Help get James to Imperial College London

My name is James and I recently found out that I’ve been accepted onto my dream Master’s. In September, I will be studying MSc Finance and Accounting at Imperial Business School, which is ranked #3 in Europe by The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021. This is a huge deal for me and my family, as my parents have sacrificed a lot for me to get to where I am today.

Although I’m proud I studied at UCL for my undergraduate degree, I was one of only two Black students on a course of roughly 180 students. This goes to show that such opportunities are difficult to attain for students from the same background as me. Fortunately I was awarded a scholarship by my department for my A-Level results, but if it wasn't for this and various bursaries/grants life during my undergrad would've been a lot more difficult. The Black Attainment Gap shows the difference between Black and White students’ likelihood of achieving 2:1 or first-class degrees at university, and currently white students are over twice as likely as black students to obtain a first-class degree. For me to hold a 2.1 in BSc Economics and Statistics is already a great achievement, but I know this is only the beginning.

I’m now one of only 15 students from the UK to make it onto this course. It is a huge opportunity that I know will lead to success in the future. Ultimately, my lifelong goal is to be in a professional role that would allow me to contribute to the growth of emerging markets in West Africa. My passion for educating myself and those around me means the master’s is vital for me to continue exploring this field so that I can fulfil my wish of investing in and giving back to my community.

The evidence showing the near impossibility of accessing this type of education lies in the fact that the tuition fee alone for this master’s is £37,500. The privilege to pay this fee outright is afforded to a small minority, but I don’t want this to be a decisive barrier for my further education. I am fundraising for £10,000 towards my tuition fee and living costs.

I have personally saved £7,500 and will be receiving the maximum loan of £11,570 from Student Finance England (SFE). This still leaves £19,070 to pay towards tuition fee, travel and living costs. I have applied for further scholarships and potential loans outside of student finance.

Your donation will go towards supporting me to access higher education that would normally be off limits to me. I want to change the world and make routes like this accessible to everyone, not just a select few. Once I graduate, I have plans to mentor other young Black men like me who find themselves in environments that don’t cater to their lived experiences.

Thank you for reading and thank you if you decide to donate! Even just a share helps :) - James