Stormzy and HSBC fund more black Cambridge students

Stormzy is helping to fund more black or mixed-race heritage undergraduates at Cambridge University

Grime artist Stormzy has pledged to support a further 36 black students studying at Cambridge University over the next three years.

Each will receive a £20,000 annual scholarship in a continuing partnership between banking group HSBC UK and the musician's charity, #Merky Foundation.

It is five years since the Stormzy Scholarships were launched. By 2026, 81 students will have received one.

Stormzy said the opportunity for black students was "theirs for the taking".

The university said the "Stormzy effect" had seen applications from UK black students rise, with those admitted to undergraduate courses doubling, from 61 students in 2018 to 141 students in 2022.

Stormzy with a group of Cambridge students

HSBC has pledged £2m to support 30 new Stormzy Scholarships over the next three years, while #Merky Foundation will continue to fund a further two students a year.

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The musician said: "For a further 30 black students to have the opportunity to study at Cambridge University - the same year we celebrate five years of the scholarships' launch - feels like an incredible landmark moment.

They are aimed at alleviating financial worries for students from "less advantaged socio-economic background", the university said.

Prof Bhaskar Vira said they were "grateful" for the funding to help those who "feel marginalised"

Prof Bhaskar Vira, pro-vice-chancellor for education, said he was "delighted" the collaboration was continuing.

"We know these scholarships are truly transformative in the opportunities they provide and we look forward to welcoming more Stormzy scholars to Cambridge over the next few years," he said.

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