Stormzy has announced details of a scholarship programme that will see him help fund four black British students go to Cambridge University.
The rapper’s grant will pay for tuition fees and a maintenance grant for up to four years of an undergraduate degree at the prestigious uni.
Stormzy will personally bankroll two lucky students will be given the opportunity this year, with a further two in 2019.
The ‘Blinded By Your Grace’ rapper announced the scheme at his old south London school on A level results day, saying: “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.”
Stormzy, who didn’t attend university himself, previously donated £9,000 to help an Oxford student get a place at Harvard in the US.
His scholarship announcement comes after Cambridge faced criticism for the lack of diversity among its admissions.
Last year, only 58 black students were accepted onto undergraduate courses, while the Financial Times previously uncovered that some Cambridge colleges did not grant any black students a place from 2012 to 2016.
As a result, in June the university publicly asked schools and parents to help increase the number of black British students it enrols.
Applicants have until 30 August 2018 to apply for Stormzy’s scholarship, and must be of black ethnicity and have an offer to study at Cambridge.
For the 2019 places, applicants must submit their UCAS applications by 15 October. More details can be found on the website.
CLARIFICATION: This story originally stated that YouTube Music would sponsor one of the students in the scholarship programme. However, we have been informed this is not the case and have updated this piece.