Aisha Sembhi

Rapper Stromzy has pledged to support a further 30 Black students at the University of Cambridge over the next three years, in collaboration with HSBC UK. 

The partnership between the musician’s charity  #Merky Foundation, and HSBC UK will have supported 81 students by 2026. 

First launched in 2018, the ‘Stormzy Scholarship’ is open to UK students of Black heritage with a confirmed place at the University of Cambridge.

Recipients will receive £20,000 annually, covering tuition fees and maintenance costs.

The scheme was first launched in 2018, initially funding two undergraduate students. After establishing a partnership with HSBC UK in 2021, it was expanded to a further 30 students. 

Dubbed ‘the Stormzy effect’, Cambridge has seen a rise in applicants from UK Black students. In 2022, 142 Black students were admitted — an increase of 131 per cent compared to 2018. 

Who is Stormzy?

Stormzy, real name Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr., is a thirty-year-old award-winning rapper, singer and songwriter.

He is well known for his activism and regularly uses his platform as a vehicle for social justice. In 2018, he used his Brit performance to critique then-Prime Minister Theresa May over the lack of compensation for victims of the Grenfell fire.

“Theresa May, where’s the money for Grenfell? You think we just forgot about Grenfell? You’re criminals, and you got the cheek to call us savages // you should do some jail time // you should pay some damages // we should burn your house down and see if you can manage this.”

The year prior, he used his Glastonbury performance to call for action: “We urge the authorities to tell the f*cking truth, first and foremost. We urge them to do something. We urge the f*cking government to be held accountable for the f*ckery, and we ain’t gonna stop until we get what we deserve.”

Born and raised in Croydon, London, Stormzy achieved six A*s, three As and three Bs at GCSE level, and five A-Levels (ABCDE).

With clear academic ability, the rapper initially aspired to attend university: “I was always reminded by my teachers that I was destined, if I wanted, to go down that road and study at one of the top universities.”

He said: “My mum always had this plan of ‘You’re going to school and college, then you’re going to go Cambridge.’

“It didn’t happen for me, so I feel that for me to get to this place in my career and be able to do something where we can help young black students get into Cambridge is a testimony to her hard work as well.”

Why the University of Cambridge?

The Universities of Cambridge and Oxford — often dubbed ‘Oxbridge’ — are historically prestigious and selective in their admission. The institutions are often criticised for a lack of diversity within their respective student bodies, especially in regard to race, ethnic heritage and socioeconomic background. 

The Sutton Trust, a social mobility charity, argues that Oxbridge “recruits” from influential schools — often private and located in majority white British areas.

Black representation at Cambridge is growing, but admissions statistics from recent years highlight the severity of the issue. A 2018 FOI request by the Financial Times found that some Cambridge colleges admitted no Black British students between 2012 and 2016. 

Cambridge responded with a plea for help from schools, claiming it would not be able to improve diversity “on its own”. 

Stormzy initially approached Oxford University with the scholarship proposal but said his offer was rejected. 

The lack of diversity within Cambridge’s sister institution has been highlighted in recent years. In 2017, the University of Oxford was accused of “social apartheid” by Labour MP David Lammy. His own FOI request revealed that, of 32 Oxford colleges, 10 did not admit any Black British applicants. 

Criticism of the Stormzy Scholarship

News of the scholarship’s extension has raised questions about the eligibility requirements. 

The scholarships are designed to alleviate financial worries and allow students to immerse themselves in student life fully. Specifically, they are aimed at students from “less advantaged socio-economic backgrounds,” according to the University. 

However, scholarships are not awarded on the basis of a means test; an applicant’s financial background is not considered.

Holly Cooper, a doctoral candidate at the University of Oxford, argues that the presumption that Black Britons are more likely to come from working-class and low-income backgrounds is problematic: “[Perhaps] what Oxbridge doesn’t realise is that not every Black British student needs a scholarship.

https://twitter.com/HollySCooper_/status/1685308893587443713

“Some of us went to private schools, received extra tutoring, and would be able to afford to go to Oxbridge without the scholarship.

“They’re pushing the narrative that all Black students are working-class, financially deprived etc., which isn’t the case.”

Positive Impact: Stormzy Scholarship recipients

Despite some criticism, student recipients have described the immense positive impact it had on their time at Cambridge. 

Cambridge graduate Drew Chateau, 24, said the funding “made university so much more practical, and enjoyable.”

Like Stormzy, Chateau is also from South London. She was selected as a Stormzy scholar in 2018 and graduated with a 2:1 in Law.

She said: “The scholarship helped reduce the gap between myself and those from a more stable upbringing. Thanks to the award I didn’t have to worry about my next meal, how to support my family or even getting to university each term.”

Professor Bhaskar Vira, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education, said: “We’re delighted the University’s collaboration with Stormzy’s #Merky Foundation and HSBC UK will continue for another three years. 

“We’re also extremely grateful to them, as we are to all our donors, for the help they provide ensuring those who often feel marginalised because of the circumstances they grew up in, receive financial support enabling them to fully engage with the student experience.

“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.”

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Featured image courtesy of Jose Llamas via Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.

Aisha is a BBC Journalism Researcher, covering news, politics, and pop culture (and, wherever possible, the blend between the three!).

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