Fair Access Scheme

At Coventry University, we believe every student should have the opportunity to dream big, reach their potential and succeed, regardless of their background.

Grades alone cannot tell us everything about your potential and your story. The Coventry University Fair Access Scheme is a brand new scheme which includes a contextualised admissions policy, to help identify and support students from a range of backgrounds, of all ages, to gain fair and equal access to higher education.

So what does this mean for you?

We commit to recognising your achievements in the context of which they were achieved. If you have experienced barriers that might make it more challenging for you to achieve undergraduate course entry requirements, then be reassured that we look beyond the grades that you have achieved or expect to achieve.

We want you to feel proud and excited about your university application. To help support your future and your entry to higher education, we could make you a reduced contextual offer by up to 24 UCAS tariff points or equivalent. The reduction will depend on the course that you are applying to and your qualification type. As an example, an applicant who wants to study a course where the standard offer is BBB, could receive a Fair Access Scheme offer of CCC.

Am I eligible?

Everyone’s story is different. If you apply via UCAS, are a UK student and have declared any of the following:

• You have a disability.
  or
• You are a care leaver.
  or
• You have refugee status or humanitarian protection (Including students from the Ukraine).
  or
• You are older than 21 at the start of your course. We also take into account any previous experience or professional qualifications you have achieved.

We also gather information from UCAS using their modernised contextual data service; this takes into consideration if your home postcode is in an area of low participation. To check your area, please visit the Office for Students website.

If you haven’t told us through UCAS, but these apply to you, please email us at fairaccess@coventry.ac.uk to let us know.

We also take into consideration the following criteria, which we ask you to provide separately, as UCAS don’t include it in the application form.

• You are a carer for someone in your family with a long-term health condition.
• You have engaged with a Coventry University Widening Participation programme, such as Future Grads.
• You have experienced other circumstances that have led to a disruption in your education. This could include family illness, being the victim of a crime or experiencing bereavement.
• You have experience of living in care – you have been in care for any period or are still in foster care.
• You are estranged from your family.
• You are the child of an imprisoned person.