Contextual admissions

Brunel University of London encourages applications from a wide range of prospective students.

We’re committed to widening access and improving equality of opportunity for our applicants and students. One of the ways we do this for our Undergraduate applicants is through contextual admissions. 

What is contextual admissions?

We recognise that applicants might have additional circumstances that can impact their educational journey. We use contextual admissions to counter this impact, aiming to reduce barriers to accessing Higher Education.

If you meet one or more of Brunel’s contextual criteria, you'll be eligible for consideration under our contextual admissions provision. This could be via the following: 

  • Being made a Contextual offer:
    This is a reduced offer. Contextual offers are published alongside our standard offer on our course pages. Your offer letter will indicate if you have been made a contextual offer. 
  • Being given discretional consideration: 
    If your achieved grades are lower than what we would normally accept. This applies equally to applicants with already completed qualifications and to applicants who after accepting a Brunel offer don’t meet their grades  
  • For Mature applicants particularly, being given discretional consideration: 
    • If you have alternative qualifications not listed on our entry criteria
    • If you have relevant employment or work experience   
    • If you have transferrable skills from employment or life experience 

Your application will be assessed by our Admissions team and if you meet the entry criteria you will receive an offer. If your qualifications have been achieved you will receive an unconditional offer. If you are pending qualifications you will receive a conditional contextual offer (please see our FAQ below ‘Which qualifications are eligible for contextual offers?’). If however you are not eligible to be made an offer, your application will be marked for a contextual admissions review. We conduct this review within the Admissions team and consult the academic department when we feel it necessary. We will then make an application decision which may be to:

  • Make you an offer for your chosen course
  • Make you an offer on an alternative course
  • Suggest a referral (with your consent) to our partner Brunel Pathway College
  • Let you know that you have been unsuccessful

Please note our contextual admissions provision does not guarantee that we will give a contextual applicant an offer for their preferred course, for an alternative or for a recommended referral to Brunel Pathway College. A decision will be made considering an applicant’s suitability for a program and their potential to succeed and progress on the course.

Which courses will be eligible? 

Contextual admissions applies only to our undergraduate courses. Please note that Brunel’s MBBS program has a standalone Contextual Admissions policy which can be found in Section 5 of the Brunel Medical School Admissions Policy.

Are International students eligible? 

No. Contextual admissions is applicable only to students who have been deemed eligible for Home fees.

Are there any other things to be aware of? 

Essential criteria like subject requirements for a course cannot normally be waived. For example, having Maths at the minimum required level to study a STEM subject or meeting the minimum University English language requirement.  

As you will see below, our contextual admissions policy primarily uses information entered on the UCAS application. It’s important therefore to answer questions accurately and use the application to declare anything that could be relevant. 

We request that referees confirm any relevant circumstances that they are aware of in their referee statement.

Please note, our Admissions team reserves the right to request verification of your circumstances where they deem it necessary for Admissions purposes. 

What contextual criteria would I need to meet? 

For all courses except Medicine (please see FAQ ‘Which courses will be eligible’ above), you would be considered a contextual applicant if you meet one or more of the criteria set out below. 

We request that UCAS referees confirm you meet any contextual criteria they are aware of in their referee statement.  

  • Applicants from areas of Low Higher Education participation (POLAR4 Quintiles 1 and 2): this is a measure which uses your Home postcode to assign a Quintile from 1 (lowest HE participation) to 5 (highest HE participation). This is automatically flagged on your application.
  • Applicants who have a disability: please declare your disability in the Disability/Mental Health section on UCAS.
  • Care-experienced applicants/care leavers: You'll be asked directly as part of your UCAS application about being in Care. See more information about care leavers applying to university. 
  • Mature applicants: you're a mature applicant if you're 21 or over on the 1st September for the academic year in which your course will start. Mature applicants are flagged to us automatically.
  • Students who attended the Brunel Urban Scholars programme (a Saturday programme for school pupils): we'll have this data internally, but you can use your Personal Statement to mention your participation in the programme. There is an Extra Activities section on the UCAS form where you can add this information too.
  • Young carer (aged 25 years or under at enrolment with a dependent family member or friend: you'll be asked about this in the UCAS application under 'Caring responsibilities'
  • People estranged from their parents or carers (under 25 years at enrolment): estranged means you no longer have contact with your parents or legal guardians due to a permanent breakdown in your relationship. You'll be asked about this in the UCAS application. 
  • People from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities: as UCAS doesn't capture this information, please mention this in your personal statement. Your referee can confirm this in their referee statement.
  • Refugees: you'll be asked to confirm your residency status in the UCAS application. Evidence will be requested later from Brunel.
  • People granted Humanitarian Protection: you'll be asked to confirm your residency status in the UCAS application. Evidence will be requested later from Brunel.
  • Asylum Seekers: you'll be asked to confirm your residency status in the UCAS application. Evidence will be requested later from Brunel.
  • Applicants from UK Armed Forces families (Service Children): you'll be asked about this in the UCAS application.
  • Applicants who have served in the UK Armed Forces: you'll be asked about this in the UCAS application.
  • Applicants who receive or are eligible to receive Free School Meals: you'll be asked about this in the UCAS application. In some cases we can access Free School Meal data provided by UCAS.

Which qualifications are eligible for contextual offers?

You'll find the contextual offers for applicable qualifications on our course pages and these include:

  • A Levels
  • BTECs*
  • IB
  • Access to HE Diploma

*Please see the course page for eligible BTECs.

Is there anything I need to do?

Complete your UCAS application diligently, answering questions you are asked accurately. Include any relevant circumstances you think we should know about.

Consider having a chat with your UCAS referee before submitting your UCAS application. We request that referees confirm any relevant circumstances that they are aware of in their referee statement. Your UCAS referee can alternatively inform us of any such circumstances on your behalf.

We appreciate some of the information you might be thinking about disclosing may be sensitive. Be assured that information shared with us will be handled on a University confidential, need-to-know basis. If information you do share impacts your application assessment, it will be in a positive way.    

Please note, Brunel Admissions reserves the right to request verification of an applicant’s contextual marker(s) where they deem it necessary for Admissions purposes. 

 

To learn more about our commitment to inclusive education, please explore our Widening Access strategy and activities.

Are you attending an Open Day or do you have a Selection Day booked? Your travel expenses may be covered by our Widening Access Fund. To check if you are eligible, see the ‘Travel Costs’ section of the Top tips for interviews and selection days page for more information (including how to apply).

Want to get in touch? You can e mail us at contextual-admissions@brunel.ac.uk or call our general Admissions number if you would like to speak to someone: Contact the Admissions team | Brunel University of London