Student Ideas Fund
Do you have an idea that could help improve the University and the experience of other students? Or an idea that can strengthen ties with or improve your local community in Leeds?
Through the Student Ideas Fund, you could get £500 to £5,000 of financial support to help you turn your idea into reality.
Please note: The Student Ideas Fund is temporarily closed for semester one. We will update this page with further information soon. For alternative funding options, visit the funding opportunities page.
If you have any questions, please email the fund co-ordinator at studentideasfund@leeds.ac.uk.
About the Student Ideas Fund
Our Student Ideas Fund is an exciting collaboration between the University, Leeds University Union and you – our students. Partnership is core to our mission, and we want to build, support and deliver the student experience together.
Whether you have just the seed of a concept or a fully-fledged idea, you will be guided through the process and ideas fitting the aims of the fund will be supported to fruition.
Once you have completed your project, you will submit a brief report to share the impact and findings of your work.
Aims
There are five main aims of the Student Ideas Fund:
- Improve the student experience
- Build a sense of belonging
- Strengthen ties with local communities
- Promote sustainability in new and innovative ways
- Share knowledge and skills within or outside the University in new and innovative ways
Eligibility
All University of Leeds students, at any level of study, can apply to the Student Ideas Fund. You can apply as an individual or as part of a group, LUU club or society.
There are some restrictions on what can be supported by the Student Ideas Fund – please see our supporting guidelines document (PDF) for more information on this.
How to apply
The Student Ideas Fund is temporarily closed for semester one. We will update this page when the fund re-opens.
Applications are usually open from the start of semester one (October) and close at the end of semester three (May).
There are two different ways to apply, depending on the stage your idea is at:
Applying with a fully formulated idea
If you have a fully formulated idea and feel ready to apply to the fund, you will need to complete our online application form. We will add a link to the form when the fund re-opens.
We suggest that you download the Word version of our form first which will help you to draft and prepare your answers in advance. The form will be available when the fund re-opens.
If your idea requires funding, you will also need to complete our budget planner template. You will be asked to upload your budget planner as part of the online application form.
Once submitted, the fund coordinator will contact you to talk to you about your application and the next steps.
Where grant funding is required, your application will be reviewed by our Student Ideas Fund panel at a panel meeting. The team will work closely with you before and after the panel meeting.
Applying with the concept of an idea
If you have an early concept of an idea and would like support from the team to develop your idea further, you will need to complete our short early idea form. We will add a link to the form when the fund re-opens.
The fund coordinator will then contact you to arrange a meeting to discuss your idea in more detail and decide on the next steps.
Testimonials
“By providing a safe and inclusive space for students to come together and connect, the society has played an important role in fostering a sense of belonging and camaraderie on campus.”
“The support from the Student Ideas Fund proved invaluable, empowering students to actively engage in aerospace exploration.”