This research project is still in development and therefore information will be updated as and when the scope is finalised. Details below will provide an indication of the direction. If you would like to support or have any information that you feel would be useful in this development phase please contact the APP Impact team.

Contextual admissions – where the background of an applicant is considered in the application process – are tools that universities are using to promote fairness and support social mobility. This can include reduced grade offers, guaranteed offers and/or interviews or other considerations. For most courses in the 2025 admissions cycle Bath are providing a 2-grade contextual offer to some applicants based on their circumstances. Sutton Trust have previously commissioned reports to highlight admissions in context (Boliver, Crawford, Powell & Craige 2017) and the influence school and place have on university admission (Montacute and Cullinane, 2018). Implementing a reduced grade for eligible students can result in an increase in students being accepted to more selective/prestigious universities.

The practice of contextualising applicants in selective universities provides an opportunity to allow high-achieving disadvantaged young individuals access to higher education institutions for which they would not otherwise be eligible (Mountford-Zimdars & Moore, 2020). Students from less advantaged backgrounds are significantly less likely than their more privileged peers to meet the high academic entry requirements set by higher tariff providers (Boliver, Gorard & Siddiqui, 2021).

Some papers/research has emerged in recent years relating to the admissions policy and support access to universities. However, the same cannot be said for on-course reviews of contextual offer recipients. Additional research into the outcomes and experiences of students enrolled within contextual offers is needed to review that no student is disadvantaged when studying at university. Our research will hope to compare contextual offer holder to relevant peer groups to review on continuation and on-course attainment.

Evaluation Questions

Current suggested evaluation questions are: - Did the contextual offer impact continuation rates among recipients? - Did the contextual offer impact on on-course attainment among recipients? - Is there any correlation between those receiving and not receiving contextual offers on continuation and on-course attainment?

Methodology

• Quasi-experimental design
• possible use of Difference in Difference or Regression Discontinuity Design. To be confirmed when project group are formed.

Type of evaluation evidence

Using the OfS standards of evidence this project will produce Type 3 (causal evidence)

References

• Boliver, V., Crawford, C., Powell, M., & Craige, W. (2017). Admissions in context: The use of contextual information by leading universities. Sutton Trust. https://www.suttontrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Admissions-in-Context-Final_V2.pdf
• Boliver, V., Gorard, S., & Siddiqui, N. (2019). Using contextual data to widen access to higher education. Perspectives: Policy and Practice in Higher Education, 25(1), 7–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603108.2019.1678076
• Montacute, R., and Cullinane, C. (2018). Access to advantage: The influence of schools and place on admissions to top universities. Sutton Trust. https://www.suttontrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Access-to-Advantage.pdf
• Mountford-Zimdars, A., & Moore, J. (2020). Identifying merit and potential beyond grades: opportunities and challenges in using contextual data in undergraduate admissions at nine highly selective English universities. Oxford Review of Education, 46(6), 752–769. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2020.1785413

Published report

At the end of the project timeline, a report will be published on this webpage.