We are thrilled to announce that our Year 13 students have received bursaries worth more than £75000 for university study.
Following a rigorous selection process, including an application, reference and interview, the eight students learned of their monetary awards last week. The bursaries are money organisations donate to support students with their university fees. These bursaries contribute toward the cost of tuition and maintenance fees and do not need to be paid back. These large sums of money are life-changing for our students.
Mohammed Walid, 18, said of his Reuben Bursary, worth £22,500 throughout his studies, "this will allow me to focus fully on the study of medicine without a part-time job". Future medic Mohammed, who's been at BDA since Year 7, is currently studying A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and French and has chosen Queen Mary University of London as his firm choice. Mohammed isn't the only STEM ambassador in the group, with Ismail Raflay and Layla Edaan both heading off to Imperial College in September with bursaries worth £9000 and £3000, respectively. Layla, who'll be studying Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry at the world-renowned Russell Group university, recognised that it was this award which would allow her to go on to take up her offer. Ismail, a future medic at Imperial, agreed, saying, "Thank you to Ark's donors for providing this opportunity - it will allow me to pursue my dreams to the fullest extent". Amongst the other recipients, students will study such diverse subjects as Psychology and Primary Education. Saffron Jackson, 18, has been awarded a Marshall Wace scholarship worth £9000 which she recognised would "reduce the strain", a common worry for students going onto university.
Alongside immense gratitude to the Ark Bursary programme and generous donors, the other common message of thank you for the talented recipients was to the sixth form team and especially Ms Vasey, Head of Year 13, for all her help with the process. We're looking forward to celebrating with them in August - just the exams to get out of the way between now and then!