Community Fund

The St Leonard’s Postgraduate College Community Fund has been established to provide grants up to £500 to new initiatives that will benefit St Andrews postgraduates, and contribute to the University’s postgraduate community. Student-led initiatives are particularly encouraged.

Types of initiatives supported

In most cases grants will be for up to £500. Larger grants may be awarded in the case of the very strongest proposals where a clear need for a larger grant has been articulated and where this will be benefit a significant part of the postgraduate community.

Initiatives should seek to contribute to the vibrancy of the postgraduate community and to enhance the postgraduate experience; the types of initiatives that could be funded might include:

• community building, social, academic or networking events
• interdisciplinary seminars or lectures
• activities that showcase postgraduate work
• guest lectures
• events that will enhance the employability of postgraduate students
• projects that will enhance the supervision or mentoring of PGR students

Preference will be given to initiatives that benefit postgraduates from more than one School. Proposals in respect of initiatives that benefit postgraduates from more than one Faculty are particularly welcomed.

Existing events / activities will not be funded nor will initiatives that duplicate events / activities already offered by the University or the Students’ Association.

Postgraduates should explore additional funding options before submitting a bid to the Community Fund to ensure that as many initiatives as possible can be supported. Additionally:

• doctoral students who are part of a Research Council Doctoral Training Partnership / Centre for Doctoral Training should make use of relevant schemes such as the cohort development fund available through the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities
• postgraduates who are looking to host an event relating to careers should also make use of the Students’ Association employability fund
• postgraduates who are looking to host an event relevant to their own School only should normally seek to secure at least part funding from their School; in other cases, postgraduates are encouraged to see if their School(s) can provide funding to top-up a grant from the Community Fund

Applications

Postgraduates who are considering submitting a proposal are encouraged to first consult with other postgraduates, relevant members of staff, and postgraduate representatives – such as the Postgraduate Research President ([email protected]) or the Postgraduate Taught President ([email protected]).

The application form will be live here in October 2025.

Proposals may be submitted at any time but please allow at least one full calendar month for the proposal to be considered and a decision made as to whether a grant will be awarded.

Conditions

Postgraduates who are considering submitting a proposal should note the following conditions. In all cases funding must be used for the purposes described in the proposal.

Bid Leaders

The bid leader must be currently matriculated on a postgraduate degree programme at the University of St Andrews. We encourage applications with more than one bid leaders.

Audience

Initiatives must benefit primarily St Andrews postgraduates. Initiatives may involve St Andrews undergraduates and staff, students and staff from other institutions, or the general public – but St Andrews postgraduates must be the primary beneficiaries.

Initiatives may be for postgraduate Masters students or doctoral students or both. At least ten postgraduates should benefit from the initiative.

Location

Initiatives must take place within St Andrews or online, to benefit students who study online.

University / Students’ Association premises should be used – external venues may be considered where this is essential to the purpose of the initiative.

Premises that involve hire charges should not normally be used.

Equipment

Funding may be used for the hire / purchase of equipment where this is essential to the purpose of the initiative.

The hire / purchase of equipment must be in accordance with University policies and procedures for procurement.

Purchased equipment shall be the property of St Leonard’s College.

Catering

Funding may be used for the purchase of catering where this is essential to the purpose of the initiative. Catering should be limited to light refreshments and should normally be purchased through the University / Students’ Association.

Funding must not be used to purchase alcohol.

Travel, Accommodation, and Subsistence

Funding may be used for the reimbursement of reasonable travel, accommodation, and subsistence expenses for external visitors – such as a guest lecturer.

The reimbursement of expenses must be in accordance with University policies and procedures for expenses.

Salaries

Funding may not be used to buy-out staff time or for the recruitment of casual staff.

Promotion and Materials

Funding may not be used for the printing of promotional materials – such as posters and flyers; initiatives should be promoted online by means of websites and social media.

Funding may be used for the printing of other materials – such as event programmes or hand-outs. Printed materials should be ordered through Print and Design.

Promotional messages / materials must include the following text – “Brought to you with financial support from the St Leonard’s Postgraduate College Community Fund”.

The use of University IT equipment and facilities – including email – must be in accordance with the University IT Regulations. The use of social media must be in accordance with the University social media guidelines.

Continuation of Initiatives

Funding must be used for initiatives taking place in the current academic year. Funding that is unused at the end of the academic year must be returned to St Leonard’s College.

You must consider how the initiative might be made financially sustainable if it is intended that the initiative may continue into the next academic year. Although a new bid may be submitted in the next academic year, it must not be assumed that a bid that was successful in one year will be funded in the next.

Other Conditions

Bid leaders must:

• adhere to all relevant University regulations and policies in planning and delivering the initiative
• inform St Leonard’s College as soon as possible should it not be possible to deliver the initiative as planned
• prepare a full risk assessment in advance of the start of the initiative
• prepare a full evaluation report following the end of the initiative
• not allow their academic work and progress to be adversely affected by planning and delivering the initiative

Further Enquiries

Further advice for postgraduates who are considering submitting a proposal are welcome to the College via [email protected]. Please include a brief description of your proposed initiative.