66 state school students from across the UK have won places and funding to prestigious US universities – including all eight Ivy Leagues colleges – after taking part in the Sutton Trust US Programme.
Of the successful students, 83% are in the first generation of their families to attend university and a majority come from households earning less than £25k a year. This is the most successful year of the programme since its creation five years ago.
The students will be attending institutions including leading liberal arts colleges, public universities and women’s colleges. 19 of the students will enrol at Ivy League institutions such as Harvard, Princeton and Yale, and each Ivy has admitted at least one student from the programme.
The students’ success was announced and celebrated as they met US Ambassador Matthew Barzun at a reception at his London residence, Winfield House, on Wednesday, 15 June.
Across their four years of study, the 66 students will access approximately $17 million through university funding and scholarships.
Among the successful students are recipients of highly competitive merit-based scholarships such as the Robertson Scholarship at Duke University, the Woodruff Scholarship at Emory University and the President’s Scholarship at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
This year’s success means there will be over 200 alumni of the Sutton Trust US Programme enrolled at US universities, accessing approximately $50 million in financial aid.
Sir Peter Lampl, Chairman of the Sutton Trust and of the Education Endowment Foundation, said today: “Over the next four years, these talented students will benefit from the broad and flexible curriculum that US universities offer, as well as full financial aid packages so that they will graduate with little or no debt.
“I hope that more bright young people from low and middle income homes will see the successes of this group and the hundreds of Sutton Trust alumni currently studying in the States and realise that a university education in America is well within their grasp.”
J Jeffry Louis, Chairman of the US-UK Fulbright Commission, said: “This remarkable achievement demonstrates that American universities value the diverse talent, ambition and academic potential of the most deserving British state school students. Our special educational relationship crosses the Atlantic in both directions, as the United Kingdom remains the most popular study abroad destination for American students.”
Alex Wilmot-Sitwell, President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, said: “Advancing youth employment for a stronger economy is a key focus for Bank of America Merrill Lynch. We are therefore extremely proud to partner with Sutton Trust for a second year. The enthusiasm and commitment of these academically-talented young women and men never fail to impress me. I wish them all the best with their university education, and I look forward to following their progress.”
Connor Keys, a student from County Fermanagh who has won a place at Vanderbilt University said: “In the space of a year, I have visited some top US universities, attended masterclasses from world-leading professors and have been accepted by a prestigious institution.
“The liberal arts curriculum suits my wide range of interests, and studying abroad will provide fantastic networking opportunities. The programme has greatly broadened my horizons and for that I am very grateful.”
The programme, delivered in partnership with the US-UK Fulbright Commission, encourages academically talented British state school students to consider undergraduate study in the USA.
Last summer, participants spent a week at either the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) or Yale University, visiting several other US universities. In the UK, they received an intensive programme of support administered through the US-UK Fulbright Commission. This included help with applications, college choices and admissions tests.
150 state school students have recently been selected from over 1,200 applicants to take part in the 2016 programme and will visit the US this summer.
Now in its fifth year, the Sutton Trust US Programme is made possible through support from its founding corporate partner, Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Their investment is matched by Peter Baldwin and Lisbet Rausing who have generously supported the programme since its launch. The programme is also supported by Jerry del Missier, the London Stock Exchange Group Foundation, Big Change and EducationUSA.
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