About Crowd Scholar

Crowd Scholar is an England & Wales-registered charity (no. 1174788) dedicated to providing scholarships to high-achieving students from disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition to financial grants, our Crowd Scholars receive personalised support and mentoring throughout university.

We select Scholars annually through a competitive application process.

By recognising and supporting exceptional students from disadvantaged backgrounds, we hope to inspire others in similar positions across England & Wales. Help us send a clear message: there are many that will help you along the way.

Our Pledge

100% of donations go to scholarships

Donations fund scholarships and nothing else. Our Trustees cover Crowd Scholar’s overhead and even pay back in any card processing fees associated with your donations. Not a pence of your support goes anywhere but to our Scholars.

Exceptional candidates in genuine need

Crowd Scholar evaluates applicants so you don’t have to. Know that your hard-earned income is helping those that meet our rigorous standards. We only work with Free School Meal-eligible students that make it through a three-round application process.

Full transparency

Browse some of our Scholars’ applications and know who you’re supporting. Ask for more if you are curious about a specific student. Find our Charity Commission data using "1174788."

Personal support and mentoring

We do more than just give our Scholars financial support. We answer the phone. We walk through problem sets. We edit CVs and cover letters. We connect them with internship opportunities.

Tailored Approach

We work with donor partners looking for specific types of applicants. Through partnerships we help donors support who they want and students achieve their goals.

Crowd Scholar Team

David Papirnik
Co-founder & Trustee

David is responsible for the application process and scholar engagement. He is currently working as a lawyer in New York. Before law school, David taught maths through Teach First and worked as a consultant in London. He is a University of Chicago and Stanford Law School graduate.

Alexander De Kegel
Co-founder & Trustee

Alex is responsible for donations, partnerships, and the Charities finances. He currently works as a growth equity investor in North America. Alex holds degrees from the University of East Anglia and Imperial College London.

  >£175,000
  Awarded

  32
  Crowd Scholars

  9
  Years