How Russell Group universities support students with parenting responsibilities - and how you can too

75% of student parents say that higher education has been positive for themselves and their families - but this group faces significant barriers to accessing university. This article discusses how teachers and advisers can best support student parents, and highlights the resources available at Russell Group universities.

Leeds Art Teachers Residential

Leeds Summer Schools

Durham University Primary Education Taster Event

Durham University Summer Schools

Durham University HE Advisers Conference

How to make the most of Higher Education Fairs

Contextual Admissions: Key updates for supporting your students

Helping students navigate the student finance process in England

How do I design a programme of impactful encounters with Russell Group Universities?

Supporting students with new Personal Statement guidance

Exploring Future Paths with Students

Unlocking Skills & Mobility through the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

Simplifying Law Admissions: Helping Students with Tests & Applications

Personal Statement Marking Checklist

How the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) drives social mobility and university success

This article examines research which highlights the emerging impact of the EPQ on progression to higher education (HE) and university success, with particularly promising findings for underrepresented and marginalised students.

Teacher CPD webinars

University of Leeds Teachers and Advisors’ Conference

University of Southampton Teachers and Advisers Conference

How to prepare your students for Medicine Interviews (MMIs)

The thought of an interview can be daunting for many students. The thought of multiple interviews can seem a lot worse.

Supporting your students with Law Course interviews

University interviews can be daunting for students, especially when it’s their first time applying for a competitive course like Law.

Working in Partnership to Diversify Our Student Body: Collaboration with the University of Exeter and The Elephant Group (TEG)

As representatives of the University of Exeter, we were excited to present at the Neon conference on our partnership with The Elephant Group (TEG) to diversify our student body.

Using league tables

Sources of information

Degree Apprenticeships at Russell Group Universities

UCAS Update: Key Changes for Teachers and Advisers to Support Students in 2025 and Beyond

As educators and advisers, keeping up with the latest developments in the university application process is essential to effectively guide students.

Richard

Richard, an Economics and Finance student at the University of York, discusses how he chose his GCSEs and A-levels, his study motivations, and offers advice on selecting qualifications.

Daniyel

Daniyel, a Law student at King’s College London, shares how he chose his subjects and offers advice on qualifications and personal statements.

Orin

Orin, studied Law at the University of Oxford, shares how her GCSEs influenced her A-level choices and decision to attend university. She also offers advice on selecting qualifications.

Josh

Josh, a Computer Science student at the University of Newcastle, shares how he chose his A-levels, offers advice on university applications, and reflects on valuable lessons for future students.

Mayowa

Mayowa studies English Literature at King's College London. She shares her university application journey, her enjoyment of university life, and valuable advice for choosing a course and university.

Mayowa

Mayowa, studying English Literature at King's College London, discusses her GCSE and A-Level subject choices, offering advice for students on making informed decisions.

Sarah

Sarah, a Biochemistry graduate from Birmingham, discusses how university aided her transition to employment and shares valuable insights for choosing the right career path.

Samra

Samra, a Medicine student at the University of Liverpool, shares how she chose her course, the value of her work experience, and advice on overcoming barriers. She also offers tips for applying to study medicine.

Jackson

Jackson, a Theatre and Performance Studies student at the University of Bristol, shares his insights on choosing qualifications, the significance of enjoying your subjects, and how bursaries and scholarships influenced his university decision.

Eireann

Eireann, an English and Education graduate from Cambridge, shares how a summer school helped her decide on university and her course. She also offers advice on selecting the right university.

Gemma

Gemma, a Communication and Media student at the University of Leeds, explains how an access course helped her and shares thoughts on university as a path for everyone.

Amy

Amy, an English Language graduate from the University of Glasgow, shares how she chose her university course, why she selected Glasgow, and her experience with scholarships.

Billie-Jo

Billie-Joe, studying Social Work and Geography at Queen's University Belfast, shares how she chose her GCSE subjects, what she enjoyed in A-Level, and offers advice for subject consideration.

Billie-Jo

Billie-Joe discusses her university life, sharing advice for care leavers, her motivation for studying social work, extracurricular involvement, and the benefits she gained as a student.

Hamid

Hamid studies Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at LSE. He discusses his career aspirations, factors influencing his course choice, and how summer schools shaped his university decision.

Billie-Jo

Billie-Joe, studying Social Work and Geography at Queen's University Belfast, shares his university selection process, reasons for choosing Belfast, and helpful advice for others.

Bishoy

Bishoy shares his journey in choosing a university and course, highlighting the significance of aligning his degree with career goals and evaluating different options.

Sophie

Sophie discusses her journey to studying Law at Sheffield, covering her decision-making process, considerations for open days, and advice on personal statements.

Fatima

Fatima, studying Dentistry at Cardiff University, shares her journey, emphasising diverse work experiences, teacher support during applications, and the benefits of attending a Russell Group University.

Khima

Khima, a Law student at the University of Edinburgh, shares how he chose his A-Levels and how his dream job influenced those decisions.

Sophie

Sophie, a law student at Sheffield, shares her experiences with GCSEs and offers valuable advice for selecting A-Level subjects based on her personal choices.

Saif

Saif, a graduate in Accounting and Finance from Manchester, discusses choosing a university and course, highlighting the benefits of access schemes in decision-making.

Saif

Saif, a graduate in Accounting and Finance from Manchester, shares how his degree aided his career at Enterprise and offers tips for securing a graduate job.

Bishoy

Bishoy, studying Aerospace Engineering at Southampton, reflects on his university experience, highlighting the skills gained and what he enjoyed most about student life.

Onome

Onome, a Chemical Engineering graduate from Imperial College London, discusses his summer school experience, course highlights, and what mattered when applying for jobs after his masters.

Khima

Khima discusses his motivation for studying law at Edinburgh, highlights the city's appeal, and shares tips for open days.

Habiba

Habiba, studying Maths at Queen Mary University, discusses her course selection factors, extracurricular activities, and shares valuable advice for choosing the right university.

Richard

Richard, an Economics and Finance student at the University of York, shares his university life experience, highlighting extracurricular activities and how they prepared him for future employment.

Nathan

Nathan, an English student at Exeter, shares why he chose his course, the benefits of a gap year, and offers advice on selecting a university subject.

Matt

Matt, a Linguistics student at UCL, shares how he chose his GCSE subjects, the skills that supported his studies, and offers advice for selecting subjects.

Saif

Saif, a graduate in Accounting and Finance from Manchester, shares insights on making subject choices, emphasising how his GCSE experience influenced his A-Level decisions.

Jess

Jess discusses her Sociology experience at Durham, highlighting involvement opportunities, the benefits of university, and advice for those considering applying to higher education.

Gemma

Gemma, a Communication and Media student at the University of Leeds, shares her experiences navigating university life with a disability and the opportunities she found.

Nathan

Nathan, an English student at the University of Exeter, discusses challenges he faced transitioning to A-levels and shares insights that helped him realise he could attend university.

Habiba

Habiba, studying Maths at Queen Mary University, shares how her future plans influenced her GCSE choices and offers valuable advice for making subject selections.

Fatima

Fatima, studying Dentistry at Cardiff University, shares her insights on excelling in studies, the A-Level transition, and the importance of keeping her subject choices open for future opportunities.

Khima

In this case study, Khima, a Law student at the University of Edinburgh, talks about how getting involved in extra-curricular activities made her university experience even better.

Amy

Amy, an English Language graduate from the University of Glasgow, offers advice on subject choices, succeeding at highers, overcoming challenges, and her decision to pursue a postgraduate course.

University of London Taster Courses - Year 12 students

What are Russell Group universities looking for in the new UCAS reference?

Creating a culture of success in your school or college

Helping your students to navigate the student finance process in England

Helping students to apply for degree apprenticeships

How to reassure your students during the cost of living crisis

How important are admissions tests and why do universities use them?

This year, Imperial College London and the University of Cambridge established a joint venture to deliver two admissions tests.

Unveiling Potential: Information on Contextual Offers (March 2024)

UCAS Update: Supporting student applications for 2024 and 2025 entry (March 2024)

Crafting Confidence for Interview Triumph (March 2024)

Results Day Resilience: Preparing Students for Clearing (March 2024)

Demystifying Russell Group Universities - Because "Not for me" is a myth (March 2024)

Maximising University Outreach Schemes for Ultimate Impact (March 2024)

Supporting LGBTQ+ students to progress to selective universities

This article will discuss different barriers which LGBTQ+ students may face, and tools we can effectively use to dismantle these barriers.

Should you be helping your students to use Chat GPT for their UCAS Personal Statements?

We know students are using Chat GPT for their Personal Statements, right?

Updates and Upcoming Events

Within this blog, you will find an introduction to the new Advancing Access team, information on how Advancing Access can support you as well as upcoming opportunities to get involved in!

Are Degree Apprenticeships a modern choice for students?

Degree apprenticeships continue to rise in popularity and appeal across all industry sectors.

How do admissions processes work?

How do I help my students choose a university and course?

What impact will the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan have on universities and our students?

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan aims to drastically increase the number of education and training places available in healthcare professions.

Presentation slides - Writing effective UCAS references

How do I help my students apply to university?

Academic reference writing - top tips

Receiving and responding to university offers

Students are bound to feel the pressure when they receive offers and the choice is in their hands.

Studying degree apprenticeships – how to support students’ decisions and applications (December 2021)

How to help students choose a university and course (September 2021)

What accommodation is available for university students and how much does it cost?

With housing shortages, rising prices and varying application processes, it’s no wonder that students find the prospect of arranging accommodation at university daunting.

Supporting students to choose a university and course

Preparing students for university with outreach programmes

What changes are UCAS making to references and personal statements?

You may have seen reports in the media recently that UCAS are planning on making changes to the undergraduate application process.

What are Access and Participation Plans?

You may have heard different universities talk about their ‘Access and Participation Plans’ (or APPs).

Building confidence to help students prepare for university interviews

With the right preparation, students can approach university interviews with confidence and turn what might be a daunting experience into an enjoyable one.

What is Oxplore and how can your students make use of it?

In October 2017 the University of Oxford made its first foray into digital outreach with the launch of Oxplore.org.

Having conversations with parents and carers about Higher Education

You will be familiar with talking to parents and carers of students to support attainment and learning.

How do I help my students make the right choices for post-16 study?

Helping students to prepare for admissions tests

Admissions tests allow students to be academically stretched and assessed and enable universities to distinguish those individuals with the most ability.

Teacher and adviser reflection - helping students make the right choices for post-16 study

Researching post-16 study options - activity for students

Presentation notes - helping your students make the right study choices

Presentation slides - helping your students make the right study choices

Key stage 4 and 5 choices - myth-busting

Which qualifications will enable your students to progress to Russell Group universities?

Responding to university decisions - worksheet B

Responding to university decisions - worksheet A

Responding to university decisions - activity instructions

Teacher and adviser reflection - understanding admissions processes

Alternative routes into competitive universities

Contextual admissions processes at Russell Group universities

Presentation notes - Supporting students through the application process

Presentation slides - supporting students through the application process

Top tips for supporting students who do not have a confirmed place

Admissions processes - myth-busting

Admissions glossary

Teacher and adviser reflection - helping students apply to university

Supporting personal statement writing - activity for students

Supporting students with disabilities

Applying to medicine – quick reference sheet

Admissions tests - quick reference sheet

Applying to highly selective courses - quick reference sheet

Supporting personal statement writing - top tips

Developing your students’ skills and knowledge prior to application

Choosing a university and course - part two, activity worksheet

Choosing a university and course - part one, activity instructions

Teacher and adviser reflection - helping my students choose a university and course

Home or Away? Weighing up the pros and cons of leaving home for university (student profiles)

Presentation notes - How do I help my students choose a university and course?

Life on a university campus

Benefits of a Russell Group University

A guide to the new UCAS questions for 2023 entry onwards

You may have heard by now that there are some new questions on the UCAS application for students applying to enter HE from 2023 onwards.

Super-curricular activity guide

What can Year 12 students do over the summer to prepare for writing their personal statements?

The most daunting and difficult task for students when applying to university is writing their personal statement.

Supporting students' well-being during their transition to HE (March 2022)

How can pre-entry programmes support your students on their journey to university? (May 2021)

UCAS update: supporting student applications for 2022 and 2023 entry (March 2022)

Event introduction and Advancing Access update (March 2022)

Supporting students to apply to architecture degrees (March 2022)

How to successfully deliver the Extended Project Qualification (March 2022)

Bursaries and scholarships - what are your students entitled to? (March 2022)

Enabling care-experienced students to access university (March 2022)

Making effective use of destinations data

How well is your school or college doing in terms of the proportion of students who progress to HE.

How should we be measuring disadvantage?

The reality of working in education is that resources are limited and must be targeted.

Contextual admissions at Russell Group universities (October 2018)

How have interviews and admissions tests been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic? (September 2020)

Covid-19 update - how are universities supporting current and prospective students? (September 2020)

How to choose a university without attending an open day (September 2020)

The UCAS application - does anything need to be done differently this year? (September 2020)

Helping students to prepare for university-level study (November 2021)

Supporting students with disabilities to access Higher Education (November 2021)

Supporting Black students to access competitive universities (November 2021)

Post-16 qualifications and access to university (October 2021)

Writing Effective UCAS References

It’s already that time of year again. The time when you and your students prepare to submit UCAS applications.

Understanding contextual admissions policies (October 2021)

Helping students to understand and apply for student finance (October 2021)

Applying to Law courses in Scotland

Are you supporting students who may be interested in studying law in Scotland?

Supporting students to prepare for online Oxbridge interviews (October 2021)

Why should your students study humanities and social sciences?

The study of humans, especially in an ever changing world, has been an intriguing area for many years and has always been of immense value – now perhaps even more than ever before.

What are super-curricular activities - and how can your students use them?

Super-curricular activities can include anything your students do outside of the curriculum related to the subject(s) they are interested in.

Will Russell Group universities accept T levels?

The Government is currently in the process of reforming level 3 qualifications in England and new T Level qualifications are seen as the centrepiece of these reforms.

Russell Group bursary guide

Online teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic – what have teachers learnt?

A new school year is beginning and although Covid-19 is still with us we can at least now say that the worst is likely to be behind us.

Supporting Black students to progress to selective universities

In the UK, there is a growing desire to ‘level-up’ or widen participation of young people accessing higher education.

Home or Away? Weighing up the pros and cons of leaving home for university (quiz activity)

Presentation slides - How do I help my students choose a university and course?

Alternatives to Medicine (June 2021)

Do disadvantaged students really have lower higher education aspirations?

Recently there has been a lot of discussion around disadvantaged pupils and specifically the low attainment of white working class students.

Extended introduction and student testimonial video (June 2021)

UCAS for beginners: Top tips and insight into university admissions and the UCAS application process (June 2021)

Event introduction and student testimonials (June 2021)

Supporting students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to apply to universities in Scotland (June 2021)

UCAS update (June 2021)

Supporting disadvantaged learners to progress to university (June 2021)

The employability benefits of attending a selective university (June 2021)

Supporting mature students to apply to university

Prospective mature students who are considering making Higher Education applications face various issues to navigate.

Supporting students with disabilities to access Higher Education

Supporting students with disabilities to access university may feel overwhelming - the processes are different to those in schools or colleges.

Supporting estranged students to progress to competitive universities

An estranged student, according to the charity Stand Alone, is a young person who is, or will be, “studying without the support and approval of a family network.”

Go Abroad: Who, Where, When, Why, How? 

With the Turing Scheme coming in this year, new opportunities for students from all backgrounds to have an international adventure are emerging.

Making your students HE ready in a virtual world (May 2021)

Introducing the Cambridge Foundation Year (April 2021)

Supporting students without family contact

Lack of family support during adolescent years can cause serious challenges with practical matters such as accessing funding and accommodation.

How to ensure students make the most of the support available at university

As a disabled student from a single-parent, low-income household, taking advantage of all the university support available to me was imperative to enable me to make the most of HE.

Sharing good practice: school and college case studies (June 2019)

Interviews and additional admissions tests (October 2018)

Exam grades for summer 2021 in England and the impact on students applying to HE

Last year, the government saw a backlash from students, teachers and parents as their commissioned exam grade algorithm came under criticism.

Can students studying vocational qualifications progress to competitive universities?

Even in 2021, there are still myths surrounding post-16 vocational qualifications and the possibility for students to progress from these qualifications onto higher education (HE).

How much does university really cost?

There are a large number of misconceptions about the true cost of university. Some of these misconceptions overestimate the cost, while others underestimate it.

Exploring Foundation Years at highly selective universities and supporting applicants

Foundation Years are increasingly common at universities in the UK. The University of Cambridge recently announced the launch of its first and existing programmes.

Bucking the trend - supporting more disadvantaged students to progress to university

Even in such politically polarised times there’s one thing which politicians of all stripes can agree on: action is needed to enable more disadvantaged students to progress to the UK’s top universities.

Student finance and budgeting (May 2020)

General alternative routes in Higher Education (May 2020)

Understanding admissions at university (May 2020)

Supporting students with their UCAS application and interview (May 2020)

Student wellbeing support during transition and beyond (May 2020)

Supporting applicants during the COVID-19 pandemic (May 2020)

An overview of contextual offers (May 2020)

Introduction to Advancing Access and the Russell Group (May 2020)

Home or Away? Weighing up the pros and cons of leaving home for university (PowerPoint quiz activity)

What is Clearing Plus and how can your students make use of it?

Following on from last year’s ‘self-release’ function, UCAS have released a new feature called Clearing Plus which will be available from early July until the end of August.

How can I best support students applying for 2021 entry to make decisions on universities and courses?

It’s that time of year when we would normally be rolling out the well-practised routine of HE Fairs, UCAS Exhibitions and Open Days for students applying for university entry in 2021.

Why subject choice could be the key to increasing participation in higher education

As a working class minority ethnic undergraduate student, I noticed the lack of representation on my ancient history course, but it wasn’t until I started my role as a Widening Participation Graduate Intern.

Supporting service children in their progression to Higher Education

‘Service children’ or children from ‘military families’ are the terms used to refer to children in schools or colleges with a parent or parents who currently serve in the armed forces or have served in the last six years.

What sources of financial support are available for students at age 16?

The percentage of 16-17 year olds recorded in education and training within England, as at March 2019, was 93%.

Moving beyond the insurance myth: supporting your students to choose the university that’s right for them

As the January 15 UCAS deadline has passed and universities across the country are busy processing offers.

What types of outreach activities and programmes can my students take part in?

Over the last five years there has been a spike in university outreach activities and programmes available for secondary schools and colleges to partake in.

Supporting looked after Children to progress to University

With as little as 12% of care leavers entering higher education we should all be looking at ways in which we can support looked after children (LaC) from an early age.

Supporting your students to get the most out of HE/UCAS fairs and undergraduate open days

Choosing which path to pursue after sixth form or college can be a stressful time for students.

How my experiences of a Widening Participation Programme helped me transition into university life

Taking part in a Widening Participation programme was one of the best things I decided to do over the summer of 2017.

A guide to university contextual admissions policies

“Contextual admissions” is currently something of a hot topic in higher education.

Discover 'Discover Uni'

The Office for Students has launched a new website for prospective students called Discover Uni.

Student account of her journey to Higher Education

Students usually begin the process of applying for university in the last two years of school and teachers play a key role in supporting this process.

Confessions of a Clearing call handler

As someone who has answered hundreds of phone calls in the past from students on A level results day.

What makes a successful personal statement? (October 2018)

Changing the way students can access careers advice

Two new apps have been released by the Universities Minister in a bid to simplify the wealth of information surrounding university and career choices for students.

How Informed Choices can help support access to Russell Group universities

the Russell Group launched a new interactive website to host its Informed Choices guide.

Successful UCAS applications for competitive courses (June 2019)

Alternative routes in to Russell Group universities (June 2019)

Access to the Professions: Inspiring and engaging students in secondary state schools

In this post, Anais Banag, a fourth-year law student at Edinburgh Law School, shares her experience of being involved with ‘Access to the Professions’.

Degree Apprenticeships at leading universities

One of the subjects we’ve been asked about most just recently is Degree Apprenticeships. What are they? Are they right for your students? And how do your students apply for them?

What does academic research tell us about personal statements?

It might be argued that writing a personal statement is something of a guessing game. Students know very little about those who will read it.

UKCAT is now called UCAT – has anything else changed?

The name of the test which many universities require applicants to take for their medical and dental degree programmes has changed from the UKCAT (United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test) to the UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test).

The Hidden Benefits of Higher Education

When encouraging young people to pursue higher education, in whatever form that might be, we’re often faced with a barrage of questions asking how, and more importantly why, they should do so.

Which are the best sources of online information for you and your students?

We hope that you find our free Advancing Access resources useful. As we are not the only provider of higher education advice and information, we thought that we would present you with a summary of some of the best other sources.

What is POLAR and how does it differ from other measures of disadvantage?

If ever there’s a situation where universities and schools are talking a different language when it comes to a given topic, we see part of our job as being the interpreter.

Applying to study medicine (May 2017)

Welcome to the Advancing Access blog!

The first article in a blog is rarely the most interesting one – I dare say that this will be no exception…

Applying to Oxford and Cambridge (May 2017)

Writing personal statements (May 2017)

Russell Group Teachers' Conference 2018 - Supporting Students with Research and Study Skills

Russell Group Teachers' Conference 2018 - Routes into University

Russell Group Teachers' Conference 2018 - Making an Informed Choice About University (Liverpool and Edinburgh)

Russell Group Teachers' Conference 2018 - Making an Informed Choice About University (Birmingham and Liverpool)

Russell Group Teachers' Conference 2018 - Personal statements for competitive universities/courses

Russell Group Teachers' Conference 2018 - The importance of the Personal Statement

Russell Group Teachers' Conference 2018 - The impact of Widening Participation initiatives (King's College London and York)

Preparing for university interviews (May 2017)

Applying to study medicine (November 2016)

Additional admissions requirements (November 2016)

What makes a successful personal statement? (November 2016)