Widening Access and Participation

The Widening Access and Participation Team work with a range of stakeholders, including schools and colleges, parents and carers and other like-minded organisations to ensure that entry to university is based on merit and academic potential, and not social background, ethnicity, gender or other irrelevant factors.

Much of their activity is focused on North East students in local schools and colleges. Many of their activities collaborating with current Durham University students, so that prospective students can get a real and genuine understanding directly from those who have experience. Activities are aimed at providing information, advice (and if necessary) the encouragement to young people to become higher education students and will deliver a taste of the amazing opportunities and experiences of being a Durham University student.

As well as actively supporting the implementation of the Access and Participation Plan they also:

• Work nationally to encourage gifted applicants from underrepresented groups to apply to and enrol at Durham;
• Form regional and national partnerships with schools, colleges and other relevant institutions and organisations;
• Work with young people with little or no aspiration of higher education to encourage them to fulfil their potential.

2025 Summer School Applications:

Here at Durham University, we run three summer school programmes for year 12 students:

• Supported Progression: For year 12 state school students from the north of England.
• Space to Explore Potential (STEP): For Black-heritage students currently in year 12 and attending a UK state school.
• Sutton Trust: For year 12 students attending a UK state school.

To be notified when applications open for 2025 summer schools, sign up to our Mailing List!

If you have any questions or need to get in touch please email: access.participation@durham.ac.uk