Stormzy has announced he will cover the university tuition fees of two more black Cambridge undergraduate students for the duration of their degrees.
The grime artist will also continue to cover costs for the first two students to be supported by the Stormzy Scholarship, who are now entering their second year of study.
The scholarship is aimed at supporting people from minority backgrounds who have earned a place at the University of Cambridge.
The scheme aims to help address the relatively low number of black students who attend Oxbridge institutions.
So far Stormzy, who recently headlined Glastonbury, has been self-funding the cost of the scholarships.
The identities of the students supported by the scheme have been kept secret to ensure they have a normal life during their studies, although the grime star keeps track of their academic progress.
Announcing the second year the scholarship is running, 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.”
The University of Cambridge’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stephen Toope, 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 scholarships are a beacon for black students who might otherwise have felt they could not come to Cambridge.”
He added: “Last year, 61 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.”
Last year Stormzy said Oxford University had rejected his offer to fund two scholarships there.
“We tried Oxford but they didn’t want to get involved,” he said. The university later said it would welcome the chance to work with him.
Source: Independent