The Annual Fund

In 2023 Pembroke continues to reckon with the lasting high deficit brought on by the Covid-19 Pandemic, with an accumulated loss of more than £4.5 million.

Despite this we remain absolutely committed to our mission to: bring together the brightest students, from the broadest range of backgrounds; nurture outstanding research; provide the very best educational opportunities; and by doing so help to make a difference to the world.

This year our fortnight-long telephone fundraising campaign (TFC) will enable our alumni to support our mission by making a gift towards the Annual Fund.

In addition to all the other important work that the Annual Fund supports, money from the Annual Fund will be used for:

Safeguarding our unique educational system: 

Undergraduate supervisions and postgraduate tutorials sit at the heart of a Pembroke College education, which, alongside our excellent pastoral support, is one of the most personalised and effective systems of higher education in the world. But the cost of offering this is extremely high – income generated from fees falls well-below the cost of the education we provide, with the College subsidising on average some £5,000 per annum, per student.

​​​​Supporting our student's mental health:

University can prove to be a tricky experience for some, with pressures to succeed sometimes feeling overwhelming, especially during times of high stress, like moving away from home for the first time or during exams. In fact, one in three students will experience poor mental health at some point during their studies. Here at Pembroke we firmly believe no student should suffer in silence. With your support, we can continue to invest in sustaining and extending our programme of well-being activities and mental health provision.

Widening Participation:

Pembroke College has been pioneering in its access and outreach efforts to reach out to schools and communities where pupils might not otherwise be encouraged to aim for Cambridge.  By bringing students to College and working directly with their own schools, we become ever more open and accessible, which in turn gives students the confidence to apply. With your support, we can continue to offer a vibrant and diverse community where everyone can thrive, and remove the economic, social, and cultural barriers that prevent people from studying at Pembroke.

Preserving our buildings:

The College’s beautiful buildings and facilities contribute to an outstanding educational environment for our students, but we also have a responsibility to preserve and protect our built environment. The cost of living crisis means that our rolling programme of repair, renovation, and modernisation has become ever more expensive. With your assistance, we can continue to ensure that the College’s historic buildings are able to serve today’s needs and those of future generations. 

Support from our alumni is needed this year, like never before.  Please help us to safeguard all that is special about Pembroke by making a gift to the Annual Fund during this year’s Telephone Campaign.  

By making a gift to the Annual Fund, you will allow us to direct funds to where they are most needed, helping our College community both immediately and in the months and years ahead. While Pembroke is especially grateful for unrestricted gifts, which give the College greatest flexibility to meet areas of greatest need, it is also possible to direct a gift towards a specific activity within the scope of the Annual Fund.

The Annual Fund helps to underwrite four main areas of expenditure:

• Student Support - With £9,250 p.a. tuition fees and estimated £8,000 p.a. living costs, it is important that Pembroke provides support to ensure that our students do not face financial hardship and can attend the College regardless of their financial background.

• Student Experience - Being at university is about more than academic study, and Pembroke has over 30 clubs and societies, from PCBC, to the Pembroke Players, to the Stokes Society.

• Teaching - The Annual Fund helps Pembroke’s efforts to recruit and retain leading academics, for example by supporting the Fellows’ Research Fund. These talented people not only conduct world-changing research, but teach students in supervisions – the cornerstone of a Cambridge education.

• College Environment - Pembroke’s tranquil and stable environment is conducive to study. Gifts made to the Annual Fund contribute to the upkeep and renovation of the College’s facilities and buildings, ancient and modern.

Support the Annual Fund

To find other ways to make a gift, to read about how to make your gift tax-efficiently, or to make a gift from overseas, please visit the Tax-Efficient Giving webpage.