Oxford uni to increase intake of disadvantaged students

Oxford University has unveiled two access admission schemes which will enable more academically talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds to study at the university.

The two new programmes – Opportunity Oxford and Foundation Oxford – aim to increase significantly the number of most promising students from groups who are currently under-represented in Oxford. Opportunity Oxford is aimed at students from more disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds. Foundation Oxford will be open to students who have personally experienced severe disadvantage or educational disruption.

These new programmes will accommodate up to 250 state school students a year, representing 10% of Oxford’s UK undergraduate intake. This represents a significant step change for the University, boosting the proportion of students coming to Oxford from under-represented backgrounds from 15% of the current UK intake to 25%.

The schemes offer students the chance to immerse themselves in the Oxford environment, developing their study skills and their subject knowledge. The students will benefit from the University’s teaching facilities while living and studying in a college community. By the end of their programmes they will have developed the confidence to meet the challenges of a demanding undergraduate degree. Both schemes will be free and students’ residential and living costs will be fully funded throughout the courses.

The Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, Professor Louise Richardson, said: "This is a sea change in Oxford admissions. Colleagues from across the University, its colleges and departments have united behind a commitment to accelerate the pace at which we are diversifying our student body and ensuring that every academically exceptional student in the country knows that they have a fair chance of a place at Oxford."