OCR Bursaries Success

We’re delighted to announce our bursary winners for 2021. Fifteen of the West Midlands’ most talented A Level students, who are about to start as undergraduates at the University of Cambridge, have won bursaries to support them during their studies.

These exceptional students, who are due to begin their degrees at Cambridge next week, will receive a bursary of £3,000 from OCR for each year of their undergraduate course. The bursaries help students to make the most of their time at university and reduce worry about money during these exceptionally challenging times. Now in its 18th year, the OCR bursary scheme supports students from the West Midlands going to Cambridge due to our historical links with the West Midlands Examinations Board. This year sees the largest number of bursaries we’ve ever given out to students across the region.

OCR Chief Executive, Jill Duffy, sent a special message to each of the students today. She said: “It’s a huge honour and privilege for us at OCR to support such a talented group of young people with our bursaries. As well as their outstanding academic achievements, these young people impressed us in so many other ways. They’ve grasped every opportunity they’ve been given, they’ve been role models for their schools and colleges, and they’ve shown amazing resilience.

“The last two years they have faced during the pandemic have been like no others. Times are tough for young people and we decided to offer more bursaries this year – fifteen in total – than ever before. I hope this support will go some way to helping each of the students to achieve their goals at university.”

Congratulations to all our amazing 2021 bursary winners, which included:

Adnaan Ilyas who attended King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys in Birmingham

Adnaan Ilyas said: “It will definitely enhance my time at university and allow me to make the most of this opportunity.”

Applications for OCR’s bursary scheme will re-open in spring 2022.