Contextual admissions and widening participation

We recognise that an applicant's educational and socio-economic background may impact their achievements and potential. We use contextual information and data alongside your UCAS application so we can build a complete picture of you as an applicant, your characteristics and potential.

Due to the availability and comparability of data, the use of contextual information will apply to UK school leaver applicants only.

Contextual admissions points are only available for UK resident Home fee students. Contextual admissions points are not available for graduates or applicants who have previously started or completed a university course, including foundation programmes.

All applications that meet our published entry and eligibility criteria will proceed to selection for interview. Applicants who then meet our contextual admissions requirements are eligible for additional points depending on their circumstances.

Applicants will be asked to confirm their eligibility for our contextual admissions via an online form sent shortly after the UCAS application deadline.

The deadline for completing this form is Monday 2 November 2026. Any information not submitted within this form will not be taken into account within the 2027 application cycle.

We award up to a maximum of 15 points at the selection for interview stage, should you meet any one or more of the following:

• In receipt of UCAT bursary – 8 points
• Resident in POLAR 4 Young Participation Area Quintile 1 – 3 points
• Resident in POLAR 4 Young Participation Area Quintile 2 – 2 points
• First in Family to attend University – 1 point
• Attended a school with a Progress 8 score* below the national average for GCSE (or equivalent) study – 3 points
• Care experienced – 15 points
• Refugee status – 15 points
• Students from a military background – 15 points
• Students from a Gypsy, Roma or Traveller background – 15 points
• Successful completion of one of the following Widening Participation Programmes within the year of application – 7 points:
  • York Experience Summer School
  • Realising Opportunities programme 
  • UKWPMED programmes (A100 programme only)
    • Birmingham Medical School – Routes to the Professions: Medicine
    • Brighton and Sussex Medical School – BrightMed
    • Keele University School of Medicine – Steps2Medicine
    • University of Leicester – Access Leicester: Medicine
    • Manchester Medical School – Manchester Access Programme and Preston Widening Access Programme (medicine route)
    • Peninsula Medical School – Peninsula Pathways PLUS
• Successful completion of one of the following Widening Participation Programmes within two years of application – 7 points:
  • University of York Black Access programme
  • University of York Next Step York programme

*Applicants from the devolved nations will be considered to have the same eligibility as applicants who attended a school with a Progress 8 score below the national average for GCSE (or equivalent) study, should they meet one of the following comparable markers:

Northern Ireland: We will use the Annual School Performance Data measure of % year 12 pupils achieving 5+ GCSEs grades A*-C (including equivalents) including GCSE English and GCSE Mathematics to measure individual schools against the national average. Those achieving below the national average will be eligible for contextual data points comparable to Progress 8.

Scotland: We will use the Attainment for All data set calculating an average tariff score using a virtual comparator to measure individual schools against the national average. Those achieving below the national average will be eligible for contextual data points comparable to Progress 8.

Wales: We will use the Capped 9 indicator to measure individual schools against the national average. Those achieving below the national average will be eligible for contextual data points comparable to Progress 8.

We will send you a mandatory questionnaire to collect the data to enable us to assess these measures shortly after the October UCAS application deadline.

The deadline for completing this form is Friday 30 October 2026.

We are unable to accept any late submissions, and any information not included on this form cannot be taken into account during the 2027 application cycle.

Some applicants who are eligible for contextual data points, may also be eligible for a fast track to interview for the 5-year Medicine programme (A100). More information about the fast track to interview, and the eligibility criteria for it, can be found in our selection procedure.

If you are eligible for contextual admissions, you may also be eligible for our Reduced or Alternative offers. You can find out more about these, including whether you are eligible, on our offers page.