds requested and must provide a statement in support of each nominee, which must explain why the student in question is deserving of an award and provide justification for the amount requested (i.e. a breakdown of how the funds will be used). Generally, we would expect students to have explored other sources of funding (e.g. the funds detailed in the links below), or state a justification why this has not been possible or feasible. Evidence can also be submitted with the application.

Please note, students can apply for alternative forms of financial assistance, such as the Student Support Funds and Imperial College Trust.

Nominations received will be considered by the Dean and awards made at his discretion.

If an application is successful, it will normally take up to 10 working days upon the return and receipt of the necessary paperwork from the nominee to the Dean's Fund administrator for payment to be made (although this may vary).

Some examples which the Dean's Fund has supported:

• Hardship – support with living costs
• Hardship – support for equipment for home study
• Hardship – support with access to Wi-Fi for home study
• Overseas travel as part of PhD research
• Attending a conference
• Funding to support students taking part in the International Research Opportunities Programme (IROP) and Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP)

Any queries should be directed to the FoNS Education & QA Coordinator, Chris Kerr, who manages the nomination process. 

Make a gift to the Faculty of Natural Sciences Dean's Fund today, please see the FoNS Giving website. 

Full details on College donations, please see the Giving website.