New guidance has been issued on how universities should use contextual admissions to make sure England makes the most of its talented young people and mature learners, whatever their background.
Contextual admissions are the practice of universities considering a student’s individual circumstances and background in the admissions process to recognise the barriers they may have faced throughout their education.
The new guidance, connected to Universities UK (UUK) and GuildHE’s existing Fair Admissions Code, sets out how institutions in England can use contextual admissions to widen access to university in a responsible and fair way.
It is part of UUK, UCAS /(Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) and the Sutton Trust’s joint Access to Success project, announced last year.
There is good evidence that shows contextual admissions can effectively widen participation without undermining academic standards.
This has been shown by the progress in increasing the proportion of students from deprived areas in Scotland going to university since the implementation of the Framework for Fair Access.
The new guidance advises universities to ensure their practices do not compromise on quality, and that all students admitted with contextual offers are provided with adequate support to help them succeed.
The guidance says that the benefits of a learning environment with students from all walks of life will be felt by other students and universities.
It advises universities in England to ensure their criteria for students who can benefit from contextual admissions are built on strong and consistent evidence.
The guidance also emphasises universities’ responsibility to provide proper support for students who are admitted through these routes to ensure graduates are set up for success when they eventually join the workforce.
Our Vice-Chancellor, Professor Karen O’Brien, chaired the UUK-UCAS-Sutton Trust contextual admissions advisory group.
Professor Vikki Boliver of our Department of Sociology, a leading expert on the use of contextual data on the socioeconomic circumstances of prospective university students to inform more equitable admissions decisions, was also part of the group.
Professor O’Brien said: “Many of the most talented people in the country will not have received the best education or opportunities early in life, and this is clear from the strong correlation between socioeconomic background and school achievement.
“Giving disadvantaged students a better chance to show their potential and create a better future for themselves can help us rectify the imbalance of opportunity that exists across the country.”
At Durham, the contextual offer approach is a central component of our commitment to fair access, enabling academically capable students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds to be considered in context.
Around one in five students join Durham through this route, demonstrating its significant scale and impact.
Evidence shows that these students achieve strong academic outcomes, with high pass rates.
The majority of students admitted to Durham via a contextual offer graduate with a 2:1 or above, confirming that the initiative successfully identifies students with the potential to thrive.
Read a blog written by our Vice-Chancellor Professor Karen O’Brien, explaining what the contextual admissions project aims to achieve and why it matters now.
Learn more about UUK, UCAS and Sutton Trust’s joint Access to Success project.
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