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Fundraising Hub: How to Fund Your Medical Elective Abroad
It’s not unusual to fund a big chunk of your medical, nursing or midwifery elective through fundraising — events, sponsors, online campaigns and good old-fashioned community support. Most students do it alongside grants and bursaries rather than instead of them. This hub walks you through every part of fundraising your elective, from the first budget to the final pound.
Pick a guide below to dig in, or read in order — they’re written to build on each other.
Your fundraising hub
| Guide | What it covers |
|---|---|
| 1. Getting started & budgeting | Set a realistic target — programme fee, flights, insurance, vaccinations, visa and spending money — and a timeline you can actually hit. |
| 2. Fundraising events | Quiz nights, bake sales, sponsored runs, raffles and ticketed events — what works, what raises the most, what to plan first. |
| 3. Finding a sponsor | Local businesses, GP practices, your employer, faith groups and community organisations — how to approach them and what to offer in return. |
| 4. Your online fundraising profile | Pick a platform, write a page that converts, share it well, keep it updated — and turn one-off donors into repeat ones. |
| 5. Getting your message out | Local newspapers, university media and social channels — how to pitch your story so it gets picked up. |
The short version
Most students who hit their target follow the same rough pattern: work out the real total, set a 6–9 month timeline, run one or two events early, apply for several small grants and bursaries in parallel, find one or two local sponsors, and run an online fundraising page throughout. Don’t rely on a single big push — small, steady wins from several sources hit the number reliably.
How much do students actually raise?
It varies hugely — from a few hundred pounds towards flights to enough to cover the entire trip. The students who raise the most start early, mix fundraising with grant applications, and tell a clear, specific story about why they’re going and what they’ll bring back.
Ready to start?
Begin with Getting started & budgeting to set your target. Already know the number? Jump straight to events, sponsors, your online profile or getting press coverage. And don’t forget the formal funding routes — see our full guide to elective bursaries, grants and Erasmus+.
Picking your placement first makes everything easier — knowing the destination, specialty and cost gives your fundraising and your grant applications a clear story. Explore medical, nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy and dentistry electives, see our transparent prices, or talk to our team.
Ready to start your medical elective?
Our team and in-country coordinators guide you from your first question to the day you fly home.
Talk to our team