Tab Content: Why take part?

Participants on the Access Programme receive a number of exclusive benefits including:

• Extra consideration and a lower offer on application to Lancaster (barring Medicine and Surgery (A100) and Medicine and Surgery with a Gateway Year (A104) courses*)

• Access to a dedicated online portal and resources

• Opportunity to participate in a variety of exclusive events and subject activities

• Dedicated contact with Lancaster staff and student ambassadors

• Eligibility for £1000 per year Lancaster Opportunity Scholarship (dependent upon acceptance onto a Lancaster University undergraduate programme)

Full details of these benefits is communicated to you throughout the programme, support also continues once you reach university through priority access to the Lancaster Success Programme.

* Lancaster Access Programme participants who successfully complete the Access to Medicine programme will be offered a guaranteed interview on application to Medicine and Surgery (A100) and Medicine and Surgery with a Gateway Year (A104) (subject to eligibility)

Tab Content: Am I eligible?

To be eligible to take part in our widening participation activities and initiatives, we ask that you meet at least two of our widening participation criteria. These are:

• People from a low income background (i.e. household income of £30,000 or less)
• People from lower socio-economic groups or from neighbourhoods where higher education participation is low (IMD Q1)
• People who are first in their family to progress to higher education (i.e. parents/guardians have not attended university. This does not include siblings or other close family relations.)
• People who are (or were) entitled to free school meals or Pupil Premium
• People from Asian, Black and mixed-ethnic groups
• People with a long-term illness, health condition and/or disability
• People with a mental health condition
• People who are neurodivergent (including Specific Learning Difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Condition, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
• People who are D/deaf, hard of hearing, B/blind or Deaf-Blind.
• be living in, or have lived in, local authority care, and/or people who are care-experienced, a care leaver, or currently in care
• People with caring responsibilities, or Young Carers
• People estranged from their families
• People from Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Irish Traveller, Showman and Boater communities
• Refugees or asylum seekers
• Children from military families
• People from schools with a lower than national average attainment or progression to Higher Education scores.

We also ask that you are a UK student or are attending a UK school in order to take part in our widening participation activities.

The application form will gather all the required information to make a decision on your application. Criteria may be weighted according to university target groups in that particular time period.

We also utilise contextual information related to:

• Your local area, through the use of your home postcode
• You school/college, or the school you completed your GCSE studies at

Each application is considered on a case by case basis and space is provided for further information or circumstances you wish us to be aware of in your application, we will consider these but do not guarantee a space on this basis.

If you have any questions regarding your eligibility, don’t hesitate to get in touch at lap@lancaster.ac.uk.

Tab Content: What does it look like?

The Lancaster Access Programme offers a menu of exclusive activities depending on your year of study, allowing you the flexibility to select those that most interest you and to have the opportunity to engage with Lancaster throughout your time on the programme.

Lancaster Access Programme students will be invited to participate in a range of dedicated events and activities that typically include:

• Lancaster Access Programme Launch Event
• Faculty related campus events
• Sports and Societies themed campus events
• 3 day residentials – a fantastic opportunity to stay on campus with current students and experience life at Lancaster
• Regular student panel question and answer sessions
• Online workshops – including topics such as Revision and Exam Skills, Budgeting and Student Finance and Stress Management
• Application support
• Instant access to dedicated resources through an online portal

Activities are subject to change due to demand and availability. Information and updates will provided through the dedicated online portal.

Tab Content: How do I get involved?

Applications for the Lancaster Access Programme are currently closed and will open in September 2025.

If you’d like to express your interest in the programme we will contact you to let you know when applications have opened for our next cohort.