Your Impact
2026

Every gift tells a story—here's what your kindness has made possible.

A young woman with glasses and a black shirt facing the camera directly and smiling.

A selfie of a young woman with glasses and a white t-shirt, standing in front of a conference banner that reads Undergraduate of the Year Awards.

You've bought me the time I needed to focus on my grades

Before I got here, I was really worried about how I'd afford to live. When you're the first in your family to go to university, it can feel daunting.

Receiving a scholarship has made the experience accessible for me in so many ways. Without it I'd be spending every spare hour working just to cover rent. Instead, I've been able to reduce my shifts as a barista in a local coffee shop and actually focus on my studies.

Achieving a First average is something I'm so proud of. I know I couldn't do it without my scholarship.

It's also given me the breathing space to take on placements at local law firms, pro bono work with a not-for-profit, and run events for the Criminology Society. I even volunteer with a charity helping clients navigate their hearings in court — it's so helpful for my future career and has really sparked my ambition to become a judge one day.

— Kayla, third year LLB Law

Scholarships — who gets them?
Donor-funded scholarships are awarded to bright students whose personal circumstances are a barrier to them coming to university and staying the course.

You've given us the tools to grow a community of like-minded people

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Growing food together does wonders for our collective wellbeing. It gives us all a space to switch off from the stress of exams, learn practical skills like composting and propagation and most importantly make lasting friendships. Because of your generosity, we've been able to buy our own secure shed, tools and seeds.

Now, we can welcome so many more students to our weekly outdoor sessions. Getting together as a group is the highlight of our week. For those of us moving away from home for the first time, it has helped us settle into university life here.

You haven't just funded a garden, you've given us a community where we truly belong.

— Ruby, The Allotment Society

The best student experience
Your regular donations fund 65 clubs and societies, helping students find community on campus — and contributing to Sheffield being recognised as The Times & Sunday Times University of the Year for Student Experience 2026.

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A long garden bed with plants growing in it being worked on by two people

A young woman with dark hair, wearing blue sterile gloves and a lab coat examining a clear tray.

A man and a woman walks towards the entrance to the SITraN building, there is a large installation of steel letters that read SITraN

A diverse group of young adults standing in inside a laboratory, all of them are smiling and wearing white lab coats

You've given my team the space to run more experiments and test treatments faster

Your donations haven't just helped fund the expansion of the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), but the equipment we're working with too.

One of the most exciting additions is a 'cell hotel' — an automated system that grows and monitors cells continuously. By streamlining hours of manual lab work, it allows us to run more experiments and test potential treatments at an unprecedented scale.

This innovation will accelerate discoveries that we hope will benefit patients and their families sooner.

— Dr Tatyana Shelkovnikova, Senior Research Fellow in MND and dementia

Bench-to-bedside treatments
SITraN is at the global forefront of medical research, turning lab discoveries into real-world treatments for MND, Parkinson's and dementia.

You’ve helped me fly around the world to compete for Great Britain

A young man with a serious expression, wearing a blue shirt and a harness climbing an indoor rock climbing wall

When you’re studying engineering and training 35+ hours a week, doing both feels almost impossible. The funding I’ve received from the Elite Sports Performance Scheme has massively reduced the strain.

That financial security has meant I’ve not had to take on part-time jobs and can focus entirely on what matters. It’s improved my climbing performance, and I’m able to attend all the important competitions — wherever they are in the world — without worrying about how I’ll afford it. It’s also given me a network of supportive coaches and friends that I’m incredibly grateful for.

It’s people like you who give athletes like me our chance, and I hope we make you proud.

— Rhys, first year Mechanical Engineering

Sporting excellence
Funded solely by donations, the University of Sheffield’s Elite Sports Performance Scheme helps world-class student athletes maintain sporting success alongside their degrees.

A young man smiling and strapped into a harness hanging in mid-air near a rock climbing wall

Three young men standing on a winners podium, smiling as they hold their awards for the IFSC European Cup in Campitello di Fassa, Italy

A young woman in a black and white cardigan stands in front of an outdoor Japanese temple

A young woman in dark blue medical scrubs, holding a coffee, standing on an outdoor balcony

A young woman in a green jacket, wearing an orange sling bag stands outside in a busy alleyway in Japan

You've funded global placements to help me become a better doctor

Taking an international elective was a massive milestone that I've looked forward to since starting medical school; a bursary funded by donors towards my accommodation and travel made it a reality. I undertook two placements, offering completely different experiences: Orthopaedic Hand Surgery in Kathmandu, and ENT and Plastic Surgery in Tokyo.

Nepal's busy National Trauma Centre handled a heavy caseload of traumatic injuries, while Tokyo's Juntendo University Hospital offered advanced surgeries not routinely available on the NHS. I learned so much about complex surgical techniques and cultural nuances, from Nepal's holistic healing approach to Japan's dedication to teaching. It's given me a whole new perspective that I'll take with me onto the NHS wards when I begin working as a doctor in August.

— Aryaki, final year Medicine

World-class medical training
International placements give medical students a unique global perspective and vital cultural adaptability. Your support unlocks these life-changing electives for all students, ensuring financial circumstances never stand in the way of ambition.

You supported me when I was a student — now it’s my turn to give back

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Sheffield made me into the confident woman I am today. I loved my lecturers, what I got to learn, joining societies, and most importantly, being part of a true community.

Had I not had a helping hand, things could have been very different. Because I received both an undergraduate bursary and a postgraduate scholarship, I know firsthand the impact that financial support makes when you can’t depend on your parents.

Now I’m in a position to pay that kindness forward, I’m proud to be making a regular donation. It feels like I’m paying back what was given to me and is my way of making sure future students get the same incredible foundation that I had.

— Lara Curtin, Class of 2019

We are all Sheffield Made
This community of regular donors is bound by a shared pride in our university and a collective commitment to uplifting our students and research.

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Your gift did all of this, and more.

Thank you!

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Shape the future of Sheffield

Every gift left in a Will, no matter the size, makes a difference to the next generation. Whether you're passionate about opening doors for talented students or backing world-leading research, we can help you find a meaningful way to be remembered that feels entirely right for you and your family.

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Write your Will for free

The University has partnered with the National Free Wills Network, giving alumni and supporters the opportunity to write or update a standard Will free of charge using a local, fully qualified solicitor. There's no obligation to leave a gift to the University of Sheffield when using this service.

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"When I think back to my time at Sheffield, the first word that comes to mind is supported. If Sheffield holds a place in your heart too, I'd encourage you to think about what your own legacy could be. It's a really special way to ensure our university's community of support lives on."

Dr Betty-Ann Hutchin, Class of 2001
^{Betty-Ann is proudly leaving a gift in her Will to the University of Sheffield}

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What will your legacy be?

I'm always here for a quiet, confidential conversation to help match your passions with the areas of biggest impact here at the University.

David Meadows, Senior Philanthropy Manager
Email: d.meadows@sheffield.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0) 114 222 1073

Find out more about leaving a gift in your Will

Your Impact at a glance

1,170

Students are currently at Sheffield on a donor-funded scholarship, giving financial help to bright students facing the steepest hurdles when accessing higher education.

65

Clubs and societies have received support from your donations, helping students build community, and pursue their passions outside the lecture theatre.

320

Young people headed to Sheffield in August to attend an immersive summer school thanks to donor generosity, experiencing university life first-hand and gaining the confidence to believe it’s a place where they belong.

87

Care-experienced students have received an additional £800 bursary, covering essential living costs and providing security during the summer months when they have no family home to return to.

£14m

Your support has helped to double neuroscience research capacity. Thanks to £14m raised for the SITraN expansion, our scientists can accelerate life-changing progress against MND, Parkinson’s, and dementia.

A skyline photo of the city of Sheffield with overlayed text that reads Forged in Sheffield, Shaping the Future