Why support first-generation students?

First-generation students are the first in their family to enter higher education. They face challenges and obstacles that extend beyond academic matters. These students are often pioneers in their family and community. The fact that they are taking this step deserves not only recognition but also our support.

The Amsterdam University Fund is already dedicated to the academic and social development of UvA students. Thanks to your generosity, we are able to provide numerous students with travel grants and scholarships in times of crisis. We offer financial support to students whose education is at risk due to war or personal circumstances. However, the specific challenges faced by first-generation students often lead to higher dropout rates, and we are determined to support these students as well.

Lack of sociocultural capital

First-generation students encounter additional hurdles. They often lack the prior knowledge and the social and cultural capital that students with highly educated parents possess. This can make it difficult to understand academic conventions, find the right support, or study efficiently. These students often have to overcome a complex combination of financial, emotional, and academic obstacles to obtain their degree.

Milio van de Kamp, sociologist and lecturer at the UvA, knows the challenges of first-generation students like no other. He himself traveled a long road before obtaining a university degree as the first in his family. His youth was marked by poverty and tensions at home, but his intelligence and determination to help others ultimately led him to the University of Amsterdam.

As a teacher, he founded an extracurricular program for first-generation students. A safe space where they can land and learn from each other. 'The stories of the students seemed shockingly similar, and echoed my own story. I learned that most of them also came from lower or working-class backgrounds. Almost every week, some of them would come to me for a conversation. With heads full of thoughts, they wondered out loud if they should just quit.'

For these students, it's often not their academic performance but personal circumstances or a lack of confidence that stand in their way. 'I met students who were caregivers for their parents, who had to work countless hours to afford their education, who had spent most of their lives in youth care, and who had been sent from pre-university education to vocational education despite having high school exam scores.' Through his program, he sees the students flourish. 'They get good grades, make clever analyses, and prepare themselves to conquer the world.'

Valuable perspectives

Academic success and the feeling of belonging at the university should not depend on one's background. We aim for a university that offers equal opportunities to anyone with ambition and potential. Furthermore, we believe that the entire university benefits from the unique, valuable perspectives that first-generation students bring.

With your support, we nurture inspiring programs like the program developed by Van de Kamp and assist first-generation students with grants and practical support to thrive in the academic world. Will you help?