The Access Project supports young people from under-resourced backgrounds to raise their aspirations, access top universities and achieve social mobility.
Empower a young person to overcome barriers to education.
Volunteer
Give back to a good cause. Join our community of volunteer coaches and help a young person develop skills to set them up for success in school and beyond.
Donate
The Access Project is a not-for-profit organisation. We rely on donations from generous people like you to support young people in the UK to thrive.
Success stories
We work with the young people who need our help the most, and they go on to achieve great things. Read more about our students and alumni here.
Our mission
Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not.
The Access Project is an education charity with a mission to help under-resourced young people place at top UK universities. This gives them the best chance of social mobility, enhancing their future prospects.
We work with students in some of the most under-resourced areas of the country. We place dedicated mentors in school to help students navigate and overcome barriers to education, and provide personalised one-to-one or group tuition with students to help them raise their GCSE and A level grades.
Since 2008, we’ve worked with thousands of young people, transforming the lives of students as we help them raise their confidence, achieve in their exams, and successfully transition to university.
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Young people from the most disadvantaged backgrounds are almost three times less likely to get a place at a top university compared to their better-off peers. We want to make sure all young people have the same opportunities to make the most of their education.
We are passionate about reducing the educational barriers our students face so that they can follow their dreams. We support students from under-resourced backgrounds to access top universities through a programme of tuition, coaching and in-school mentoring. We work with our students to make strong applications, get the grades and transition to university.
Around 25% of our programme is paid for by schools. The rest is funded by university partners, corporate sponsorships, and donations from people like you.
Our impact
hours of mentoring sessions, workshops and university trips in 2024/25
Skills for Access coaching sessions were delivered in 2024/25
of our Year 13 students received a university offer in 2025
of our Year 13 students received an offer from a top university in 2025
The Access Project News
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From Ancient Egyptian art to women in leadership: Learning at Work Week
As an education charity, learning plays a pivotal role in our programmes. Students learn about the university experience, how to submit a quality application, they develop key transferable skills, and they are supported to raise their academic attainment. But learning is not just for our students! Alongside a formal Learning… read more
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Josh MacAlister MP meets Cumbria students aiming for Oxford
Josh MacAlister OBE, MP for Whitehaven and Workington and Minister for Children and Families, visited The Whitehaven Academy on Friday 8 May to meet talented students aiming for university success. The visit was set up to celebrate the partnership between national education charity, The Access Project, and The Queen’s College, University of Oxford. This partnership was established to support under-resourced students in Cumbria to aspire to study at a top… read more
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“I enjoy talking to my coach” – Ray is building skills for the future
Ray is a year 12 student from Lancashire. When he started studying his A levels, Ray also joined The Access Project — for mentoring, skills coaching, and an extra boost to help his university applications. A keen historian, Ray has ambitions of studying history at a top university. He aspires… read more
Contact us
Contact information
The Access Project,
Canopi,
82 Tanner Street,
London,
SE1 3GN
020 4513 5999
info@theaccessproject.org.uk
Media enquiries line: 07767 100582
media@theaccessproject.org.uk
The Access Project safeguarding line: 020 4513 5999 (available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm)
NSPCC helpline (visit the NSPCC website for up to date opening hours): 0808 800 5000 help@nspcc.org.uk