Grants, prizes & scholarships

St John's provides financial support for both graduates and undergraduates through grants, scholarships and prizes.
graduates

Graduate funding

There is comprehensive information on financial support and grants available for current graduate students under Financial support for graduates. Information for prospective graduate students is available on the Graduate finance page. 

Undergraduate funding

For information on course fees and the funding available to undergraduates see https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/fees-and-funding?wssl=1

Major funding

The BIG – St John’s Undergraduate Scholarship in Mathematics for Overseas Students
St John’s College in partnership with Global Talent Lab and its Backing Invisible Geniuses (BIG) program wishes to support undergraduates of outstanding academic potential who are in financial need. The scholarship is restricted to candidates in Mathematics and its joint degrees who have earned a medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad, the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad, or another major international science Olympiad, and whose fee status is OVERSEAS. For further details about Fees and Funding, please go to:

Ugrad Fees & Funding 2024/5

The scholarship may cover both University and College fees, and a living cost grant. The award(s) may be partial or whole depending on the assessed financial status of the applicant(s).

The scholarship holder(s) will be invited to join the cohort of BIG scholars at the Global Talent Lab and participate in the events organised by the GTL. They may also benefit from an allowance to support travel and academic enrichment.

All applicants must apply to the University and be offered a place for the 2024 undergraduate intake by St John’s College before their application can be considered. To apply, follow the guidelines and complete the BIG-SJC Undergraduate Scholarship form [PDF version] by 12 Noon GMT 7th February 2024.

Oxford Bursaries

Oxford Bursaries are available for Home students from lower income households. This scheme provides generous non-repayable bursaries for full-time students paying fees at the Home rate with qualifying household incomes. The type and level of support available varies depending on where you are from and when you started your course. If you are entitled to an award you will be sent a notification letter by Student Funding Services.

Crankstart Scholarships
Home students from the lowest household income brackets will be offered a Crankstart Scholarships which provides financial support as well as additional opportunities including access to funded internships and social activities. There is no need to apply and selected new first-year students will be offered a Scholarship from mid-September each year.

Oxford Assistance Fund (includes PGCE & Medical Students in years 4-6)
Financial assistance is available for Home students who face difficulty in meeting their living costs. It cannot be used to help meet tuition fees. Students will be assumed to be in receipt of their maximum student loan entitlement. To find out more, please visit the Oxford Assistance Fund page.

Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust Bursaries
For UK undergraduates who are closely related to a commercial traveller, chemist or grocer. Full eligibility details and application forms are available on the Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust website.

Scholarship and Funding Search Tool

For further information about the range of scholarships and funding provided by the University, please go to the funding search tool at:

Fees and Funding Search

Smaller grants and prizes

Academic Grants

Students may apply for help towards the purchase of approved books and materials of an academic nature as below:

  • Books and academic materials
  • Computer and equipment as below
    • portable or hand-held computing devices
    • monitors
    • desktop computers
    • computer software and peripherals
    • memory or hard-disk upgrades
    • computer repairs
    • personal printers
    • USB ethernet adapters
  • Tickets for performances/exhibitions

Travel, phone or data services, printer ink or paper, maintenance or insurance contracts for items purchased are not eligible for reimbursement.

Undergraduates may claim a maximum of £398 and Graduates a maximum of £522.

Purchase of a single item which costs in excess of the annual limit may be permitted, with prior approval from your Tutor/Supervisor/College Advisor. The cost will then be amortised annually over the remaining years for which you are eligible for the academic grant. A copy of the receipt for this item must be retained and submitted with your first claim.

Applications can be made from Week 0 of Michaelmas Term to Week 8 of Trinity Term and are limited to three in any one year, so please collate purchases and receipts rather than sending them in individually. Apply on the form via this link.

Vacation Residence and Grants

Undergraduate students wishing to remain in residence after the end of term, or return before the beginning of term, or to stay in College during part of a vacation, may apply for vacation residence. Additional nights are changed at the nightly rate for the room grade.

In addition to vacation residence, Undergraduate students may apply on the same application form for vacation residence grant towards the cost of remaining in residence outside of term time.

Undergraduate students will receive the following grant days:

Year 1: 14 grant days

Year 2: 14 grant days

Year 3: 40 grant days

Year 4: 40 grant days

This grant is only awarded for residence for academic purposes. It is not available for non-academic events or to support overseas students who do not return home during the vacations. An Extended Licence is available for overseas students – see Extended Licence section below. Unused days from a year may not be carried forward.

Details about the Vacation Residence request process can be found on the college intranet

Extended Licence and Grant

An ‘Extended Licence’ (from 0th week Michaelmas to 8th week Trinity) is available to support students for whom the process of leaving for the shorter vacation periods at Christmas and Easter can be disproportionally difficult - and to enable them to stay in college accommodation (although you may be required to move rooms) during these periods, without the need to apply for vacation residence.

Applications for the Extended Licence is only available to:

  • International students (those who have ‘overseas’ or ‘EU’ fee status or students with home fee status but resident overseas)
  • Students with disabilities that would make it difficult for them to pack their rooms and depart for the shorter vacation periods

Students making an accommodation request based on disability-related grounds should request an extended licence as part of their application for accommodation based on disability-related grounds. The extended licence for applications on disability-related grounds will only apply to students who are approved through this process and who have a Student Support Plan in place recommending they stay during the vacation periods.

As part of the Extended Licence, all vacation nights (nights outside of official term dates) will receive a grant allowing a 50% discount of the nightly room rate. By accepting an Extended Licence you are agreeing to the full period of the licence (from 0th week Michaelmas to 8th week Trinity) and to be charged for all nights within the licence period regardless of whether you chose to depart college accommodation for any dates within the vacations, and cannot revert to a standard accommodation licence afterwards. As the Extended Licence is discounted and includes the Christmas and Easter Vacation, those on this licence will not also be eligible for Vacation Residence Grant Days. Additional vacation residence days at the end of Trinity term, at the end of the Extended Licence, should be requested via the Intranet ‘Vac Res Booking system. The licence gives provision to remain in college accommodation, however, you may be asked to move room during the vacation periods.

Hardship Grants (University)
These grants are for students who experience financial hardship as a result of unforeseen circumstances. Please visit the University's Hardship page for further information.

Hardship Grants (College)

These grants are for financial hardship as a result of unforeseen circumstances. Download a Financial Assistance Application Form, to be submitted to the Senior Dean or Fellow for Welfare, together with copies of your bank account statements for the last three months. Students who are concerned about financial hardship may wish to discuss their circumstances with the Finance Manager before submitting a form.

Undergraduate Special Grants
For special academic purposes such as travel to undertake research in archives, in support of work directly relevant to your course, e.g. field trips/compulsory activities, attendance at meetings, summer schools, conferences, for academic project work to be carried out in Oxford, travel to undertake voluntary work.

Notes of guidance for undergraduates can be seen here.
Applications should be made online at https://forms.office.com/e/Z4vgN6gQCy. If you are applying for assistance towards the cost of accommodation in College during vacation periods, applications should be made through https://forms.office.com/e/zppMSPRstd.

Successful applicants will be required to produce a report on not only the basic facts of their trip, but also what they’ve gained towards furthering their course studies.

Applications for Special Grants must be made via the online Special Grants form (link above) by noon on Thursday of 4th Week in Michaelmas Term and noon on Thursdays of -1st Week and 4th Week in Hilary and Trinity Terms.

Expanding Horizons Programme Grants

In Hilary and Trinity Terms, thanks to the generosity of an alumnus, we offer the Expanding Horizons Programme (EHP). Notes of guidance can be seen here. The purpose of the EHP is to enable the College’s students to enlarge their intellectual and/or imaginative horizons through engaging with ideas and/or disciplines beyond their subject. It is envisaged that the majority of activities for which applications are supported will take place in the Easter and/or Long Vacations. Where we receive more applications than can be funded, we will support those which seem best to demonstrate real value to the recipient of the proposed work.

Successful applicants are required to submit all receipts for expenses covered by the grant and a report (approximately 1,000 words) on what they have learnt through their activities and the extent to which they consider how much their own intellectual horizons to have been expanded by their trip, referring back to their original application.

Applications for the Expanding Horizons Programme must be made via the online form (https://forms.office.com/e/EAXt3GpuSR) by noon on Thursdays of -1st Week and 4th Week in Hilary and Trinity Terms.

Blues Squad Grants
The College pays grants of up to £250 per year to cover the costs incurred by students through membership of university representative team squads. Claims are made on a Blues Grant application form which after completion should be accompanied by receipts, countersigned by an official of the relevant university sports club, and submitted to the Sports Officer.

Mapleton-Bree Prize for work in the Creative Arts
The College will offer a prize of up to £300, which may be shared if deemed appropriate by the judges, for original work in any branch of creative art (drawing, painting, sculpture, poetry, music, photography, etc.).  If there is no entry of adequate standard there will be no award.
All junior members, whether graduates or undergraduates, may compete and the entries will be judged by a Committee consisting of both junior members and senior members of the College. Competitors should send in one example of work done during the previous twelve months. Entries are considered in Trinity Term each year and should be sent to the President's PA not later than the end of the third week of Trinity Term.

Alister Sutherland Award
This award is for a journey in the high mountains. Applications are invited for this award which has been instituted as a result of a generous gift from Dr Gillian Sutherland in memory of Alister Sutherland, distinguished economist, who read Politics, Philosophy and Economics at St John's. The award, up to £600, will be made annually to an undergraduate or graduate member of St John's who presents the most imaginative and best planned proposal for a journey in the high mountains, preferably (but not necessarily) in mountainous regions where the summits exceed 3000 metres in height. The purpose is to encourage the discovery and the enjoyment of the high mountains.
Applications are considered in Hilary Term each year and should be sent to the President's PA not later than the end of the third week of Hilary Term.

Hans Michael Caspari UN Travel Grant
This grant is for studies in the field of International Relations. It was established through the generous gift of the late Professor Sir Fritz Caspari and his wife, in memory of their eldest son Hans Michael, who like his father and brother, attended St John's. The award, of up to £700, will be made annually to an undergraduate or graduate member of St John's to assist them to travel to Bonn, New York, Geneva, Vienna or one of the other seats of the UN or more generally to the seats of other international organisations, in order to further their study of International Relations.
Applications, in the form of a letter of no more than two pages with a separate CV and marks if available, should be sent to the Academic Office by Friday of 1st Week of Hilary Term and will be awarded in time for travel during the Easter or Long Vacations.

Burke Knapp Travel Grant
This scholarship is for students in pursuit of development issues in the Third World/Emerging Economies. Applications are invited for this travel fund, which has been established through the generous gift of the late Mr Joseph Burke Knapp, Honorary Fellow of St John's College. The award, of up to £500, will be made annually to an undergraduate or graduate member of St John's to cover travel and related expenses in pursuit of development issues in the Third World/Emerging Economies. Applications should be made to the Academic Office by Friday of 1st Week of Hilary Term and will be awarded in time for travel during the Easter or Long Vacations.

Music Bursaries

The College intends to offer four Music Bursaries for Junior Members of St John’s College. Each Bursary will be tenable for one academic year and will provide up to £120 per term towards the cost of music lessons. (Proof of the lessons to be confirmed by music tutors.) In addition to the four Bursaries, a John Heath Music Scholarship of £400 is available to help finance lessons for a gifted instrumentalist.

Selection will be by audition on Friday 12 November in Week 5 of Michaelmas Term. All resident Junior Members (other than those eligible for, or already receiving, other College or Faculty of Music financial support for music lessons) are eligible to apply. Applications should be made by email to the President’s PA by Friday 5 November. (presidents.pa@sjc.ox.ac.uk). They should include:

  • details of the instrument or voice;
  • proposed piece for audition;
  • a copy of the music score.

Candidates will be expected to play one piece, or an excerpt of a piece, lasting no more than five minutes. Those who require an accompanist should provide their own.

Scholarships

Choral Scholarships
Each year, up to eight Choral Scholars are elected after auditions in Hilary term.  Choral awards are open to women and men who are matriculated members of St John’s reading any subject, both graduates and undergraduates, who are able to demonstrate musical excellence and willingness to play a responsible role in the choir, both in terms of administration and encouragement of others.

Choral scholars are expected to have good sight-reading, the ability to lead their section and competence to sing solos when required.  The responsibilities include attendance at all services sung by the choir and the preceding rehearsals (a commitment of around six hours per week) and charge of the chapel music library.

In return, the college offers an award of £300 per annum, plus up to £360 per annum for singing lessons to its choral scholars, plus a modest fee per service, in addition to the opportunity to sing at notable college feasts, to tour and to give concerts with the choir.