A guide to university contextual admissions policies
Laura WhitelockAccess and Outreach Officer, University of York
Contextual admissions
Information, advice and guidance
“Students are so much more than their grades” - a phrase that is becoming more widely recognised, and rightly so. It is this notion that provides the foundation for contextual admissions policies, and cements why we need them.
What are contextual admissions?
Contextual admissions consider more than the grades a student achieves or is predicted. By forming a holistic view of a student’s context within their education, universities can make an informed decision to support fair access for students, no matter their background or circumstances.
It’s common for students to receive a contextual offer of up to 1 or 2 grades below the standard offer, which can help relieve pressure from students who may be facing other challenges alongside their post-16 qualifications. Another common process is “extra consideration” which universities may apply to students eligible for a contextual offer. Benefits may include a guaranteed interview (for courses that require one) or a guaranteed offer (meaning students are guaranteed to receive an offer of some kind when they apply to that university, although this may not be reduced from the standard offer). Contextual admissions are not in place to suggest students facing barriers cannot achieve top grades. In fact, recent research published by Durham University suggests that their contextual offer entrants perform as well as those entering with the standard offer.
A student’s circumstances should not define their future success. That’s why contextual admissions are being adopted at many universities across the UK, as part of their Access and Participation Plans.
“By forming a holistic view of a student’s context within their education, universities can make an informed decision to support fair access for students, no matter their background or circumstances.”
What are Access and Participation Plans?
An Access and Participation Plan (APP) is a requirement of the Office for Students (OfS) for all higher education providers to outline how they will improve equality of opportunity for students from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds.
Higher education institutions must include details of how they will support students to:
Access HE (often known as Widening Participation)
Succeed during their studies (often known as Continuation)
Progress following their graduation (often known as Graduate Outcomes)
The plan should outline “intervention strategies” which refers to actions providers will take to achieve their goals of improving equality. Examples may include running a summer school programme, having a contextual admissions policy or providing tailored support for students with disabilities.
Many HE providers were required to submit their latest APP to the OfS for approval ready for the start of the 25/26 academic year, meaning many providers may have recently changed or updated what they are offering. Please check university websites for updates to their current policies as this may be different from the 24/25 academic year.
What factors might be considered “contextual”?
Many universities will check whether applicants live in an area with a low progression rate to higher education, often measured by the student’s home postcode (check student postcodes online).
When completing their UCAS application, students will be asked to share contextual information about their circumstances, such as if they:
Are in receipt of free school meals, or were in receipt of free school meals during their secondary education
Have a parent or carer who currently serves (or has served) in the UK Armed Forces
Are estranged from their parents
Have caring or parenting responsibilities
Have refugee or asylum seeker status in the UK
Have experience of local authority care
Universities may also consider other contextual information such as students:
With a disability or long-term health condition (including SEND and mental health conditions)
Who are from a background underrepresented in higher education, such as Black, Asian, minority ethnic, Gypsy or Traveller students
Who would be the first-generation of their family to attend HE
In some cases, students may be required to apply for a contextual offer directly with their chosen universities in order to share their personal details, as this contextual information is not shared via UCAS.
Please note: contextual admissions policies can differ between institutions. Therefore, it’s essential to raise awareness and ask students to research what support may be available for their particular circumstances.
How do universities treat contextual applications?
If a university has a contextual admissions policy, it usually means they are willing and able to make contextual offers, and support students who are eligible to receive them. Robust admissions processes mean that a student’s UCAS application will not be negatively impacted by declaring their circumstances or eligibility for a contextual offer. The intended outcome is that students are given further consideration and perhaps a reduced offer (and surely, that’s a win!)
Not only that, but universities may also offer additional support for students who receive a contextual offer. For example:
Enhanced support while an offer holder
Guiding students through the application process for Student Finance, Accommodation and making firm and insurance decisions
Other support could be a bursary or scholarship and go-to contact within Student Support services to aid students with their success and progress while studying.
How can you support your students?
Raise awareness of contextual admissions in school and encourage students to self-declare their circumstances via UCAS. Students may need to do their own research on their eligibility for contextual admissions, so the sooner they hear about it, the better!
Look at institutions’ websites to check their eligibility criteria and processes. You may wish to focus on your own student population’s needs, for example, if your school has a high-proportion of students eligible for free school meals, you could check which institutions include this factor in contextual admissions.
Most of all, continue to develop your understanding of contextual admissions to ensure you can support as many of your students as possible. It can be helpful to receive updates from institutions directly, or through general communications, such as Advancing Access or UniTasterDays.
