If you'd like to talk to us about supporting a particular area of student development, please email alumni@exeter.ac.uk or call +44 (0)1392 723141.
Provide life-changing experiences
Extra-curricular activities are part of what makes Exeter such a fantastic place to study. Memories are made, not just in classrooms, but on sports field and stages, in choirs and debating teams, and at social events and charity fundraisers.
Across campuses, thousands of students sign up to hundreds of different Guild and Student Union affiliated societies. Societies range from the conventional (such as Film Societies, Politics Societies, Entrepreneurial groups and Orchestras), to the more esoteric (such as the Chocolate, Harry Potter or Hide and Seek Society). Plus there’s the award-winning student media groups, which have provided a springboard for many future careers.
Exeter is consistently one of the top UK universities for sport.
In 2018/19 we were the top sporting institution in the South of England and Wales. We were number one for rugby, number one for sailing and number one for men’s hockey.
Our women’s rugby team became BUCS champions for the second year in succession, our men’s team took back-to-back Super Rugby titles, while men’s hockey won both the Championship and Division. Our sailing team won gold for Yachting, Team Racing and Fleet Racing; our netball team went unbeaten; and our cricket teams took gold and silver medals. In addition the 1st team golfers were named Premier South champions for the third year in a row
We want to continue to invest in world-class facilities and leading coaches in order to attract the best young sports people to Exeter. And we want to ensure every student has the opportunity to make the most of their time here, gaining the skills and confidence to stand out from the crowd.
Our Alumni Annual Fund supports the extra-curricular activities that help to make Exeter such a fantastic place to study. Funded by thousands of alumni and supporters of the University, donations are used to enhance the student experience. Grants are given to sports clubs, societies, music groups, theatre productions, student conferences and community outreach projects, to name just a few. To see projects made possible by alumni donations, please click the links on the right.
At the end of each year, all money raised is divided up between University departments including the Students Guild/Union in both Exeter and Cornwall, Sport and the Academic Colleges to be spent the following year. The more money we raise, the more projects we can support.
How can I give to it?
Donations of all sizes are very much appreciated and collectively can be transformational. The Alumni Annual Fund is all about many people giving small amounts back to the University. You can set up a direct debit or make a single card payment online here.
Alternatively you can send us a gift by post – download a donation form and send it back free of charge to:
Freepost Plus RRUS-RHLX-XALX
Advancement Team
University of Exeter
Northcote House
The Queen’s Drive
Exeter
EX4 4QJ
At Exeter we help the brightest stars own the spotlight.
Sport plays a massive part in the lives of many Exeter students and we are dedicated to providing an excellent sporting experience to all players, at all levels, of all ages and across all our sports.
We are home to some of the best sports facilities in UK universities and consistently finish in the top 10 of the British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) league. At Exeter we support 50 different sports clubs, around 450 athletes on our Performance Programme, and more than 5,000 students to engage in intramural sport.
In addition, sports scholarships ensure that talented students can achieve their potential in both their sporting performance and academic study.
The bonds formed through taking part in sport at Exeter often last well beyond graduation: many of our alumni count former team-mates amongst their closest friends. Four alumni competed at the 2012 Olympic Games, five at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and at a recent ISAF World Cup Sailing event in Miami, four of Great Britain’s 11 medals were won by Exeter alumni. Eight former scholarship recipients competed at the Rio 2016 Olympics and Paralympics.
You can help with improvements to facilities like Topsham Sports Ground, help individual sporting clubs like the Rowing Club or the Rugby Club to upgrade their equipment, or help the best student athletes to reach their full potential through elite sports scholarships.
Video voiceover kindly provided by sports reporter, presenter, author, endurance runner and University of Exeter alumnus Vassos Alexander (Russian, 1996).
The University of Exeter Sports Scholarship Scheme is one of the most prestigious in the UK, helping the best student athletes reach their full potential. The scheme provides a comprehensive support package and is tailored to suit the needs of each individual athlete. Many of our graduating scholars have progressed to a professional level in their chosen sport and represented their respective countries on the global stage.
Since the programme was launched in 1999, nearly 200 students have benefited from the support on offer. Many of them have been able to achieve their goals thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends of the University. Below are just a few.
Amber Reed
Amber Reed (Exercise and Sports Science, 2013) was part of the England Women’s Rugby World Cup squad who were crowned champions in 2014. England dominated the tournament and Amber, who had captained the University of Exeter Women’s Rugby Club to British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) National Championship victory the year before, helped England claim the title for the first time in two decades.
David Carr
David 'Freddie' Carr (Sport and Health Sciences, 2004) is currently training for the 2021 America's Cup with Sir Ben Ainslie's INEOS Team. He has competed in four America's Cups; racked up an impressive eight podium finishes from 12 America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) events, including three event wins; and competed in five Extreme Sailing Series where he was crowned champion in 2009.
Freya Davies
Freya Davies (Law, 2017) was part of the England Cricket Board Academy while at Exeter, and following graduation was offered a full contract in the latest England squad. She has also represented Western Storm in the Kia Super League since the inaugural season and won the title with them in 2017. In 2018 Freya was named as Western Storm Bowler of the Year. At University level Freya was part of the University of Exeter women's 1st team who won 2 outdoor BUCS silver medals during her time at Exeter.
Duncan Scott
Duncan Scott is currently studying Geography at Exeter. He is part of the England U21 and Great Britain Elite Development programme. Duncan plays in the Men's Hockey 1st Team, who won the BUCS Championship in 2019 and were recently promoted to the Premier Division of the Men's Hockey League.
Kathryn Lane
Kathryn Lane (Business and Marketing, 2016) was University of Exeter Women's Hockey 1st team captain. She won Bronze with England at the Commonwealth Games in Australia in 2018 and competed in the Hockey World Cup.
Sam Skinner
Sam Skinner (Business Economics, 2017) combined his studies with training full-time with Exeter Chiefs. He captained the University team to BUCS Championship success in 2016 and graduated with a First Class degree. He continues to play for the Chiefs and has also played internationally for Scotland, being named Man of the Match on his debut.
Emily Toy
Emily Toy (Exercise and Sports Sciences, 2019). She plays golf for England, competing in the likes of the European Nations Championship and Scottish Women's Open. She has also won the BUCS Championship, the R&A Foundation Scholars Tournament and a BUCS tour event.
Tom Abell
Tom Abell (Flexible Combined Honours, 2015) has captained Somerset Cricket Club since 2017. He made his Championship debut in the match against Warwickshire at Taunton in August 2014 scoring 95, just five runs short of becoming the first player to score a century on their debut since 1935.