Worcester Student Earns £1,000 Scholarship and Praises College Lecturers

A Worcester student has paid tribute to his college lecturers after receiving a £1,000 scholarship for academic excellence.

Matt Millington, 43, who is in the first year of his Biomedical Science degree at the University of Worcester, received an Academic Scholarship award in recognition of his consistently high academic performance.

“Getting this scholarship has made me feel immensely proud, a sense of achievement and, most of all, lucky,” he said.

Matt plans to spend the money on Christmas, groceries and plenty of coffees to help fuel his studies.

The scholarship is awarded to students progressing to the University of Worcester from Heart of Worcestershire College, recognising exceptional achievement and progress during their time at the college.

Matt paid tribute to his former teachers.

“Heart of Worcestershire College were instrumental in getting me to university,” he said. “Not only did they help with the application process, but they also set me up with the foundation of knowledge required to excel at university.

“Thank you. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with you; you made learning fun.”

Matt is studying at the University of Worcester, recently named University of the Year for Graduate Jobs 2027 by the Daily Mail University Guide. Judges said the University's performance “leaves many of the Russell Group in the shade”.

The University of Worcester is this year shortlisted for the Outstanding Support for Students in the Times Higher Education Awards for the efforts of staff to raise money for student scholarships and hardship funds.

Professor David Green CBE, DL, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University, said: “Every year, thanks to the generosity of alumni, philanthropists and friends of the University, we are able to award academic scholarships to students who perform outstandingly well – typically gaining straight As across their studies. Achieving such excellent results consistently requires dedication, ability and sheer hard work.”

“All of us at the University are very proud of all our scholarship winners who come from across the range of our courses and from many backgrounds,” he added. “Every year this includes scholarship winners who are students who did not particularly excel at school but find that the intellectual and professional challenge of university combined with the expert education provided at Worcester brings out the very best in them.”