‘Two-tier’ row explodes over ‘discriminatory’ Oxbridge scholarships | UK | News

White working-class students are reportedly being excluded from most diversity-related scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge, according to a new analysis.

The review alleges that more than a dozen bursaries, bursaries and financial aid schemes were available at the two universities based on ethnicity rather than socioeconomic background.

He adds that although many of the programs are open to Black, Asian and ethnic minority students, they largely exclude white working-class applicants, who are among the most under-represented groups in higher education.

The findings have intensified debate about how elite universities approach increasing participation, prompting claims of a “two-tiered academic society”.

What do critics say?

Reform UK education spokeswoman Suella Braverman criticized the existence of ethnicity-based programmes, arguing they risked undermining merit-based access.

He said: “Because of the Equality Act, white working-class families have been betrayed by a system designed to work against them, and this is yet another example of a two-tiered academic society punishing white working-class boys and girls for who they are.

“If Oxford and Cambridge want to maintain their proud history of meritocracy, they must end these apartheid programs immediately and judge people by their abilities, not the color of their skin.”

What do the scholarships include?

Analysis carried out by The Telegraph highlights a range of funding schemes for students from certain ethnic backgrounds at Oxbridge, alongside wider outreach and outreach programmes.

At Cambridge, the Stormzy Scholarship, funded by the #Merky Foundation and HSBC UK, provides £20,000 per year towards undergraduate study for up to 10 black UK students each year.

The university also offers an engineering-focused scholarship worth around £20,000 per year, which can support black, Asian and minority ethnic students, as well as women studying engineering.

Cambridge also reportedly runs a number of postgraduate scholarships and PhD funding schemes targeting Black and ethnic minority candidates.

The Black Academic Futures Scholarship at Oxford can cover full course fees and provide additional cost of living support for eligible students, with similar schemes available for British Bangladeshi and British Pakistani students.

Black and co-ed MBA students at Saïd Business School can also apply for the Oxford Black Leaders Scholarship, worth up to £30,000.

University College Oxford has also launched the Univ Beacon Programme, which offers undergraduate scholarships to Black, Asian and ethnic minority students, refugees, asylum seekers, care-experienced students and members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveler communities.

Jesus College Oxford and other colleges offer postgraduates for Black and mixed Black students, including full funding packages in some cases.

What does the analysis claim about wider access?

The Telegraph analysis also claims that a significant number of scholarships advertised through the UCAS system are targeted at international students or specific ethnic groups.

It is stated that in UK universities, 19 institutions offer scholarships or bursaries specifically aimed at Black, Asian and ethnic minority students, while 11 institutions offer programs targeting asylum seekers and refugees.

At least 15 diversity-related scholarship and financial aid schemes have been identified across Oxford and Cambridge, covering undergraduate, masters and PhD students.

Universities also operate a wide range of outreach programs aimed at improving access for underrepresented groups.

What did a student say?

Writing in The Telegraph, a 20-year-old white student from a working-class background said the programs left him feeling disadvantaged in terms of education and employment.

He said he had to turn down a place at a leading university after being excluded from financial aid programs because of his ethnicity.

The student, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that he felt like a “second-class citizen” and added that “discrimination continues” through educational programs, internships and placements.

The analysis argues that similar diversity-focused programs exist beyond universities, including internships and programs run by major accounting firms such as GCHQ, MI5 and MI6, Bank of England, Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC, as well as organizations such as the Bar Council, the Greater London Authority and the Royal Society.

What does the law say?

Under the Equality Act 2010, organizations are allowed to take “positive action” to address disadvantage or under-representation in education and employment.

Supporters of such programs argue that they are designed to expand participation and improve access for groups historically underrepresented at elite universities.

Oxford and Cambridge have previously said their widening participation programs aim to address inequalities in access to higher education.

The Telegraph analysis also claims that white working-class students are significantly under-represented at Oxbridge.

A 2019 report from the National Educational Opportunities Network suggested they made up less than 3 per cent of students at Oxford and Cambridge.

By comparison, the latest figures show that around 30 per cent of home students at Oxford in 2025 and 34 per cent at Cambridge in 2023 will identify as Black, Asian or ethnic minority.

But admissions data does not always reflect full socioeconomic background, making direct comparisons more complicated.