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Students encouraged to go further with first disabilities and care leavers bursary
Monday 18 February 2019
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Coventry University is helping young people go further in their education with the first round of bursaries for students with disabilities or who grew up in care.
Ten awards have now been presented to students including three care leavers from across the Midlands, and seven young people who are living with disabilities, in the first incentive of its kind in the city.
Funded by the National Express Foundation, the £1,000 bursaries will help support young people from a range of backgrounds as they continue their education.
Adam Khan, who spent several years in care services across Birmingham is among those to receive the new fund, and described it as an important step to open opportunities.
The second year history and politics student who has health conditions ADHD and ASD, is now Disabled Students’ Officer at the Students’ Union and working to set up the first disability history month on campus.
Scholarship recipient Adam, said:
Growing up in and out of care made my education maybe more of a challenge, I certainly didn’t reach my full potential in my A-levels and during those years. But for me, I decided I wanted to go to university when I was 10 so I have always had that ambition and made it happen.
Bursaries like this are important to showing that you shouldn’t let anything stop you, and being in care should not be a barrier. Everyone should have the opportunities open to them no matter what their circumstances.”
Adam Khan
The latest data from UCAS shows that in 2017, 45,105 students with a declared disability applied to study at university –with the figure having risen steadily each year since 2012.
The new Coventry bursary comes a year after the university launched its first male healthcare award scheme to encourage more men into professions where they are vastly under represented.
The new awards were presented this month as part of 61 bursary and scholarship programmes open to students in all four faculties, including to help encourage more women into STEM subjects.
General manager at National Express Foundation, said:
The National Express Foundation was set up to help strengthen community relationships and create opportunities for young people, particularly those living in the inner cities.
A big part of that is being able to offer young people a new path and helping hand to get to where they want to be. So we are incredibly proud to support these young people at Coventry University in the latest bursary scheme which we hope will help them as they continue their studies and progress into their chosen careers.”
James Donnan
For further press information, please contact Hannah Smith, press officer at Coventry University, on +44 (0)24 7765 8352 or at hannah.smith@coventry.ac.uk.
For more information on bursaries and scholarships, visit www.coventry.ac.uk/study-at-coventry/finance/scholarships
