Stormzy has announced that he is expanding his scholarship to fund places for 30 more black students to attend the University of Cambridge.
The rapper is funding £20,000-a-year scholarships which will cover the tuition fees and maintenance costs of the students throughout the entirety of their degrees.
He began providing scholarships for black students at the university in 2018 in a bid to address the relatively low number of black students who attend Oxbridge.
Stormzy said the expansion of his scholarship programme is an "incredible milestone".
The expansion is part of a partnership between HSBC UK and the Stormzy's charity the #Merky Foundation and will ensure that 30 more "Stormzy Scholars" are funded over the next three years.
Stormzy said: "For 30 more black students to have the opportunity to study at Cambridge University – the same year our initial 2018 scholars graduate – feels like an incredible milestone.
"Thank you to HSBC UK for their significant donation and, of course, Cambridge University for always backing our mission.
"I hope this scholarship continues to serve as a small reminder to young black students that the opportunity to study at one of the best universities in the world is theirs for the taking."
In 2017, Cambridge admitted 58 black British students to undergraduate degree courses, and this rose to 137 in 2020, a 50% increase on the previous year.
The rise in black students at the university was attributed to the "Stormzy effect".
The first two Stormzy Scholars graduated this summer with a high 2:1 and a 2:1.
Professor Graham Virgo, senior pro-vice-chancellor at the University of Cambridge, said: "Since the Stormzy Scholarships were announced in 2018 we have seen a significant increase in the number of black students applying to study here and being admitted and we are very proud to see the first two students supported by the scheme graduate this year.
"We're confident that they are starting out on an exciting journey which may not have been possible without the generous support of philanthropists like Stormzy.
"With the launch of our Foundation Year, for admission next year, we will be in a position to support a lot more students who have experienced educational disadvantage on their path through higher education."
Eligible Stormzy scholarship applicants this year must have a confirmed place to start at Cambridge in October, and be a UK student of black or mixed race heritage.
The closing date for applications is Friday August 27.
All applicants will also have the option to explore work experience, skills development and mentoring with HSBC bank.
