Totum’s Bursary scheme provides financial support to talented undergraduates from less advantaged backgrounds. We caught up with our 2024 Bursary student, Emeka Obiekwe at Queen Mary University, where he’s studying for a degree in data analysis.

In our chat, Emeka reflects on his gap year and explains how the bursary is helping him make the most of university life.

How did you discover the Totum Bursary and what motivated you to apply?

I found the Totum Bursary on a website that matches scholarships and bursaries to people based on their background. After looking into Totum, I realised it was a great fit for me.

I really liked their focus on inclusivity and fair representation and the whole application process felt genuinely inclusive.

What made you decide to pursue a degree apprenticeship?

I completed my A-levels in Maths, Physics and Business because I’ve always been more interested in numbers than essays. I thought focusing on subjects I enjoyed would be beneficial for my future. I figured that doing something I preferred, like working with numbers, would push me, challenge me, and open doors for my future. After not getting into my top-choice universities, I decided to take a gap year.

During the gap year, I focused on what I truly wanted to do, free from school or family expectations. I asked myself if I should settle for the offers, I received or take a year out to aim higher and find a better opportunity. I decided to take the year out, believing there was no harm in exploring options that might open more doors for me.

I chose a degree apprenticeship because it offers a combination of work experience, a salary, and a degree. For my specific apprenticeship, I alternate between studying full-time for one semester and working full-time as a data analyst at PwC during the next.

The application process was quite similar to applying for a university course. I used UCAS to submit my personal statement and went through a number of interviews. For PwC, this involved an initial call and an online meeting, followed by an assessment centre where I participated in a team task.

What role do you think the bursary will play in your transition to student life?

The bursary works by giving you a lump sum to support your first year. It’s meant to help with general living expenses and things that will benefit my course, like buying a laptop, the right books, and software for data analysis. 

Having this bursary means I can afford these essentials and also manage to live in London. So, it really helps make this apprenticeship possible and keeps things fair for people like me who aren’t already living in London.

What was the highlight of your gap year?

During my gap year, I travelled a bit, going to Spain a few times with friends and family, and I also went to Portugal earlier in the year. But mostly, I focused on developing myself as a person and figuring out what I really wanted to do.

My greatest achievement was taking powerlifting more seriously. I competed nationally and placed in the top 17 in the entire country.

I also started working on a side project where I created content and did coaching online to help people with fitness. Currently, I’m offering free content to build goodwill and plan to monetise it later on.

What is your advice to this year’s Bursary applicants? 

For the Totum Bursary applicants, I’d say the biggest thing is telling a story. Don’t just list achievements because no one cares about a checklist. What really stands out is showing why this bursary matters to you. How will it genuinely change your life? What opportunities will it open up that wouldn’t be possible otherwise? If you can make that clear and come from a place of honesty, your application will be so much stronger.

To learn more about Totum’s Bursary Scheme, click here.

To submit your Bursary Scheme application for 2025, you can do so here.