Category: Impact
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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 university and give them the… Read more
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From the East Midlands to Edinburgh: Riveen prepares for life at university
Picture the scene. It’s 14 August 2025 and the room is buzzing with excited yet nervous A level students, eagerly awaiting their results. Amongst the crowds at Ashfield School in Kirkby In Ashfield are 20 students enrolled on The Access Project, along with their University Access Officer, Clare. One of these students is Riveen. Applying… Read more
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“I wouldn’t have passed without The Access Project” – Celebrating GCSE success on Results Day
GCSE Results Day has arrived. Hundreds of thousands of young people are opening envelopes filled with exam results, and seeing their hard work pay off. At The Access Project, we work with young people aged 14-16 to support them with their GCSE studies, and put them on a pathway to higher education. Today, we celebrated… Read more
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A level Results Day 2025: Students celebrate top grades and university destinations
Results Day has arrived and thousands of young people across the country are waking up to find out what they’ve achieved in their exams. On Thursday 14 August, young people are finding out how they performed in their A levels, T levels, BTEC Nationals, and other Level 3 qualifications – and deciding on their next… Read more
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Celebrating 10 years in the West Midlands with Ormiston Forge Academy and Imperial College London
At first glance, the gathering of pupils, parents, staff, and alumni at Ormiston Forge Academy on 8 July might have appeared like the usual end of term school celebrations. But this particular event was so much more than that. Staff from Imperial College London and the team from The Access Project were delighted to join… Read more
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Aiming for Oxford – Alisha’s experiences on the Oxbridge Pathway
As part of our programme, The Access Project offers students a wide variety of enrichment opportunities, including our specialised Oxbridge and Healthcare Pathways. These Pathways are designed to support students through the application process towards courses with additional requirements and admissions tests. Applications to Pathways are open during the autumn term to all Year 12… Read more
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The Access Project alumnus makes Top 10 Future Leaders list
Former The Access Project student and recent University of Oxford graduate Ras.I Martin is making waves as one of the UK’s top ten future leaders of 2025. Powerful Media’s Future Leaders — an annual publication celebrating 150 outstanding Black university students in the UK — features Ras.I as one of the most inspiring young leaders… Read more
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The Missing Lesson: Financial literacy can help unlock university for under-resourced students
by Chloe Manuel The Access Project’s Cost of Living and University Choices report highlights a concerning trend: financial worries are pushing talented students to rethink or even abandon higher education altogether. The problem isn’t just the rising costs—it’s the lack of financial education. Many students from wealthier backgrounds grow up with financial guidance at home,… Read more
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Bursaries and scholarships are key to unlocking higher education – Transparency of student funding must improve
“It’s kind of scary. You hear a lot of stories about students living off ramen and rice and stuff like that… You have to be responsible with your money and not spend it all.” – Student at The Access Project For many under-resourced young people, going to university presents the chance of a lifetime. Yet,… Read more
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Rising tuition fees must not impact student prospects, further student finance reforms crucial
The government’s plan to increase tuition fees in England to £9,535 per year presents a mixture of welcome changes and disappointing omissions for the fortunes of under-resourced young people across the country. We wholly welcome the decision to increase maintenance loans in line with inflation. This increase—which averages £317 per year for students studying outside… Read more