Musician Stormzy announces new scholarship for Cambridge University students
Top musician labelled an inspiration by University
British musician Stormzy has announced the ‘The Stormzy Scholarship’, for University of Cambridge students.
The new scheme will see four British black students provided with financial support during their degree courses.
Announced by Stormzy himself during A-Level results day at his old school in Crystal Palace this morning, the ‘The Stormzy Scholarship’ will cover the full cost of four tuition fees and provide a maintenance grant for up to four years of any undergraduate course.
The first two students will start their courses in October with a two further students selected for next year’s entry.
This year’s entries will be self-funded by Stormzy however, he hopes to engage more support from additional investors to become part of the scheme.
Stormzy said: “There are so many young black kids all over the country who have the level of academic excellence to study at a university such as Cambridge - however we are still under-represented at leading universities.
“We, as a minority, have so many examples of black students who have excelled at every level of education throughout the years. I hope this scholarship serves as a small reminder that if young black students wish to study at one of the best universities in the world, then the opportunity is yours for the taking - and if funding is one of the barriers, then we can work towards breaking that barrier down.”
In 2017, the University of Cambridge admitted a record 58 black students on to undergraduate courses.
It represented a third of all black students admitted to higher education in the UK that year who attained at least A*A*A at A-level (which is the average grade achieved by a Cambridge entrant).
The University of Cambridge’s vice-chancellor, Professor Stephen Toope, paid tribute to the musician, calling him an ‘inspiration’.
He said: “Stormzy is an inspiration, not just for his music but for his engagement on social issues and encouragement of young people. He has achieved great success in his career, but recognises that this was at the expense of his studies and the option of a place at a top university.
“He wants to inspire talented young black people who have their sights set on university to follow their dreams. The studentships are a beacon for black students who might otherwise have felt they could not come to Cambridge.
“Last year, 58 new black students arrived to take up their courses at Cambridge, the largest number ever but not nearly as many as we would like. We know we need to work harder to ensure that black students not only apply to study at the university, but that they feel at home here and achieve their full potential.”
To be eligible for a 2018 entry ‘The Stormzy Scholarship’ applicants must be of black ethnicity and have a confirmed place to start at Cambridge in October.
Applications must be submitted no later than Friday 31st August 2018. The students will be selected from a list of applicants by a panel of University staff. The University encourages all students with high academic potential and enthusiasm for their chosen subject to apply. Students wishing to apply for entry in 2019 should apply via UCAS by 15th October. Applications for the 2019 scholarships will be announced in due course.
