Creating Scholarships

Philanthropic gifts to the RVC help our students to overcome barriers to higher education. Legacy gifts empower them to follow their dreams and make a meaningful impact in the world of veterinary medicine and biological science.

Scholarships support promising students to overcome financial obstacles and enable them to study at the RVC. By empowering these talented individuals to believe in themselves and step into higher education, scholarships can make a difference for many years to come.

RVC and ACT scholarships offer recipients £5,000 per academic year. They can make all the difference when considering to apply and to accepting a place at the RVC. For people who have dreamed of a career in veterinary medicine, biological science or research but thought it beyond their means - scholarships offer a lifeline. This funding often helps with living costs, accommodation, and placement and transport costs enabling students to focus on their education. Here are just a few of the stories behind two of the scholarships available at the RVC. Find out about the impact of legacy giving from the students whose lives have been changed...

Scholar students: Venus, Ebony and Honey

Scholar students: Venus, Ebony and Honey

The Linkou Scholarship

Almost 100 years after Mrs Bastable dreamt of becoming a vet, her legacy has set students on the path she was forbidden to take.

In the 1930’s Mrs Bastable desperately wanted to become a vet. Forbidden by her father, she was determined to do everything she could to give others the opportunity that was denied to her. Named after her favourite Pekingese dog, the Linkou Scholarship helps promising student vets overcome financial difficulties to reach their true potential.

Meet Linkou scholar, Joe

When Joe completed a biology degree in 2017, he planned to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. But that changed in an instant when he was hit by a car whilst cycling to work. He received multiple injuries and head fractures. Joe told us “I didn’t realise it at the time, but the three weeks spent in hospital were only the beginning of my recovery”. His ability to live and work as he had before the accident had changed. As the weeks turned into years, Joe found ways to stay active in his community, giving back to causes he cared about. He volunteered at his Local Enterprise Partnership, helping to deliver talks about issues young people were experiencing with education and employment. He started rebuilding his life and volunteered at his local veterinary centre and at a sheep farm too. He was determined to find a path back to his dream.

His initial excitement at gaining a place at the RVC turned into worry when the reality of studying, working and managing his wellbeing became apparent.

“My biggest fear was that I would have to work close to full time to pay for my course and rent. The scholarship has freed up a lot of that time, which can be put back into university”.
Joe

Joe is proactive in university life, becoming a student ambassador, course representative and a member of the RVC Rowing Club. In the video below, Joe tells us more about what the scholarship means to him.

Watch Joe's film

The ACT Catt Scholarship

In 2017 Elizabeth Catt left a generous legacy to the RVC's Animal Care Trust (ACT) to support veterinary nurses. The money established a scholarship to help student nurses get the support they need. With the first ACT Catt Scholar graduating last year, Elizabeth's legacy is making a difference at the RVC and beyond.

The ACT Catt Scholarship has helped four veterinary nurses so far – Honey, Ebony, Amber and Olivia. They tell us what it means to be a recipient of the scholarship.

“I think it is so important to help people from different backgrounds become vet nurses. It is a generous and amazing thing to do. I struggled in school, but this has given me hope that I will be able to graduate as a registered vet nurse. Thanks to the scholarship, university is a little easier because I’m not worrying about the cost of it.”
Honey, BSc Veterinary Nursing, 1st year

“The prestige of studying at the RVC appealed to me especially as I come from a family where no one else has had the opportunity to go to university. It enabled me to pay rent in advance due to not being able to find a guarantor. When you’re a student so many things can go wrong, and scholarships support people who can’t get help anywhere else. When I received the scholarship, it felt like a weight had been lifted. It really is amazing.”
Ebony, BSc Veterinary Nursing, 2nd year

“The scholarship is the reason I’ve been able to continue studying and I’m eternally grateful. It’s helped me feel more confident, it’s alleviated my financial worries and it’s made me believe that I am deserving of higher achievements.”
Amber, BSc Veterinary Nursing, 3rd year

“Being an ACT Catt Scholar at the RVC was the beginning of making my dream come true! Knowing that someone believed in me kept me going. Now standing on the other side I feel incredibly proud of myself and I love my role. Being able to nurse patients back to health is what gets me out of bed in the morning. One of my favourite things to do is send a long-term patient home. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
Olivia, Surgery Nurse at Pride Veterinary Referral Hospital, Catt Scholar alumni