Hi, I’m Martyna and I study Psychology at the University of York. In this blog, I will talk about receiving a contextual offer and what a contextual offer could mean for you. I will also include some of my personal experience of admissions and what types of offers I received from the Universities I have applied for!
What is a contextual offer?
A contextual offer is an alternative route for either talented individuals or recognition of individuals’ personal circumstances that may have played a part in your progression through school. This will be highlighted on your UCAS offer letter that you receive from the university. When I was in sixth form, I actually wasn’t informed about these offers and that I could actually receive one. Not until I went onto a widening participation programme, which I will also talk about.
How do they work?
Universities take into consideration a variety of things when looking at whether to provide someone with a contextual offer (not all universities give these out!). Some of these include criteria like:
- If you have spent time in local authority care
- If you’re from an area in the UK that has low levels of progression to higher education – you can check your postcode on the website
- Participation in widening participation or an access to university programme
At the University of York, you may also be eligible for a contextual offer by applying through the York Access Scheme. This looks at other eligibility criteria such as being entitled to free school meals or being from an underrepresented background in higher education, such as ethnic minority groups.
My contextual offer
Personally, when I received my contextual offers from three out of the five universities I applied for, I was mainly eligible to receive them due to the area where I live as not many people from my area go to university. In addition to this, I took part in many widening participation programmes, such as York Experience Summer School, and Realising Opportunities. Both which I highlighted in my York application, and the latter in all my other options. My contextual offers either lowered my entry requirement grades or took into account my EPQ (extended project qualification) as part of the entry requirements.
A confidence boost
There are many advantages to receiving a contextual offer that are important to all students that are eligible for them.
By receiving one you are less likely to stress about your grades. However, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try – universities appreciate and understand a lot of what students do to get into university! This also means that you get a little boost of encouragement because you are definitely worth going to university and this is seen by the admissions teams. I know that when I received my offers, I was over the moon. My confidence definitely skyrocketed and I continued with my studies until the pandemic began.
Top tips
Look at pre-uni programmes and activities
It is definitely important to be aware of all the opportunities that you can take during your pre-university study. A lot of programmes/activities can help you gain access to university and take a step towards what you want to achieve in the future!
One of my main tips is to really research the universities that you are planning to apply for and create a plan of action. My plan included completing at least one programme that spanned across a lot of universities, such as Realising Opportunities. Plus, two programmes that were applicable to my top choices, which I completed through doing summer schools.
Do your research
Any and all information is valuable from the correct sources about universities. I would highly recommend you ask everyone you know about going into higher education and get prepared for your future ahead however you please.
Choosing a university is difficult and there are a lot of things to consider. This can be difficult to see without seeing the university in person. However, by doing online tours or visit days you can get the feel for the professors as well as types of students that go to that university. It is important to talk to as many people as possible about anything that might be nagging in your mind!
Receiving a contextual offer meant a lot to me. It definitely gave me a fair advantage of getting into university and studying a course that I love and can’t wait to complete. If you have the opportunity for a contextual offer, or anything alike, I definitely would recommend you grab it and use it! 😊
Read more student stories about contextual offers
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