Support to get in

We established our approach to contextual admissions in 2002 and have since continued to prioritise applicants from evidentially disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds.

• In the last four years we have worked with the sector to adopt consistent terminology around contextual admissions to ensure transparency and accessibility for applicants.
• We’ve worked with Universities Scotland to shape the sector definition of care experience and we’ve adopted that same definition within our own practice to ensure consistency and fairness.
• We continually review and revise our widening access criteria to ensure it is relevant and reaching those applicants most in need.

YourEd is our partnership scheme for local secondary schools, designed to support young people in their transition to higher education. YourEd has developed to include two strands: YourEd and YourEd+. YourEd offers a selection of campus visits and school talks throughout the year. YourEd+ offers a more intensive attainment and aspiration raising programme for S5 and S6s who have the potential to go to university and is valued as a Higher at B within admissions.

• Since the programme launched applications from partner schools have increased by 68 per cent.
• From the 20/21 cohort, 58 per cent of those that completed YourEd+ came on to study at the University.

YourEd+ is the perfect programme, it’s made me see that the world is so much bigger than high school draws it.

Rowan Wallace

Established in 2019, the Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) Access to Medical Studies at Edinburgh College enables adult learners to access medicine and veterinary medicine at the University of Edinburgh.

• Since 2020 15 students from the course have gained a place at the University.
• The pass rate is 100 per cent.
• A former SWAP access student, now a medical student, was awarded the Mike Porter Award for outstanding excellence.

The School of Engineering developed a suite of pre-sessional self-study materials in engineering maths to support the transition of new students to the University. These interactive pre-sessional materials are completed at home, in advance of beginning first-year studies.

The School of Chemistry has developed a series of introductory videos recovering some fundamental chemical principles studied in high school or college that will lead into Year 1 chemistry courses.

• Videos are shared in advance of beginning first-year studies in chemistry.
• It allows students to become familiar with key concepts at their own pace and in their own time.
• Students presenting the videos provide personal insights and perspectives.

Catch-Up Chemistry provides students with preparative materials as they move into second-year studies. These materials build on learning from first year and provide an opportunity for students to refresh or catch up on material that will allow a successful transition into second-year study.