Scholarship providing ‘life-changing’ access to Higher Education to be expanded

A scholarship which gives young people from disadvantaged backgrounds from anywhere in the UK vital support to access higher education is to be extended and expanded.

The University of Salford, the Harrington Foundation and Hg have been working together since 2021 to provide the opportunity for 14 young people who may not be able to afford university to embark on a STEM-related degree.

Based on the success of this programme, the Harrington Foundation has now agreed to support a further ten students in 2025/2026, expanding the programme to cover not just technology but also environmental sustainability. This year, five scholarships are being continued through the Hg Access to Tech Scholarship, as well as another five scholarships being offered as part of the brand-new Harrington Foundation Environmental Scholarship. The Harrington Foundation has co-designed this programme with the University and with input from students to ensure that it is a high-impact initiative successfully driving social mobility in education and opening new career pathways for students from less advantaged backgrounds.

Graduates are almost four times more likely to become socially mobile than non-graduates, but the costs associated often put young people off studying. And many of these students have gone on to access and develop successful careers, opportunities they would not have had without financial support.

Among them is Benjamin Lowe, from Boothstown, Salford, who was the first person from his family to attend university. Benjamin attended Pendleton College where he developed an interest in science. His parents both earn minimum wage, so they were unable to help financially support him through his studies. He applied to study Biological Sciences with a year in the USA at Salford and then found out about the possibility of a scholarship.

He said: “I love asking questions and I’ve been interested in science for a long time. As soon as I arrived at Salford, I found out about the scholarship and applied.

“When I got picked, I felt like it was the first time anyone had ever noticed me, it was so emotional for me. And I have had so many opportunities thanks to the university and this scholarship.

“It is no exaggeration to say it has been life-changing for me. It meant I didn’t have to work as many hours so I could focus much more on my studies and that enabled me to do so well and really begin to believe in myself.

“I want to be an ecologist and help protect some of the most important forested areas of the world. These scholarships are so important for people like me. Fiona Humphries is inspirational – she was interested in me, and I’ll never forget that.”

Benjamin, who is also dyslexic, is now working at RHS Bridgewater and will begin a master’s in wildlife conservation at Salford starting this coming September. The Harrington Foundation is continuing to support Benjamin through his master’s, and he will also act as a student ambassador, supporting the development of the scholarship programme with the Harrington Foundation.

In fact, it was through a conversation with Benjamin that Fiona Humphries, Managing Director at the Harrington Foundation, was inspired to expand the scholarship to include environmental sustainability. Fiona said: “We initially created the Hg Access to Tech Scholarship to provide STEM education to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. After seeing the positive impact on students, we decided to expand the programme. I got talking to Benjamin and we identified an opportunity to create a more specialist environmental programme. Environmental studies are an area of growing relevance and importance – it feels like the right next step to launch a scholarship programme which enables young people to explore an area they feel passionately about, equipping them to access excellent career opportunities – and hopefully to save the planet!”

The Hg access to Tech Scholarship covers courses such as Computer Science and Electrical and Electronic Engineering, while the Environmental Scholarship will cover Biological Sciences, Marine Biology and Environmental Geography, among others. The programme will not only help students to fund their studies but also provide access to mentors and a funded internship for every scholarship student, as well as career insights and relevant connections through tailored events.

Sophie Thorp, Head of Philanthropy, Alumni and Supporter Engagement at the University, says, “We are delighted to be partnering with the Harrington Foundation to launch this new innovative Scholarship programme. The Harrington Foundation has taken a refreshing and sector-leading approach, listening to our students and working collaboratively to co-design this new initiative. We are proud and grateful to be offering ten students such an incredible opportunity, including funding, access to mentors, paid internships and careers advice in the areas of technology and environmental sustainability. We look forward to reporting back on the impact of this programme over the next year.”