Black students are reluctant to apply to the University of Cambridge because of the lack of Afro-Caribbean hairdressers & # 39;

Cambridge has a number of hairdressers, including Afro European Beauty Center, which specializes in its website on "African and European hair care for men and women".

However, Dr. Tony Sewell, CEO of Generating Genius, a charity that encourages young people from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue STEM studies, said that the absence of hairdressers is not the reason for which black students are discouraged from applying.

"It may be another lame excuse – children need to become more resilient and get away with it," he said. "As a minority you will have to deal with a situation where you are the only one – you have to deal with this situation and learn how to adapt to it – that is the main issue."

Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the social mobility charity Sutton Trust, said that "cultural differences" mean that some students belonging to an ethnic minority are more likely to apply to a university in their hometown. origin rather than leaving.

"This difference prevents some young people from going to their local university when they have the potential to go to a much more prestigious university," he said.

"This is partly about cultural differences, many students worry about not being able to integrate."