Thank you all for your support

We have been overwhelmed by the support that the #lborofamily have shown for our emergency hardship appeal. The amount of donations have gone above and beyond the target and we are so grateful to everyone for donating!

Your donations will help a great number of vulnerable students and others that are really struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hardship bursaries are being awarded every week and we look forward to updating you on the impact of your generosity.

Thank you so much!

Why we need your help today

The impact of the current outbreak on students struggling to cope financially has already been significant, and will likely worsen over the coming months. 1 in 4 Loughborough 1st year students come from low income backgrounds. We have 3,641 international students at Loughborough, not all of whom have been able to return to their home countries, and now face real difficulties due to costs they simply hadn't budgeted for. We need to ensure that our most vulnerable students are protected from the damaging economic effects of the outbreak as much as possible.

Who your gift will support- Dean's experience

We want to support student's like Dean, a current Loughborough student studying Retail, Marketing & Management. Dean, like many others is finding it difficult to adapt to the financial stresses that the coronavirus outbreak has created:

''I wanted to share with our alumni my experience in light of the recent global coronavirus pandemic. In my case, living off campus, I paid my landlord upfront. With the outbreak, I am no longer able to travel back to use the room I have paid for. No refunds are likely, and I have no money to spend on essentials at home. I can't stress enough how crucial donations are in providing students like myself, who already experience financial strain, comfort and security in focusing on their studies. For us, it was already difficult and is now even more difficult with the pandemic and its impact still unfolding.

Speaking with other students, there are other challenges, such as returning home to families who may be struggling to support them financially. Others have lost their part time roles which helped to support them during studies. Some must find alternative accommodation and are struggling to pay rent if they have travelled home. Options to find work are limited for those self-isolating or practising social distancing.

Any form of additional support people can offer to deliver some comfort and security to students, enabling them to concentrate on their studies and mitigate against the distractions of a worsening health crisis, will make a massive difference to us.''

The kinds of students your gift will help:

The difference your gift can make

There are of course many ways your gift, of any size, could impact the lives of our students at this time. Here are just a few ways your gift could make a big difference:

Your gift, when combined with the generosity of others will make a big difference, covering the basic living costs of those students now without a job or other means of financial support.

The Impact your gift will have:

Thank you to all our supporters

A big thank you from everyone at Loughborough, to all those who are able to support us by making a gift, and those who are able to share our appeal on social media. Your generosity ensures that we can provide essential support to those students who may have nobody else to turn to.