Who can take part in Lancaster Access Programme?

Lancaster Access Programme is a targeted initiative delivered by Lancaster's widening participation team. Therefore, students are required to meet our academic and widening participation (WP) criteria in order to apply.

Students in Year 12 and Year 13 (or equivalent) can apply to join the programme as long as they attend a UK state school or college and meet our requirements.

Academic criteria

Applicants must be predicted and ‘on track’ to achieve a minimum of BBB at A Level or equivalent. In addition, students must have achieved five GCSEs at Level 4 or above, including English Language and Maths.

Widening Participation (WP) criteria

Applicants need to meet our widening participation criteria to join the programme. Each application is considered on a case by case basis and places are allocated subject to availability. The criteria we use include, but are not limited to:

• From a household with an income of £30,000 or less
• Entitled to free school meals
• Entitled to pupil premium
• The first in their family to attend university (neither parent obtained a university degree except as a mature student)
• From a certain minority ethnic group
• Have a disability, mental health problem, Specific Learning Difficulties or be on the autism spectrum
• A care leaver or in care
• Estranged from their family
• A young carer (under the age of 18 who looks after a family member or relative);
• From a gypsy or Traveller community
• A refugee or asylum seeker
• From a military family
• A mature student (completing A Level or BTEC qualifications)

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 (a checker exists below)
• 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.

Our priority areas are determined as those that fall in postcodes in POLAR4 Quintile 1, TUNDRA Quintile 1 (Office for Students) or Index of Multiple Deprivation Quintiles 1 & 2 (Office for National Statistics). If you have any queries on how we use this data or to query your eligibility please get in touch.