A partnership between the University of Oxford and Formula 1 to offer scholarships to Engineering undergraduates from under-represented backgrounds has been extended for an additional three years.
The Formula 1 Engineering Scholarship Programme was announced by Formula 1 in 2020 as part of a pledge to increase diversity and inclusion in the motorsports industry. Two students are selected each year to receive financial support for the duration of their degree. The first Engineering scholars began studying at Oxford in 2021.
Oxford was one of six inaugural partner universities to benefit from the Formula 1 programme. So far four fully funded scholarships have been provided to Oxford students studying for an MEng in Engineering Science. This extension to the scheme will allow for six more scholarships to be provided, two annually until the 2025-26 academic year.
Each scholar receives the full cost of their tuition alongside a living stipend for the duration of their four-year degree. During their second year they also have the opportunity to undertake work experience with a Formula 1 team.
The scholarships are open to Black and minority ethnic undergraduate offer-holders in Engineering from low-income households in the UK. An independent selection process is used to determine the recipients.
Fabbiha, a second-year Engineering student who joined Oxford as a Formula 1 Scholar in 2021, said of the programme: “not only does it provide me with financial freedom to try my best at engineering, but more than that, it provides me with the skills and information I will need beyond university to do well.”
Professor Ron Roy, Head of Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science, stated: “we are delighted that Formula 1’s generous contribution means we can continue to help talented students from under-represented backgrounds to benefit from a first-class engineering education at Oxford. We know that the scholarships are making a huge difference to undergraduates’ lives, enabling them to concentrate on their studies and participate fully in the Oxford experience. We are grateful to Formula 1 for supporting our aim to make engineering at Oxford – and beyond – more inclusive, diverse and representative of the wider population.”
Formula 1 is currently providing financial and career support to 20 Engineering students in the UK and beyond. Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said that the company was pleased to “continue to honour our commitment to increasing diversity within our incredible sport and providing opportunities to the next generation of talented students.”
Alongside Oxford, the other partner universities for the programme include the University of Cambridge, Coventry University, Manchester Metropolitan University, Strathclyde University, and MUNER – the Motorvehicle University of Emilia-Romagna – in Italy.
