University partners
We work closely with widening participation teams at some of the country’s top universities to help under-resourced students find high quality education.
Why partner with us?
The Office for Students (OfS) has stressed the vital role of collaborations between higher education institutions and third-sector organisations in delivering impactful interventions.
We have successfully partnered with universities to foster long-standing, mutually beneficial relationships.
We understand that universities often face challenges in demonstrating impact to internal stakeholders and in reports to the OfS. Our multi-year intervention programme aligns with various risk points on the OfS’s Equality of Opportunity Risk Register, offering comprehensive support to address these challenges effectively. As a data-driven organisation, we are committed to helping universities evidence their impact and fulfil their obligations to the OfS.
Campus visits and tours
Reach new prospective students with a trip to your university, giving young people from under-resourced backgrounds across the UK a glimpse of student life and a chance to engage with your academic community.
Staff and student volunteering
We provide enriching opportunities for students and staff alike, offering continued personal and professional development through our volunteer tutoring and coaching schemes.
Widening participation
We support your widening participation recruitment, kick-starting early intervention and consistent engagement for young people who meet your target criteria and demographics.
“The Access Project has helped us to recruit volunteer staff and student tutors who continue to support attainment-raising initiatives, helping us to meet our goals of being the most inclusive Russell Group university.”
Poppy Hudghton, Deputy Head of Student Recruitment and Widening Participation at Queen Mary University of London
Map of The Access Project’s partner schools
Who do we work with?
The Access Project collaborates with universities and colleges in a variety of ways. We can work with you to establish school partnerships in targeted regions, organise university trips, or offer strategic partnerships for widening participation.
We work with schools across England, spanning Greater London, the West Midlands, the East Midlands, Cumbria, and Lancashire.
Our partner schools are non-selective state schools with high numbers of widening participation demographic students on Free School Meals, receiving Pupil Premium funding or with low levels of progression to top universities.
Meet our university partners
The Access Project partnered with Queen Mary University of London in 2018, sharing a vision to support students from under-represented backgrounds to attend university. Since then, we’ve worked with the university to establish a partnership with one of our London schools, and recruit volunteer staff and student tutors.
Latest News
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The hidden deficit: why the university funding crisis is a social mobility crisis
by Eve Jacobs Here at The Access Project, we have been keeping a close eye on what is happening within the higher education sector. The landscape is changing, but what does this mean for our students? There is a squeeze across the whole UK university sector, driven by financial pressures… read more
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“This trip has opened my eyes to the different pathways I can take”
The grounds of Magdalen College, University of Oxford, are beautiful on any given day, but on a sunny Monday in June they could not have looked better. Students from five of our London partner schools had the opportunity to experience a day at Magdalen. These high potential students are all… read more
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Is university worth it? Higher education and social mobility
According to the British Social Attitudes Survey, a third of British people now think that university isn’t worth it, as reported by the BBC today. Here at The Access Project, our mission is to support young people to access top universities in order to achieve social mobility. This has always been our core focus as we strive… 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