Stormzy Scholarship at Cambridge | How to Apply
The Stormzy Scholarship covers full tuition and a maintenance package worth around £20,000 a year for Black and mixed-Black UK students starting an undergraduate degree at the University of Cambridge, funded jointly by Stormzy’s #MERKY Foundation and HSBC UK. Applicants also need to come from a low-income or disadvantaged background — Black heritage alone doesn’t meet the eligibility bar. The application form for 2027/28 entry has not opened yet, and no deadline has been published for this cycle. Here’s everything currently confirmed about eligibility, what the scholarship actually covers, and what to prepare before the form goes live.
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In 2023, marking five years since the scholarship’s launch, Stormzy himself and Cambridge leadership both publicly framed the continued partnership as a landmark moment specifically because of that sustained, structural shift in who applies and gets in. Stormzy was later awarded an honorary Doctorate in Law from Cambridge in recognition of this philanthropic and educational impact. By 2023, HSBC UK had pledged a further £2 million toward the programme (bringing its total commitment to £4 million across 2021-26), funding 30 additional Stormzy Scholarships over three years, with the #MERKY Foundation continuing to fund two students per year on top of that.
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Stormzy Scholarship Summary
| Scholarship Name ⇒ | Stormzy for Black UK Students |
| Host Country ⇒ | United Kingdom |
| Study Level ⇒ | Undergraduate |
| Benefits ⇒ | University tuition fee, plus a significant contribution toward living costs, for up to 4 years |
| Funded by ⇒ | University of Cambridge, administered by the Cambridge Trust, funded by Stormzy’s #MERKY Foundation and HSBC UK |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | UK students of Black or mixed Black heritage |
| Application Deadline ⇒ | The application form for 2027/28 entry is not yet available. Check the University’s outreach scholarships page for updates |
What the Stormzy Scholarship Covers
Based on the structure Cambridge has consistently applied across recent cycles:
- The University tuition fee, covered in full
- A significant contribution toward annual maintenance costs, calculated as equivalent to the maximum government-set tuition fee plus the maximum Student Finance maintenance loan amount — in past cycles, this combined package has totalled £20,000 per student per year
- Support for the full undergraduate portion of your degree — usually three years, including for Medicine and Veterinary Medicine courses, or four years if your specific undergraduate course runs that length
- Continued eligibility for a Cambridge Bursary, since holding this scholarship doesn’t preclude separate bursary support
- The option to explore work experience, skills development, and mentoring opportunities with HSBC UK, extending the partnership’s support beyond pure financial funding into genuine career development access
Because the award is explicitly non-repayable and structured to significantly reduce or eliminate the need for government or commercial loans, it functions as one of the more comprehensive outreach scholarships Cambridge offers, alongside a corporate mentorship pathway most university scholarships don’t include.
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Stormzy Scholarship at Cambridge Eligibility Requirements
Based on the criteria published for this scholarship across recent cycles, applicants will generally need to meet the following once the form opens:
- Have a confirmed place for entry to the University of Cambridge for a first undergraduate degree, commencing study in October of the relevant year — verifiable through UCAS Hub
- Be a UK (“Home”) student of Black, or mixed Black, heritage — this is the scholarship’s core and defining eligibility criterion
- Come from a low-income and/or disadvantaged background — this is not simply a Black-heritage scholarship open to any financial circumstance, but one specifically targeted at students facing genuine economic barriers as well
- Have applied to Student Finance (England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland) for a tuition fee loan and maintenance loan, with confirmation of assessment and approved financial support
- Have had an income assessment conducted by Student Finance, with consent given to share that information with the University
- Be studying, or planning to study, any undergraduate degree course at Cambridge — unlike some of Cambridge’s other outreach scholarships, this one is not restricted to a specific subject or faculty
Required Documents and Prerequisites
Applicants should expect to need:
- Confirmation of your Cambridge undergraduate offer, verifiable through UCAS Hub
- Confirmation of your Home fee status and your Black, or mixed Black, heritage, as part of the application itself
- Confirmation from Student Finance that your tuition fee and maintenance loan applications have been assessed and approved
- A completed Student Finance income assessment, with consent given to share results with the University
- Evidence or a statement addressing your low income or disadvantaged background, since this is a specific, assessed eligibility criterion alongside heritage
How to Apply for the Stormzy Scholarship at Cambridge
- Check the University’s outreach scholarships page directly and regularly for confirmation of when the 2027/28 application form opens — this is the only reliable source for current status, since third-party summaries can circulate outdated information.
- In the meantime, confirm your Cambridge undergraduate offer status through UCAS Hub, and confirm your Home fee status through your College offer letter.
- Apply to Student Finance for your tuition fee and maintenance loans if you haven’t already, and ensure your income assessment is completed with consent given to share it with the University.
- Once the form opens, complete it in full, addressing your Black or mixed Black heritage and your low income or disadvantaged background as required.
- Submit before whatever deadline is published alongside the form — in past cycles, this has fallen in late August or the first week of September, with the form itself typically becoming available in mid-to-late August.
- Direct any questions to [email protected].
Application Deadline
The application form for 2027/28 entry is not yet available, so no confirmed deadline has been published for this cycle. Cambridge has indicated that applications for the Stormzy Scholarship typically open in August each year, with past deadlines falling in late August or early September — but the exact 2027/28 dates should only be treated as confirmed once they appear directly on the University’s outreach scholarships page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Stormzy Scholarship currently open for applications?
No. The application form for 2027/28 entry is not yet available. Check the University’s outreach scholarships page directly for updates on when it opens.
Do I need to prove financial hardship, or is Black heritage alone enough?
Both are required. This scholarship specifically targets Black UK students from low-income and/or disadvantaged backgrounds — heritage alone, without demonstrated financial need, does not meet the full eligibility bar.
Does the scholarship cover living costs as well as tuition?
Yes. It covers full tuition fees plus a significant maintenance contribution, historically totalling £20,000 per year when combined.
Does winning this scholarship affect my eligibility for a Cambridge Bursary?
No. Holding a Stormzy Scholarship does not preclude you from also receiving a Cambridge Bursary, provided you separately qualify.
Is there anything beyond financial support included?
Yes. Recipients have the option to explore work experience, skills development, and mentoring opportunities directly with HSBC UK, extending the scholarship’s support into career development as well as funding.
Disclaimer: All programme details in this post were verified from official sources as of August 2026. The application window for 2027/28 entry has not yet opened. Always confirm the latest details, including the exact deadline once published, directly on the University of Cambridge’s official outreach scholarships page. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the University of Cambridge, Stormzy, the #MERKY Foundation, or HSBC UK.
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