The Marguerite 2026
Opening doors, changing lives: Dobson Free Places update
With just over a year to go of the Dobson Free Places campaign, we reflect on the generosity that has brought us thus far and look ahead to the final hurdle.
Finding out I was eligible for a Free Place was a wonderful, life-changing surprise. It meant I would be financially stable, without having to hold back on quintessential Cambridge experiences.” — Grace (2023), History
St John’s is a place where big ideas meet boundless opportunity. Yet for students from low-income backgrounds especially, university study can come with a burden: debt often several times their family’s income, alongside the pressure of high living costs.
Prior to 1990, students from low-income families could study at university for free. Students joining St John’s today face a debt of more than £60,000 for a three-year degree. Some will still be paying back this debt into their sixties.
Too often, this pressure means saying no to sports and societies, working throughout holidays to save money, and missing out on valuable work experience and opportunities for learning and research.
The Dobson Free Places scheme was launched in 2021 with a bold ambition: to endow 40 fully funded undergraduate places at any one time for UK students from low-income households, ensuring that financial barriers don’t prevent talented students from thriving at St John’s.
A Dobson Free Place doesn’t just cover tuition fees; it funds the full experience. This support gives students the freedom to expand their intellectual and personal horizons and make the most of everything St John’s has to offer.
Thanks to the generosity of over 2,000 donors, we have so far raised over £20m towards the £25m endowment. This ambition is made possible through a £14m commitment from an anonymous foundation. The first £3m was donated up-front, with the rest providing a powerful matched funding opportunity, unlocked by Johnian support.
The impact of this generosity is already being felt. The first pilot awards were made in 2023, with 12 undergraduates currently in receipt of awards. Their stories show just how life changing your support is:
I grew up in an Afgan family, which was a very working class background. The Dobson Free Places programme has taken off a really big financial stress. I know I have a structure in place that covers my rent, my social life and my hobbies. It means that I don’t feel left behind from my peers and can make the most of my university experience.” – Mustafa (2024), AMES
Among the many reasons why I chose St John’s was the incredible generosity of the College’s donors; I knew that, with your help, I wouldn’t have to spend my entire university life worrying if I could afford to be here.” -Free Places recipient
It’s more than a scholarship; it’s a message to students that they can walk through our Great Gate knowing they belong here, and that they can thrive without the weight of student debt.
We are so grateful to those of you who have supported this bold ambition so far. We have until 31 March 2027 to secure the £25 million endowment for Dobson Free Places. Whether you have supported the campaign before or are considering a first-time donation, we hope Johnians will pull together to secure this transformative legacy for generations to come.
To read more about the Dobson Free Places at St John’s, please click here.
Written by
Erin Charles is the Deputy Development Director at St John’s College, Cambridge.
