The Sutton Trust and the US-UK Fulbright Commission are delighted to announce the cohort for the Sutton Trust US Programme 2015. Congratulations to the final 150 students who were chosen from an original pool of over 1,600 eligible applicants to participate. We had about 3,700 initial applications and 1,600 full applicants, making this programme ten times oversubscribed. (See full list of participants) 

We were highly impressed by their qualifications and commitment to the programme as demonstrated in their application forms, their video submissions and their performance at the recent April Introductory Residential. (View photos – Update from the April Introductory Residential).

The aim of the US programme is to encourage academically talented, low and middle income British students to consider studying at American universities. Selected students come from across the UK and many will be the first in their family to go to university.

Students participate in a summer school in the US at either the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), or Yale (with a day hosted at Harvard). They will spend a week living on campus and visit a number of other US universities in the area. Participants benefit from residential activities and receive an intensive programme of support, delivered by the US-UK Fulbright Commission over a number of months. This covers admission tests, college choices and help with applications.

The programme is made possible through support from its founding corporate sponsor, Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Their investment is matched by Peter Baldwin and Lisbet Rausing who have supported the programme since its launch.

Important programme dates include: 

• 12 – 14 June 2015 (London) –  ACT & Pre-Departure Residential

• 31 July – 12 August 2015 (US) – Each student will participate in a week-long US Summer School at MIT or Yale (with a day hosted at Harvard)

• 25 September 2015 – USA College Day

• November 2015 (TBC) – SAT Subject Tests

We are excited about working with this cohort over the coming months and look forward to helping them learn more about the US and their options for higher education.

Notes to Editors:

1. View a full list of participants in our 2015 cohort. You can also view the early success of the 2014 cohort.

2. About the Sutton Trust: The Sutton Trust is a foundation set up in 1997, dedicated to improving social mobility through education. It has published over 140 research studies and funded and evaluated programmes that have helped hundreds of thousands of young people of all ages, from early years through to access to the professions. For more information visit www.suttontrust.com.

3. About the US-UK Fulbright Commission: The US-UK Fulbright Commission is a not-for-profit organisation funded by both governments to promote educational exchange between the US and the UK. The Commission offers prestigious awards for postgraduate study and research in the US, as well as an Advisory Service. The Fulbright Advisory Service is part of the Education USA network of over 450 advising centres worldwide. Fulbright advisors are the UK’s official source of information on educational exchange opportunities in the US. The global Fulbright awards programme is one of the world’s most prestigious, operating in over 150 countries and has over 300,000 alumni. Fulbright is funded by the US and UK governments and a range of partners including leading US and UK universities, professional bodies and leading charities. For more information visit www.fulbright.org.uk.

4. About Bank of America Merrill Lynch Corporate Social Responsibility: Developing solutions for social and economic challenges is at the core of Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s responsibility platform. In more than 90 countries around the world, they partner with employees, clients and stakeholders to help make financial lives better. The company focuses on responsible business practices, environmental sustainability, advancing opportunity in local communities through education and employability programmes and investing in global leadership development. They realise the power of our people and value our differences, recognising that our diversity makes us a stronger firm and allows us to better service our stakeholders. By harnessing intellectual resources, sharing knowledge and connecting capital with need, they provide opportunities that effect positive change. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about or follow them on Twitter @BofAML.