Student Experience Grant

The Student Experience Grant supports extra-curricular activities that enhance the student experience such as trips and events both on and off the UWE Bristol campus.

About the grant

The Student Experience Grant supports extra-curricular activities that enhance the student experience such as trips and events both on and off the UWE Bristol campus. We encourage applications where the number of students who benefit is as large as possible. 

Typically grants range from £500 - £1,000, although grants of up to £3,000 will be considered.

 

Eligibility

Applications must fulfil the following criteria:

  • be submitted by a current UWE Bristol student
  • enhance the student experience focussing on extra-curricular activities and services 
  • benefit students’ extra-curricular activities, academic studies or career prospects
  • demonstrate financial need and the difference receiving funding will make 
  • impact on the wider student community (a minimum of 15 students) 
  • utilise the full funding with the academic year.

We actively encourage applications which:

  • widen access to higher education
  • look after the welfare of students
  • demonstrate how the project will contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 
  • are financially sustainable and will leave a legacy
  • are start-up initiatives or new activities which will become self-funding or achieve alternative funding or support in the future
  • create or improve links with the local community
  • promote UWE Bristol on a national and/or international scale
  • substantially benefit a large number of students or the University as a whole, rather than a smaller group.

We do not fund:

  • projects which have already taken place
  • projects that provide funding for a single student to undertake activities or acquire resources (including PhD studentships)
  • social events (eg end of year dinners)
  • the setting up of new student business, or projects where students will receive personal financial gain, which do not directly impact a larger number of UWE students
  • projects not linked to the UWE Bristol 
  • staff posts or staffing costs (but we will consider external speaker fees and travel expenses for events).

Examples of projects awarded

UWE Paintballing Society equipment purchase

The Society received funding to purchase equipment to increase both the capacity and quality of the events that they run throughout the year, on and off campus.

Art exhibition ‘Mother Arts: Perspectives on Home’ 

Over the course of the 5 days approximately 350 people visited the exhibition. As a result of connections made through the show, one exhibitor organised a deal to publish a book. Others established useful connections and gained valuable feedback and exposure.

UWE Space Exploration Society to run NASA’s Space App Challenge in Bristol 

The Challenge encourages people to build innovative solutions to challenges we face on Earth and in space using NASA’s open data. The project had 50 participants and supported 11 teams to produce a range of interesting ideas, for example a new way to detect fires using satellite data.

Students’ Union (SU) Zero Waste Shop

The grant enabled the SU to open a zero-waste section in a shop on Frenchay campus. The shop now offers a plastic-free shopping experience for a number of household items. Students and staff, and even local residents can bring their own containers, jars or cloth bags to the shop to fill them with food or household liquids. 

"The funding enabled the purchase of high-quality scales and containers to make this idea a reality. The pilot has been so successful we've been able to plan a second zero-waste shop at Bower Ashton campus."

The Students' Union at UWE, Hayley Foulkes, Commercial Services Deputy Manager

The Students' Union at UWE Hayley Foulkes, Commercial Services Deputy Manager

How to apply

The 2023/2024 fund opened in October 2023 and all money has now been allocated.

For any queries, please contact sucommunity@uwe.ac.uk.