Our University community is wonderfully diverse and we’re proud to be home to students from over 150 countries. Some 25% of our students are Black, Asian and minority ethnic. It’s no secret an awarding gap exists for Black students across English universities. The reasons are complex and reflect persistent structural and societal inequality. We already have extensive support mechanisms and improvement plans in place through our Access and Participation Plan to eliminate this awarding gap at Portsmouth - to ensure all students have the resources they need to thrive. But we want to do more. We want to be able to provide our Black students the same opportunities as everyone else.
Every single student with ambition and ability deserves the best chance to succeed. Recognising that systemic racism has impacted Black families and lives over generations, the Scholarship and Support Fund for Black Students was established to assist those Black students who face financial challenges. Your donation will help students to overcome obstacles that are preventing them from having their best learning experience and reaching their attainment goals, both at university and beyond. This scholarship is for students from low-income families, to address financial obstacles and provide access to learning enrichment opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach.
Some 40% of the students who contact Portsmouth’s Student Finance Centre requesting financial support are of Black, Asian and minority ethnicity. Many of these students are from lower income families and are also limited in the number of hours they can dedicate to a part-time job. They face genuine hardship. The Scholarship and Support Fund for Black Students will reduce financial pressures and expand learning enrichment experiences. It removes at least some of the obstacles that stand in the path of students on their way to achieving great things.
