Social Mobility

Making the impossible possible

A Greenwich education means far more to many of our students than a degree. Over half join us via non-traditional routes, through BTECs, Access courses and Foundation years, and work hard to get here. We welcome over 25,000 students across our London and Kent campuses, offering the kind of personal attention and support more often associated with much smaller institutions.

Our student body tells the story. 58% of our students come from the most deprived areas of England, 14 percentage points above the sector average. 58% identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, compared to a sector average of around 35%. A third were eligible for Free School Meals, again 14 percentage points above the national average, and many balance significant working hours alongside their studies.

These students are talented, determined and full of potential - but they don't always have access to the opportunities needed to realise it. Devonport House is being built to change that.

Fourth highest social mobility rate in England

According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Greenwich ranks fourth nationally for intergenerational social mobility, meaning our students from poorer backgrounds go on to higher income occupations at a rate that outperforms almost every other university in the country. TEF Gold examiners noted compelling evidence that students draw on their lived experience to actively co-create an inclusive educational offer.

Getting a place is only the start. Nationally, students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds are far less likely to make it through their degree than their peers, a gap of over 9 percentage points. At Greenwich, that gap almost disappears, standing at just 0.6 points. Our students don't just arrive, they stay, and they succeed.

We are also home to the third largest cohort of care leavers in England, having grown one of the largest care leaver student communities of any UK higher education provider through sustained community partnerships and contextual admissions.

Unlocking industry, not just a building

Devonport House's location is central to turning this mission into opportunity. Sitting just minutes from Canary Wharf, one of the world's leading financial and business districts, it gives Greenwich Business School students direct access to employers in high-growth sectors, with live industry engagement built into the student experience through co-designed projects, placements and real-world problem-solving. For a student who is the first in their family to reach higher education, that proximity is permission to believe a career in the City, in tech, or in industry is possible for them too.

What your gift can unlock

Philanthropic support will help fund scholarships, bursaries and hardship funds that remove financial barriers for students from the most disadvantaged backgrounds, and will ensure Devonport House is not simply a new home for the Business School, but a place where more students can flourish, whatever their background.

Philanthropy is already changing lives at Greenwich. The Stephen Lawrence Scholarship, funded by alumni and supporters, provides a full fee waiver and mentoring for Black students from the most deprived backgrounds studying architecture. Gifts to Devonport House will let us build more stories like this.