Undergraduates previously in care are set to receive largest ever bursary

Rudd Family Foundation (RFF) is settling students into Sussex University by funding the biggest ever philanthropic donation.

The bursary is worth £600k and is set to be rolled out this academic year to all undergraduates who, before moving to university, used to be in care.

The money that will be distributed by the university will be split into annual £5k payments per student and given in 3 instalments over the course of their study.

RFF have outlined that research has shown young people who have been in care have significantly poorer educational and life outcomes than the general population on average.

According to the Office for Students, only 13% of pupils who have been in care for 12 months or more reached higher education, compared to 43% across all student groups.

The scholarship is designed to support care students’ living costs whilst at Sussex, to enable them to make the most of their student experience.

Professor Sasha Roseneil, Vice Chancellor at the University of Sussex said: ‘Young people who have experienced the care system are hugely under-represented in higher education, and, when they do make it to university, often struggle due to the lack of family student support that other students take for granted.

‘We want both to encourage care-experienced applicants to come to Sussex, and then to enable them to make the most of their time as students, succeeding academically.’

The programme will last for 10 years and is run by the Rudd Family Foundation, which was co-founded by Andrew and Jinny Rudd. The organisation supports educational and youth activities across the US and UK.  

The scholarship will be named after Andrew Rudd, who graduated from Sussex in 1971 with a BSc in Mathematics.

Jinny Rudd, Co-founder the Rudd Family Foundation said: ‘Education has always been important to Andrew and our family to expand opportunities and choices in life.

‘Andrew now suffers from Alzheimer’s, but we know he would feel privileged that this scholarship will be made available to help support students, who have challenges in their lives, on their educational journeys.’

‘In this way his belief and passion for education can be passed on to students just beginning their university careers’, he said, ‘we wish all students success in their lives moving forward.’

Photo by Dom Fou