Case Study: Scholarship Recipient: Shanzay

Shanzay was elated when she found out she’d been awarded the Royal Bank of Scotland Scholarship.

“I didn’t know that universities even offered stuff like this,” she recalled, “I really wasn’t expecting it. When I found out, I went straight away to tell my mum!”

The Royal Bank of Scotland Scholarship provides financial support to BAME students undertaking undergraduate programmes in finance.

Shanzay is the first in her family to attend university. Her parents moved from Pakistan to the United Kingdom in their twenties, finally settling in Hamilton, a large town to the south-east of Glasgow. “My parents didn’t have the privilege of being able to attain higher education, so it was always a big dream of theirs, as well as mine, that I attend university,” Shanzay said, “My parents have had quite difficult lives, and I’ve definitely learned from them the importance of hard work.”

She originally considered studying medicine, but after excelling at a Higher Accounting class in college, she changed her mind. “I always loved biology, but something about accountancy really stuck out to me.” Heriot-Watt University was one of several in Scotland to grant Shanzay an unconditional offer of admission to study Accountancy and Finance. Approaching university, as the first in her family, was at times daunting. “I knew I wanted to attend Heriot-Watt but felt helpless, knowing my parents wouldn’t be able to financially support accommodation or commuting costs. She began applying for available scholarships and picked up a job as a waitress.

Her determination and hard work have come to fruition, as she crossed the stage in summer 2025, graduating with flying colours.