2019 Student Bursaries Awarded

This year we received 56 applications from students across 18 schools of pharmacy. It was clear that some students are facing challenging times, but continue to persevere through their adversity to fulfill their ambition of becoming a pharmacist.

The Pharmacist Support National Student Bursary Scheme was piloted six years ago to help 3rd year pharmacy students going into their final year of study, who are facing financial difficulty, can demonstrate qualities to overcome an ongoing adversity and who are maintaining a strong academic performance.

2019 Awards

Launched fully for the 2014/15 academic year, the scheme is now supported by most pharmacy schools across Great Britain. This year we received 56 applications from students across 18 schools of pharmacy. It was clear from the applications that some students were facing very challenging times but continued to rise above their adversity in order to pursue their dream of one day becoming a fully qualified pharmacist.

“My first child was born with kidney problems and requires round the clock care. Between this and having a second child on the way, I wasn’t sure how I would cope, money was getting so tight.”

The bursary panel had the incredibly difficult task of choosing from a shortlist of 17 MPharm students and eventually after much deliberation, agreed on the final 7.  Through this year’s scheme the charity was able to support 7 individuals with an award of either £3,000 or £5,000, bringing the total number of students helped through the bursary scheme to 57 and the total amount awarded to £157,000.

We recently caught up with a 2015 bursary recipient and asked them how the award had help them:

“The money allowed me and my wife to relax. It took a lot of the financial pressures off so we could focus on our children and I could concentrate on my studies. Having the extra cash flow for the year meant that I didn’t have to worry about making ends meet. The bursary created an easier financial situation which allowed me to focus on other things and not worry.”

The bursary scheme runs alongside the charity’s student hardship grant which any student enrolled on an MPharm degree course, experiencing unexpected financial difficulty, is eligible to apply for.  For more information on the student hardship grant click here.

Dates for the 2019/20 Bursary Scheme will be released shortly.