GUBA Music Excellence Award Recipient Stormzy, Launches Cambridge Scholarship for Black Students
Michael Omari, popularly known as Stormzy has announced his plans to fund two black British students to attend the University of Cambridge.
The Stormzy Scholarship will pay the tuition fees of one student while YouTube Music has pledged to pay for another after hearing of the rapper’s plans. The scheme will also provide a maintenance grant for a four-year undergraduate course for the two students this year and another two in 2019.
Speaking on the motivation behind this initiative, Stormzy says:
“It’s so important for black students, especially, to be aware that it can 100% be an option to attend a university of this calibre. We’re a minority, the playing ground isn’t level for us and it’s vital that all potential students are given the same opportunity.”
In the past, Cambridge has been criticised for not admitting many pupils from a black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) background. The Stormzy Scholarship will play an imperative role in increasing BAME intake at Cambridge University.
An academian himself, Stormzy achieved excellent grades including an inspirational six A*s, and more at GCSE. His excellence in music and his philanthropic nature formed the basis for his selection as a GUBA Music Excellence Awardee on the 14th of July 2018 in London.
To be eligible for this year’s Stormzy Scholarship, applicants must be of black ethnicity and have an offer to study at Cambridge.
The deadline for application is Thursday the 30 August 2018. The students will be selected from a list of applicants by a panel of university staff.
For the 2019 entry to Cambridge, students need to apply through UCAS by 15 October.
