Key dates and processes

Applications for year 12 students wishing to join the 2023/24 programme are now closed. Applications for 2024/25 will open in March 2024.

How to complete the application

The form will be completed and submitted online. It is not possible to start an application and come back to it at a later time, so it is important that you have everything you need to hand when completing the form. You will need to provide the following:

• All of your GCSE results
• A supporting statement of 2000 characters (approx. 250 words) which should explain why you should be given a place on the programme - we suggest that you draft this in a different application such as Microsoft Word and copy and paste it into the application form
• The contact details of a teacher referee who will provide us with your A level predicted grades, validate the information you give us on your form, and write a short reference to support your application
• Information about your parents/carers' education (i.e. their highest level of education)

Warwick Scholars is for students who meet the following criteria:

Essential Criteria

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
• Be in the first year of your level 3 (e.g. A level) studies (at time of application)
• Attend a school or college, or live, within one of the local authority areas that we cover (Coventry, Warwickshire, Birmingham, Solihull, Sandwell, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Walsall, Staffordshire, Worcestershire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Leicester)
• Have Home UK fee status or will have it by the time they enter university (you can check here)
• Have achieved at least 5 grades 9-6 (A*-B) at GCSE (or equivalent); if this does not include English Language and Mathematics, they must have achieved at least a grade 4 (C) in these subjects
•Meet all of the qualification and subject requirements of the course they are applying for, as outlined on the University's website (e.g. be studying the correct A levels and have achieved any required GCSEs).

Additional Criteria

Applicants must meet at least two of the following criteria (unless they have experience of local authority care, as outlined below), and priority will be given to those meeting multiple criteria
• In receipt of, or has within the last six years been eligible for, free school meals
• Will be the first generation of their family to attend university (not including siblings)
• Completed Key Stage 4 Studies at and/or currently attend one of our priority schools*
• Live in a priority neighbourhood**
• Has experienced significant extenuating circumstances that have had (or are having) a detrimental effect on academic attainment e.g. is a young carer, has suffered from long term illness requiring time out of education, has a disability or specific learning difficulty

If either of the following statements apply to you, your application will be prioritised:
•Have spent a minimum of three months in local authority care
•Are currently resident in a foyer or other supported accommodation

Warwick Scholars is a programme which you join in the latter stage of year 12 and which runs throughout year 13. The programme is designed to work alongside your post-16 studies. This will include 1:1 tutoring for one of your A Level subjects, a current Warwick student mentor to guide you through the programme, A Level revision support and visits to campus and the department you will be applying to. There will also be a residential launch event in August of year 12 where you will stay in student accommodation and get your first insight into student life at Warwick. The launch event may take place online if Covid restrictions do not allow us to hold it safely in person .

•Year 12 – During year 12, the focus will be on making the right decisions about Higher Education, information, advice and guidance on UCAS applications, gaining an insight into study at Warwick and developing study skills which will be useful for A Level study and beyond.

•Year 13 – During year 13, the focus will be on supporting A Level attainment - this will include 1:1 online tutoring for one A Level subject, ongoing work with the academic department being applied to, a revision bootcamp during the Easter holidays and mentoring from a current Warwick student.

We are committed to you and your success, and we recognise the commitment required from you to fully complete the Warwick Scholars access programme. Therefore, you will receive a guaranteed offer of between 2-4 grades lower than the standard entry requirements and a 50% tuition fee discount for each year of study. You will also receive a bursary of up to £2,000 per year to support you with accommodation on-campus or with travel to and from campus during your studies. The tuition fee discount is exclusively provided to students who successfully complete the Warwick Scholars access programme during years 12 and 13.

Alongside your fellow Warwick Scholars, you will also gain additional insight into life at Warwick enabling you to jump right in to student life when you enrol. Warwick Scholars doesn’t stop there – we’ll keep working with you throughout your studies. Once you’re here at Warwick, you will join a community of Warwick Scholars who have, like you, completed one of our access programmes and with them you’ll continue to receive study skills support, information advice and guidance from arrival through to graduation, and priority access to careers support, including support with work experience and internships. You can find out more about the Warwick Scholars undergraduate programme hereLink opens in a new window

Below are some videos which will give you an insight into different aspects of life at Warwick - you can find many more on our YouTube channelLink opens in a new window

Our 'Choose Your Own Path' video below gives an insight into what the University of Warwick can offer you.

You can find out more about life as a student at Warwick in the following video

You can find out more about life as a student in each of our faculty areas in the videos below
Life as an Arts and Humanities student at Warwick

Life as a Social Sciences student at Warwick

Life as a Sciences student at Warwick

If you're not sure how to choose which university to go to, hear from some Warwick students about what they found important in their decision making.