Access to Bristol

The Access to Bristol scheme provides local students with an opportunity to experience life at the University of Bristol.

Apply for Access to Bristol 2026-27

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The Access to Bristol scheme is for local students taking A-levels, BTECs, Access to HE courses or equivalents. 

The scheme is a:

  • unique way to experience what studying at Bristol might be like.
  • chance to discover more about a subject you're interested in from current university students and academic staff.
  • fantastic enrichment opportunity that will offer tailored information, advice and guidance to help you make an informed decision about higher education.

Successful completers of the scheme are guaranteed a contextual offer or interview.

For further information on Access to Bristol read our Access to Bristol Brochure 2026-27 (PDF, 1,851kB).

Eligibility

The scheme is only open to students who meet all of the following criteria.

You must:

  • be a Home fee student
  • currently attend a state school or college
  • be resident in a BA, BS or other local postcode within an hour's journey of the University (including south Wales)
  • be in your first or second year of A-level study (or equivalent)
  • have the academic ability to study at the University (meeting the GCSE entry requirements for their chosen subject stream and studying any required Level 3 subjects). Applicants must have the potential to meet the contextual entry requirements for their chosen course (where applicable).

Oversubscribed subjects

If a subject stream is oversubscribed, we will prioritise students who meet our widening participation criteria:

  • are or have been eligible for free school meals
  • live in an IMD quintile 1 area or an IMD quintile 2 area as defined by your home postcode
  • be considered a mature student (over 21 years old when you'll begin your degree) (we encourage mature students to apply for the Mature Pathway to Bristol instead of Access to Bristol)
  • are from a Black or Asian background or of a mixed background featuring one of these groups
    • Additional priority is assigned to the following underrepresented ethnic groups at the University: Asian Pakistani; Asian Bangladeshi; Black Caribbean; Black African; or of a mixed backgrounds featuring one of these groups.
  • have spent three or more months in formalised local authority care
  • are currently an estranged student
  • are from Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen and Boater (GTRSB) communities
  • currently attend an aspiring state school or college
  • are from any other minority ethnic background
  • are part of the first generation in their family to go to university
  • have caring responsibilities
  • have refugee status
  • have a disability
  • have a parent or carer who currently serves in the UK Armed Forces, or who has done so in the past.

We recommend that you discuss your application to the programme with your Head of Sixth Form prior to applying as you'll need your school or college to grant your permission to attend the scheme. You'll also need to list a 'key contact' (usually your Head of Sixth form) on your application form.

We offer a wide range of outreach programmes and interventions designed to support post-16 students from underrepresented, disadvantaged, and marginalised backgrounds. If you're not eligible for this programme, you may still be able to take part in another. Explore our other outreach opportunities.

Accessibility statement 

We're committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students.

The Access to Bristol programme is designed to support students from underrepresented backgrounds and we are committed to ensuring that all participants, including those with disabilities or additional needs, can engage fully and equally.

We are committed to making Access to Bristol an accessible and positive experience for every student.

Physical accessibility and programme expectations

The Access to Bristol programme mainly takes place in-person at the Clifton Campus.

It includes:

  • A busy and dynamic environment, particularly during registration, and when moving between University buildings;
  • A campus tour and subject sessions that involve moving between different buildings and areas across the Clifton Campus (please note that routes may involve hills);
  • Access to buildings with varying levels of physical accessibility. Please note that the Clifton Campus includes many historical buildings which the University may not be permitted to alter. Check our AccessAble guides for accessibility information for different University buildings.

While many areas are wheelchair accessible, prior notice is essential to ensure that we can arrange appropriate support (step-free routes, alternative rooms with improved accessibility, lift access, suitable fire evacuation plans, or assistance with navigation). 

We ask all applicants to inform us on their application form regarding any access requirements. This helps us ensure a safe, comfortable, and inclusive experience. 

Contact us

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your access needs, email us at access-to-bristol@bristol.ac.uk as early as possible.

Benefits of Access to Bristol

If you successfully complete the Access to Bristol scheme, and depending on the course(s) that you choose to apply for, you may be eligible for a guaranteed contextual offer or interview to study at Bristol depending on the course(s) that you choose to apply for and provided you meet the contextual entry requirements for that course.

For courses that do not routinely interview as part of the admissions process, you'll be guaranteed a contextual offer (typically two A-level grades below standard entry requirements) to study at Bristol provided you're studying any specified A-level subjects and meet any additional requirements for your chosen course (GCSE or equivalent grades).

Applicants must still complete any admissions tests such as the UCAT/LNAT/SAQ (and score above a threshold) in order to receive the guaranteed offer or guaranteed interview. 

For courses that require an interview as part of the admissions process, such as Medicine or Dentistry, you'll be guaranteed an interview for that course provided you're predicted to meet or exceed the contextual entry requirements for that course; you meet any GCSE or equivalent requirements; and you have completed any relevant aptitude test such as the UCAT (and scored above a threshold) by the appropriate deadline. Following your interview, you may be made an offer at the contextual level. 

This benefit can apply to multiple courses should you choose to submit multiple course applications to Bristol.

Please note that terms and conditions apply.

For most courses, you'll be guaranteed an offer at the contextual level, provided that you meet the full entry requirements of the course applied for. Entry requirements are displayed on our course pages. Students undertaking the appropriate subjects but not predicted the contextual offer will usually be made an aspirational offer.

If the course holds interviews as part of the selection process you'll be guaranteed an interview (for example, Medicine or Dentistry). The interview will only be guaranteed if your predicted or achieved grades meet the contextual entry requirements and you meet the GCSE subject requirements. Applicants must still complete any admissions tests such as the UCAT/LNAT/SAQ (and score above a threshold) in order to receive the guaranteed offer or guaranteed interview. 

Please note: we do not currently have BTEC contextualised offers. This means that your BTEC subject(s) offer will not be made any lower than stated on course pages.

We encourage Access to HE learners who will be 21 or older on the first day of their undergraduate studies to apply to our new Mature Pathway to Bristol project, which offers more bespoke support, tailored information and guidance, additional flexibility, and opportunities to meet and engage with other like-minded mature learners. Find out more by contacting mature-pathway@bristol.ac.uk.

If you're an Access to HE student who will be under the age of 21 when starting your undergraduate studies, you may still wish to apply to Access to Bristol. If applying to Access to Bristol, you may apply for any stream that runs in Autumn, as well as Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Sciences. Access to HE students who complete Access to Bristol receive the same benefits as mature Access to HE students who complete the Mature Pathway to Bristol.

For most courses, you'll be guaranteed an offer to study, providing full entry requirements are met. Entry requirements are displayed on our course pages. Applicants must still complete any admissions tests such as the UCAT/LNAT/SAQ (and score above a threshold) in order to receive the guaranteed offer or guaranteed interview. 

For a small number of courses within the Faculty of Science, as well as Medicine/Dentistry or other interviewing subjects, Access to HE students will be guaranteed an interview provided any additional requirements are met. These courses often interview to ensure that Access to HE students have the required grounding in Mathematics and/or Physics.

The Access to HE qualification is already at the contextual level, in recognition that students returning to study may face additional barriers to entering HE. This means that your offer will not be made any lower than stated.

Term dates and times

For the 2026-27 iteration of Access to Bristol, we are running an online study skills session at the start of each term.

This session aims to support students with the soft skills needed to transition from Level 3 study to Higher Education, and has been developed in collaboration with the University's Study Skills team.

As always, Access to Bristol participants will be expected to attend all sessions to successfully complete the scheme, including the online Study Skills session and five on-campus sessions.

Access to Bristol takes place on Wednesday afternoons. On campus, registration takes place from 1:30 pm to 1:55 pm and academic sessions take place from 2 pm to 4 pm.

Autumn term 2026

  • 28 October (online)
  • 4 November
  • 11 November
  • 18 November
  • 25 November
  • 2 December (on campus)

Spring term 2027

  • 20 January (online)
  • 27 January
  • 3 February
  • 10 February
  • 24 February
  • 3 March (on campus)

Subjects

Year 12 students may apply for any stream that runs in spring, as well as medicine, dentistry or veterinary sciences which run in autumn. Year 13 students may apply for any stream that runs in autumn, excluding medicine, dentistry and veterinary sciences.

Where an autumn stream is undersubscribed, we may invite Year 12 students to join this stream. Year 12 students will be able to indicate their preference for an autumn stream on the application form.

Autumn streams

Subjects for Year 13 and Access to HE students. Year 12 is by invitation only:

  • Biological sciences
  • Childhood and education studies
  • Computer science
  • Economics
  • Engineering
  • English literature
  • Law
  • Mathematics
  • Psychology

Subjects for Year 12 and Access to HE students only:

  • Dentistry
  • Medicine
  • Veterinary science

Spring streams

Subjects for Year 12 only:

  • Biological sciences
  • Business management
  • Chemistry
  • Earth and environmental sciences
  • Engineering
  • English literature
  • Film and television
  • Geography
  • History
  • Law
  • Modern language
  • Physics
  • Psychology
  • Social sciences

We encourage applicants to check the entry requirements of their chosen course/courses as some require specific attainment at GCSE level in certain subjects. If you do not currently have these GCSE grades but plan to re-sit, let us know in your application.

Where a stream is undersubscribed, students in Year 12 may be invited to take part in subject streams that are running in autumn for Year 13 students. If you're a Year 12 applicant, you'll be able to indicate your autumn subject stream preference on the application form.

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