HSBC UK has pledged a further £2 million to fund the ‘Stormzy Scholarships’ scheme which supports Black UK students at the University of Cambridge.
Launched five years ago in 2018, the ‘Stormzy Scholarships’ scheme has helped fund the tuition fees and maintenance costs for Black students at Cambridge in the hopes of alleviating their financial worries and transforming the university experience. All Stormzy Scholarship applicants also have the option to explore work experience, skills development and mentoring opportunities with HSCB UK.
The scheme has so far supported 32 students from less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds and has been credited with helping Cambridge to attract more applications of Black or mixed Black heritage – a traditionally under-represented group at the university.
Over the past five years, the number of UK Black students admitted to undergraduate courses has more than doubled from 61 students in 2018 to 141 students in 2022.
HSBC UK’s pledge of a further £2 million will support 30 new Stormzy Scholarships over the next three years (2024-2026). Stormzy’s #Merky Foundation will continue to fund a further two students per year.
By 2026, it’s anticipated that a total of 81 students would have received a Stormzy Scholarship.
Speaking on the expansion of the scheme, Stormzy said: “For a further 30 Black students to have the opportunity to study at Cambridge University – the same year we celebrate 5 years of the scholarships’ launch – feels like an incredible landmark moment.
“Thank you to HSBC UK for another incredibly significant donation and of course, Cambridge University for always, always backing our mission.”
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