20th year of exam board OCR supporting talented West Midlands students

OCR has announced it will award bursaries to thirteen highly talented students from schools and colleges across the West Midlands going to study at the University of Cambridge. 

This is the 20th anniversary of the OCR bursary programme which has supported around 200 young people with financial support. 

Each student will receive an annual bursary of £3,000 for every year of their undergraduate degree at the University of Cambridge. The bursary can be spent on living costs or college fees. 

Bursary recipients this year include talented musicians and sportspeople, as well as gifted linguists and community volunteers. 

The OCR bursary programme has played a significant role in supporting the next generation of leaders and scholars from the West Midlands at Cambridge. OCR forms part of a non-teaching department of the University. 

Jill Duffy, Chief Executive at OCR, said: 

“Everyone at OCR is thrilled to support yet another group of inspiring young people and to help them fulfil their dreams of studying at Cambridge University. We have selected thirteen impressive students who we think will benefit most from this award, and I look forward to seeing them go on to thrive at university. 

“The OCR bursary scheme now has two decades of proud history empowering talented local students to pursue higher education at one of the best universities in the world. We hope our bursaries will help provide that extra level of financial security and enable these students to fulfil their potential at university.” 

This year’s OCR Bursary Programme recipients include: 

Aidan Tolhurst from Alcester Grammar School 

Mohammad Roheel and Muhammad (Farhan) Awais from King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys

Aahana Jain and Sahana Jain from King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls

Lashmitha Baskaran from King Edward VI High School for Girls 

Scotia Smith and Wesley Treasure from King Edwards VI College Stourbridge 

Saffi-Mae Graham from Rugby High School 

Sam Shakeshaft from Shrewsbury Colleges Group 

Estella Hope from Solihull Sixth Form 

Nathalie Senkye from Wolverhampton Girls' High School 

Megan Martin from Worcester Sixth Form College

To apply for the bursary, students need to have an offer from Cambridge University and be studying at a school or college across the West Midlands. 

Applications for next year’s OCR’s bursary scheme will re-open in Spring 2024.

• Find out more about our bursary