Oxford launches major new access schemes

21 May 2019

At Hertford College, we’re delighted to be working with the University of Oxford to deliver new major initiatives which will enable more academically talented students from under-represented backgrounds to successfully apply to Oxford.

For over 50 years we’ve been at the forefront of widening access to Oxford: from our pioneering Tanner Scheme in the 1960s, which opened up Oxford to whole new generation of state school students, to being part of the first group of co-educational colleges, admitting women alongside men. Today we’re proud to continue this long tradition, whether it’s collaborating with the innovative Target Oxbridge scheme, hosting a sixth of the students on this year’s greatly expanded UNIQ Summer School, or supporting Opportunity Oxford with colleagues from across the University.

From the next admissions round, Opportunity Oxford will see the University introduce a residential study programme for up to 200 students who have applied to the University in the normal way and are on course to gain the required grades, but need additional support to transition successfully from school to Oxford. These students may have narrowly missed out on a place in previous years. The course will introduce students to lectures, tutorials and group and individual work, building their subject knowledge, academic abilities and self-reliance. Students will then begin undergraduate study with greater confidence, new friends and familiarity with university life.

This new initiative, alongside the development of Foundation Oxford for students who have personally experienced severe disadvantage or educational disruption, represents a step change in the University’s access and outreach work; one Oxford undergraduate in four is set to be from the UK’s most under-represented backgrounds by 2023. When fully up and running, these major new programmes will offer transformative paths to outstanding education for up to 250 state school students a year, representing 10% of Oxford’s UK undergraduate intake. Both schemes will be free and students’ residential and living costs will be fully funded throughout the courses.

We’re excited to be part of these exciting developments and look forward to strengthening our commitment to widening access over the coming years.