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It has come to light that white working-class students are excluded from nearly all diversity-based scholarship opportunities at Oxford and Cambridge.
Over a dozen financial assistance programs aimed at disadvantaged communities at Oxford and Cambridge place greater emphasis on race rather than economic status.
This implies that although every program is available to individuals from minority backgrounds, nearly all of them overlook white working-class students.
This is even though this group is among the least probable to go to college.
Following an independent investigation conducted this week, it was discovered that the education system fails to adequately support white working-class students, who achieve the lowest academic outcomes among all significant ethnic groups in England.
Under the leadership of former Education Secretary Baroness Morris of Yardley, the report noted that only one-third of white working-class teenagers obtained at least a passing grade in their English and mathematics GCSEs.
This week earlier, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated that the group does not lack ability but has been "disregarded" and "deprived of chances."
Currently, Laura Trott, the Shadow Education Secretary, stated on X regarding the Oxford and Cambridge initiatives: "It's time to go past preference based on identity."
Assistance must focus on those who are least privileged, irrespective of their racial or ethnic background, rather than to meet diversity, equity, and inclusion goals or mandates.
In both Oxford and Cambridge universities, there are currently at least 15 financial awards or grants designed for undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students belonging to ethnic minority groups.
This encompasses the Stormzy Scholarship at Cambridge, which was introduced by the musician in 2018, offering £20,000 per year to ten Black students throughout their studies .
Another opportunity available at Cambridge is a Formula 1 scholarship, offering £20,000 annually to engineering students who identify as female or belong to an ethnic minority group.
The institution offers six programs aimed at doctoral and master's degree candidates belonging to minority groups.
At the same time, at Oxford, one of the various initiatives aimed at minority groups is the Black Academic Futures scholarship, which may pay for the entire tuition fee as well as part of living expenses.
Among all the Oxford and Cambridge diversity initiatives, it is reported that white working-class women qualify for just two, whereas white working-class men are eligible for only one.
Among them, the institutions also offer at least 15 community engagement initiatives aimed at students from ethnic minorities, such as trial days and online seminars.
In 2019, a study conducted by the National Education Opportunities Network revealed that less than 3 percent of pupils attending Oxford and Cambridge come from underprivileged backgrounds but are white.
A representative from Oxford mentioned that the university has an additional program, which does not focus on diversity, offering a non-refundable yearly grant of as much as £6,150 to UK full-time students coming from low-income backgrounds.
They stated: "Our financial aid for undergraduates is determined according to family income, irrespective of race."
Our initiatives have grown over the past few years, resulting in approximately one out of every four of our UK undergraduate students—many coming from white working-class communities—receiving financial assistance at university, amounting to a total of £10.4 million for the academic year 2025-26.
A representative from Cambridge stated, "Cambridge offers one of the most substantial financial aid programs in the United Kingdom. Over £10 million in funds is provided annually via the Cambridge Bursary Scheme for all students coming from families with limited income. The institution complies with the regulations set forth by the 2010 Equality Act."
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