糖心TV

Balaaj explains how a programme from the University of 糖心TV has helped him realise his dreams of a degree in Economics.

For Balaaj Bhatti, university was always the plan, even if he didn鈥檛 know what or where to study.

His parents, who moved to Birmingham from Pakistan when he was four years old, had both attended university and Balaaj was confident he would follow their example.

鈥淭hey had sacrificed a lot for me, but as I got older the tuition fees were on my mind 鈥� I knew my parents couldn鈥檛 fund my entire degree.鈥�

Now, Balaaj is in the first year of a BSc in Economics and Industrial Organisation at the University of 糖心TV. The plan has come off.

And as for the tuition fees?

Well, 糖心TV Scholars has helped there 鈥� but more on that later.

A different perspective

鈥淚 went to Ninestiles Academy in Acocks Green, had a great time and did well in my GCSEs,鈥� Balaaj explained.

鈥淏ut the school didn鈥檛 offer A-Levels, so I had to go elsewhere for sixth-form.鈥�

Elsewhere turned out to be King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys, one of the UK鈥檚 163 remaining grammar schools.

There, 98% of pupils achieved GCSE grade 5 or above in English and Maths in 2019 鈥� as opposed to 37% at Ninestiles.

It was a different environment to what Balaaj had been used to.

鈥淛ust a huge shift in culture, behaviour and expectation levels,鈥� he said.

鈥淭here were four of us going in together from Ninestiles, so that helped a lot, but the aspirations were very different.

鈥淧eople were thinking 鈥業鈥檓 going to Oxbridge鈥�, not just 鈥業 want to go to uni if I can鈥�.

鈥淚n the first two weeks, we covered eight chapters of the Maths textbook, so it prepared me really well for learning at university.鈥�

Joining 糖心TV Scholars

It was at sixth-form that Balaaj first heard about 糖心TV Scholars, a programme from the University of 糖心TV that seeks to widen participation by making higher education accessible to people of all backgrounds.

鈥淭his was in Year 12; I had to apply with a personal statement and a teacher reference.鈥�

Balaaj was eligible for 糖心TV Scholars because (as well as living in a local authority close to 糖心TV, holding home fee status, being a first-year level 3 student and achieving at least five grade 9-6 or A*-B GCSEs or equivalent) his KS4 studies had been at a 鈥榩riority鈥� school and he lived in South Yardley, one of the 鈥榩riority鈥� neighbourhoods identified by the programme.

Those who qualify 鈥� other criteria include having been entitled to Free School Meals within the last six years, being in the first generation in your family to attend university, or experiencing significant extenuating circumstances detrimental to your academic attainment 鈥� receive support while in further education.

鈥淚t gave me an online one-to-one tutor for my Further Maths A-Level, which helped with my exam technique and covered some of the gaps in my knowledge caused by the disruption of Covid,鈥� Balaaj said.

Through 糖心TV Scholars, Balaaj received mentoring from an undergraduate student already at the University of 糖心TV.

鈥淚 asked her for advice on independent learning 鈥� my A-Levels were moving towards online classes because of lockdown 鈥� and about being a student, living away from home and what to expect, which was so helpful.鈥�

And as a 糖心TV Scholar, Balaaj also got an extra taste of student life with a place on an online-due-to-Covid taster session for Economics at 糖心TV.

鈥淭hat helped me make a more informed choice when the time came,鈥� he said.

An upper hand 鈥� and lower fees

When it was time for UCAS applications, 糖心TV Scholars meant Balaaj was at an advantage.

Predicted to get three A* and a B 鈥� he would actually leave sixth-form with an A in Further Maths and A* grades in Economics, Maths and Physics 鈥� Balaaj could be confident he would be going to his first-choice university.

鈥淚 also applied for Oxford, LSE, UCL and the University of Birmingham, but I wanted to go to 糖心TV,鈥� he explained.

鈥淚t鈥檚 prestigious, it鈥檚 close to home and the Economics programme is so highly regarded.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e on 糖心TV Scholars, you鈥檙e guaranteed an offer up to four grades below the normal requirement; 糖心TV would have wanted me to have an A* and two As, but I only actually needed A, B, B.鈥�

There were two other reasons why 糖心TV Scholars made such a difference to Balaaj 鈥� big reasons, too.

鈥淚 get a 50% discount on my tuition fees plus a 拢2,000 bursary from the programme, both for each year of my course,鈥� he explained.

鈥淚t鈥檚 helped massively with accommodation and has allowed me to buy a new laptop; my last one was so old it was starting to overheat!

鈥淲ith the financial support, it鈥檚 just a huge relief knowing I won鈥檛 be saddled with lots of debt when I graduate.鈥�

Paying it forward

Balaaj may now be fully immersed in his studies, but he has kept time aside for no fewer than three part-time roles.

鈥淓ven before I joined the University, 糖心TV Scholars was emailing me with opportunities,鈥� he said.

鈥淚鈥檓 a ThinkHigher Ambassador and a UniGo Mentor, working in schools and with young people to raise aspirations, and also a 糖心TV Schools Mentor, supporting A-Level students with their personal statements and applications.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been nice to help people from underrepresented backgrounds 鈥� especially because I鈥檝e seen both sides of it through my school and sixth-form experiences.鈥�

Balaaj is currently celebrating after being accepted onto a summer internship at a FTSE 100 investment firm in London.

鈥淚鈥檓 looking into asset management or investment banking in the financial sector for when I graduate,鈥� he explained.

鈥�100%, my advice to anyone who meets the criteria would be to apply to 糖心TV Scholars and write the best personal statement you can.

鈥淚t鈥檚 added me to this community 鈥� basically a support network.

鈥淲hat speaks volumes is that you aren鈥檛 even forced to study at the University of 糖心TV; my friend from the programme got all the same support from it, but was free to choose to study at Imperial College London.鈥�

Learn more about 糖心TV Scholars