At an event in Westminster today, Universities UK, the
representative body for 141 universities, unveiled their action
plan to help deliver on the government's mission to boost
opportunity across the UK.
Access to Success: Our action plan to break down barriers to
opportunity, sets out how the sector can widen access to
higher education and help the most disadvantaged in society reap
the rewards of going to university, from getting a foot on the
career ladder to making new connections that will last a
lifetime. Access to Success sets out four key actions
that the sector and government must take to ensure that everyone
with the potential to succeed can take the next step of their
educational journey, regardless of their personal circumstances;
- Unlock potential through contextual admissions
- Collaborate in cold spots to raise aspirations
- Set all students up for success with an adequate maintenance
package
- Create career ready graduates with targeted careers support
As a part of the first action on contextual admissions, at the
event, Universities UK, UCAS and the Sutton Trust announced that
they would be undertaking a joint project to improve the
consistency and transparency of contextual admissions in England.
UUK will convene the sector going forwards and have opened a call
for evidence to its members to better understand how individual
universities across England reflect on the context of students to
make the process fairer for those who experienced extra hardship
on their path to university.
Contextual admissions are the practice of universities
considering a student's individual circumstances and background
to better understand their potential to succeed in higher
education. This approach recognises the barriers students may
have faced on their educational journey — such as growing up in
the care system or attending schools with lower academic
outcomes. Practices commonly include a guaranteed interview,
tailored support or an adjusted entry requirement and offer. This
is one tool that universities use alongside other interventions
(such as partnerships with schools to raise attainment) to
support widening access to higher education.
Contextual admissions are already widely used across the sector,
as a way to mitigate current inequalities within the education
system. However, unlike in Scotland, there is no consistent
practice across the sector in England, making the process
sometimes challenging to navigate for applicants. This project
therefore aims to support universities in England to use
contextual admissions in an informed and responsible way, to
ensure that talented students aren't prevented from reaching
university because of their background.
Introducing Access to Success, Professor Dame
Sally Mapstone FRSE, President of Universities UK and Principal
and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews
said:
“Going to university can completely change the trajectory of
someone's life. Few other experiences offer the chance for
individuals to gain new skills, boost future earnings, get a foot
on the career ladder and make connections that last a lifetime.
But people who stand to benefit the most from higher education,
such as those from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds,
can find it harder to access this opportunity due to their
personal circumstances.
Higher education should be a realistic option for everyone
with the potential to succeed, no matter their background.
‘Access to Success: universities' action plan to break down
barriers to opportunity' sets out four actions that universities
and the government can take to support all students to access
university and flourish while they're there.”
Commenting in support of UUK's work to break down
barriers to access to higher education, Dr Jo Saxton CBE, Chief
Executive of UCAS said:
“Ensuring all those who could benefit from higher education
do, is central to UCAS' mission as the shared national admissions
service.
One of the clear lessons from my first year in post is the
huge amount of work that universities and colleges undertake to
understand the background and specific circumstances of each of
their applicants, to ensure all students have the opportunity to
fulfil their career aspirations and dreams. UCAS is delighted to
support its university beneficiaries by working with UUK and the
Sutton Trust on this initiative to help break down barriers for
the most disadvantaged students.
It's never too late to benefit from university. In fact,
anyone who is still considering whether to apply this
year but has not yet made an application in 2025, there is still
plenty of time. Students can continue to submit an application
throughout the year, and UCAS is on hand to support you every
step of the way.”
Nick Harrison, Chief Executive of the Sutton Trust
said:
“We're proud to be working with Universities UK and UCAS to
improve transparency and consistency in how universities support
students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
If young people aren't made fully aware of where and how they
may benefit from a contextual offer, they may think a course or
university is out of their reach and never apply. We look forward
to working together on this initiative to build on existing good
practice and deliver lasting, sector-wide change.”
END
Notes to editors:
-
For more information on contextual admissions, see
Universities UK's explainer piece here.
(live 22/4)
-
For further explanation on how universities use
contextual admissions, see the UCAS page here.
