The University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) and Cambridge United Football Club’s charity – Cambridge United Community Trust (CUCT), have collaborated to provide four new 100% tuition fee bursaries.
This exciting new partnership will enable the Club’s supporters, players and coaches to enrol on an Institute of Continuing Education Undergraduate Certificate courses across a wide range of subjects in areas as diverse as science and medicine, coaching, business and management, creative writing and philosophy. There are almost 20 courses eligible for the new bursaries and no existing academic qualifications are required for our Undergraduate Certificate courses – they are open to all.
The Undergraduate Certificates will start in autumn 2019 and are all delivered on a part-time basis. This makes them accessible to those working or with other personal commitments which would preclude full-time study. The four new bursaries on offer are intended to support regular Cambridge United fans, such as season ticket holders, players, coaches and other staff.
Announcing the new bursaries, Dr James Gazzard, Director of the University’s Institute of Continuing Education, said: “The Institute of Continuing Education offers open courses which allow adults to access higher education for the first time, improve career prospects or learn for personal development. We are delighted to work with the Cambridge United Community Trust to engage adults who could benefit from the opportunity to study for a qualification at the University of Cambridge through a new collaborative funding programme called Cambridge: United in Learning. The Trust’s reach and the important work they do with disadvantaged groups and many other local stakeholders means that we can work in partnership to provide university-level courses free of charge for adults from diverse backgrounds.”
Eligible applicants should be over 18, be supporters, players and coaches who do not already hold a recognised higher education level qualification and have limited financial means.
Ben Szreter, CEO of Cambridge United Community Trust said: “We are delighted to partner with the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Continuing Education to establish these innovative bursaries. Ensuring a wide access to education for everyone in society and at all ages is a very important objective and one which these bursaries will help to promote. As a result of this partnership Cambridge United fans, players, coaches and community participants will all have a chance to study at the University of Cambridge on a bursary which is a very exciting prospect. In a city that has been named for two years as the most unequal city in the UK it is important to establish collaborations across institutions that can tackle inequality and this partnership between the University of Cambridge and Cambridge United is part of that process.”
Cambridge United Head Coach, Colin Calderwood added: “It’s a great opportunity for fans, players and staff at Cambridge United to study at the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education on a bursary. We’re always seeking ways to gain an edge as a football club and this bursary scheme provides an innovative way to provide exciting opportunities to people associated with the club.”
Applying for a Cambridge: United in Learning tuition fee bursary
Applicants apply for a bursary before making an application for a place on one of the designated list of Undergraduate Certificate courses on offer at ICE in autumn 2019, through the Institute’s online application portal. The deadline for bursary applications is 12 April 2019. They will need to send in a 300 word personal statement describing how receiving a bursary would benefit them and their proposed course of study at ICE. They will also need to provide evidence of their financial circumstances (income). Applications will be assessed by a panel from ICE and CUCT.
Cambridge: United in Learning – world class education for the world of football