A 15-year-old schoolboy from Bangladesh has won a place to study at the UK’s prestigious Eton College, attended by the likes of British royal family members Princes William and Harry.
Maheraj Ahmed underwent a gruelling three-day assessment process to be told this week that he had made it through for the academic year starting in September 2019, having won a £76,000 scholarship.
“My family and I have had a hard life, going to Eton will give me a chance to make our lives better,” said Ahmed, who is currently studying at Cumberland School in Plaistow area of east London.
“People would not think that I would have much in common with the boys at Eton, but they just want to do well in life and that is all I want,” he said.
Ahmed, whose family moved to the UK from Bangladesh when he was just five years old, had to undergo three entrance exams, seven interviews and a public debate to fight for his place at the world-famous institution, which has produced many of the world’s political leaders. He will study A-Levels in history, chemistry, biology and physics at Eton and has ambitions to become a heart surgeon, with his sights set on world-renowned institutions such as Oxford or Cambridge University for his further studies.
“We are so proud of our son. Ever since he was a little boy, he has always been so smart. He has always been top of the class. We are very lucky because Maheraj goes to the best school in the area,” said his mother Rani Begum, whose younger daughter Sanzida is also studying at the same school.
Maheraj Ahmed will become the first student from Cumberland School to study at Eton, having been mentored throughout the application process by Executive Headteacher and CEO of the Community Schools Trust Simon Elliott.
“It has been hard at times, balancing all of this with my revision and studies. Every time I feel tired, I think of how much Mr Elliott has helped me. I did not want to let anyone down,” Ahmed said.
He is the first graduate of the school’s new Prestigious Colleges Programme, which helps students win places at fee-paying independent higher education institutions.
Headteacher Ms Dineen said: “Maheraj is a wonderfully hard-working and determined student. His success is richly deserved.”