Get In Cambridge
Changing perceptions, removing barriers and transforming lives.
The overriding purpose of the Get In initiative is to increase the number of students from historically under-represented ethnic minority communities at Cambridge, in order to become representative of UK society, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Over time, this would also help to address the significant under-representation of members of these communities among the University’s academic staff and senior leadership.
There are many reasons for this historic under-representation. Get In Cambridge Studentships are designed to tackle the perception that Cambridge “is not for me” and to provide financial support to encourage members of these communities to both apply and take up offers to study at Cambridge. Get In financial awards will be for students who are disadvantaged and from an ethnic minority community that is under-represented at the University.
The vision of Get In extends beyond Cambridge. Almost every major employer in the UK currently suffers from similar under-representation. By helping to increase the numbers of undergraduates and postgraduates at Cambridge from under-represented ethnic minority communities, Get In will improve social mobility, and in the longer term will help to address the broader societal issue of minority ethnic under-representation across the UK’s major employers.
To be truly excellent as a university, we need to reflect on the diversity of the culture of the UK and the world. Get In Cambridge is therefore a vital component of our commitment to racial equality, and specifically the need to take meaningful action now to address the University’s historic under-representation of students from ethnic minority communities.
British Black, British Bangladeshi and British Pakistani students make up:
- 6.0% Cambridge UK undergraduate admissions 2019
- 3.8% Cambridge UK postgraduate admissions 2019
- 12.4% UK Sixth-form population 2019
How Get In works
Nurturing aspiration
Current Cambridge students from under-represented ethnic backgrounds provide rich video content which busts myths about Cambridge and demonstrates the welcoming and supportive environment here. Videos are targeted to prospective applicants on popular online platforms, and materials are used in outreach programmes which reach Get In’s target demographic.
Removing barriers
All UK undergraduates currently can receive a student loan for fees, and those from low-income households can receive both a maintenance loan and a non-repayable Cambridge bursary for living costs. An additional participation award can ensure the recipient thrives in Cambridge without financial concerns.
With only partial government funding, postgraduates simply cannot study if they are unable to support themselves. 80% of Master’s students self-fund. Without a Master’s, students won’t be admitted to many PhD courses. A Master’s degree can define a career trajectory, or enable a career in academia, diversifying the academic cohorts of the future.
Giving back
Beneficiaries will be encouraged to volunteer while at Cambridge to connect them with and be of benefit to the wider Cambridge community. They will also become part of the Get In community of supporters, alumni, current students, and prospective applicants. This will provide a forum for mentoring, guidance and networking, to establish and strengthen the benefits of Get In to Cambridge and beyond.
Get involved
The first Get In cohort arrived in Cambridge in 2021, with 30 students supported across undergraduate and Master's level. The programme of support is eminently scalable, and our vision is to offer support over many more years to every single disadvantaged and under-represented student who has the talent to gain a place at Cambridge.
Get In's impact to date is entirely thanks to generous philanthropy. We need your help to give every deserving student from an under-represented background the opportunity to study and thrive here.
To find out more about our aspirations for Get In, contact:
Make a gift now
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Philanthropic giving is at the heart of the success of the Collegiate University, enabling us to make discoveries that change the world and to ensure that our students receive an unrivalled education. Cambridge owes its world-leading excellence in research and teaching to the generosity of its supporters. Our history is synonymous with a history of far-sighted benefaction, and the same is as true today as it has ever been.
