Contextual Offers

Our contextual admissions approach considers educational and individual contexts to provide a rounded understanding of each applicant's academic potential and achievement. This ensures that we fully consider talented applicants from all backgrounds. If you are eligible for Home fees, based in the UK and meet specific eligibility criteria you may receive a ‘contextual’ offer of up to 2 grades lower than the standard offer (e.g. ABB rather than AAA) and/or the removal of an additional requirement such as an admissions test.

This approach aligns with the University’s Access and Participation Plan and reflects our commitment to supporting everyone with the potential to succeed at Warwick. Our recruitment and application processes aim to treat every application fairly and assess each applicant on their merits, as outlined in our Admissions Statement,Link opens in a new window which summarises the University’s current undergraduate admissions policies and procedures for admitting and selecting our students.

Please Note:

The contextual admissions policy is applicable only to applicants from state schools; those from independent schools are not currently eligible.
The policy applies exclusively to Undergraduate (UG) entry programmes. It does not extend to foundation year or graduate entry programmes, including Medicine.

Eligibility for consideration under the contextual admissions policy does not guarantee that an applicant will receive an offer as this is also based on academic criteria and competition.
We may consider extenuating personal circumstances when reviewing applications for a standard offer; information on submitting extenuating circumstances can be found hereLink opens in a new window.

Eligibility criteria

Students with specific ‘contextual data’ indicators

We consider a range of contextual factors when assessing UCAS applications to build a more holistic and rounded view of students’ academic achievement and potential. The contextual factors we use to inform decision-making and policy are drawn from UCAS application forms and a range of publicly available national datasets.

For the 2024/25 admissions cycle, applicants from UK state schools who are eligible for Home fees and meet one of the following contextual ‘flags’ will be considered for a Contextual offer:

'Individual Free School Meals flag': The applicant was eligible for Free School Meals at some point during the past six years as verified by UCAS.
'Neighbourhood flag': The applicant lives in an area which has a high level of deprivation (Index of Multiple Deprivation [IMD], 0-20%).
'School flag': The applicant completed their studies at schools/colleges where performance was below average and eligibility for Free School Meals was higher than average.

Check your eligibility

Please Note

Those students in areas of the UK for which school performance data are not available will only be flagged if they meet the Individual Free School Meals flag or the Neighbourhood flag in the first instance. A decision will be made on eligibility for a contextual offer based on individual circumstance.

Widening Participation programmes

Realising Opportunities, Pathways to Law, Pathways to Banking and Finance, Pathways to Engineering

If you successfully complete one of the post-16 programmes listed above, either through Warwick or another university, you may be considered for a contextual offer when applying to Warwick even if you do not meet the specific contextual data indicators in the section above. We refer to this as an Alternative offer and in the majority of cases the grades requirements are the same as the contextual offer. Any offer made will be dependent on meeting all other admissions criteria and students who have completed these programmes are not guaranteed to receive an offer.

If an offer is made it will be one of the following:

Dual offer: This gives you a Standard offer in accordance with our published entry criteria and an Alternative offer of the reduced grade* as long as you successfully complete the programme you are on; or

Contextual offer: A reduced grade* offer because you already meet the specific contextual data indicators outlined in the section above.

*Reduced grade offers are up to 2 A level grades, or up to 4 International Baccalaureate points, lower than the standard offer for entry to that course. An additional requirement such as an admissions test may also be removed.

Course exemptions

There are no course exemptions. Alternative offers for post-16 programme participants will be made for all degree courses at the University of Warwick where an offer is made.

Warwick Scholars Access

Applicants who are participating in the post-16 Warwick Scholars access programme are guaranteed to receive an offer for the course specified when they joined the programme. Please visit Warwick Scholars for more information about qualifying for the Warwick Scholars reduced grade offer.

In some cases Warwick Scholars may receive a Dual offer. This would usually be made up of a Standard offer in accordance with our published entry criteria or a Contextual offer plus an Alternative offer of the Warwick Scholars reduced grades if you successfully complete the programme.

Warwick Scholars Undergraduate Programme

All students who successfully complete one of the five post-16 programmes listed above will be invited to join the Warwick Scholars undergraduate programme upon gaining a place at the university by meeting the terms of their offer.

Courses available and entry requirements

For more information on the range of courses available and typical entry requirements, please visit our study pages. Remember that it is important for you to check the individual requirements for the course you are interested in and what this means for you.

Applicants who have spent time in care

Any care experienced applicant who is eligible for Home fees, and has been a 'looked after child' for at least 3 months will be eligible to receive a Contextual Offer without having to meet any other indicators.

This will require supporting evidence, such as:

Written confirmation of your care experience in your UCAS reference - your referee can note this down in the 'Extenuating Circumstances' section of the reference;
A signed letter or email from your school, social worker or personal advisor confirming you are care experienced;
Evidence that the applicant has been in receipt of Income Support and Housing Benefit during their post-16 education;
A letter confirming the applicant is or has been a Foyer resident;
A copy of a letter/certificate of adoption.

Please note: We rely on self-declared information from UCAS application forms to identify students who have indicated they are care experienced. We consider applicants who are care experienced and have attended independent schools.

For information about the support available for care experienced students at Warwick, please go to:

https://warwick.ac.uk/study/outreach/disruptededucation/careepxerienced

If you have any specific questions related to time in care please e-mail our WP lifecycle team: lifecycleteam@warwick.ac.uk

Estranged Students

An 'estranged student' is a young person under the age of 25 who is studying without the support and approval of both of their parents due to a breakdown in their relationship – this might be their birth, step or adoptive parents, and sometimes their wider family members.

Any estranged applicant who is eligible for Home fees will be eligible to receive a Contextual Offer without having to meet any other indicators.

This will require supporting evidence, such as:

Written confirmation of your estranged status in your UCAS reference - your referee can note this down in the 'Extenuating Circumstances' section of the reference;
A signed letter or email from your school, social worker or personal advisor confirming you are estranged from both of your parents;
Evidence that you have been in receipt of Income Support and Housing Benefit during their post-16 education;
A letter confirming you are, or have been a Foyer resident;
A copy of your Student Finance assessment, stating that you have been assessed as Independent due to being estranged from both of your parents.

Please note:We rely on self-declared information from UCAS application forms to identify students who have indicated that they are estranged from both of their parents by selecting the 'estranged' option in the 'More About You' section. We consider applicants who are estranged from both parents and have attended independent schools.

For information about the support available for estranged students at Warwick, please go to:

https://warwick.ac.uk/study/outreach/disruptededucation/estranged-students/

If you have any specific questions related to estranged students please e-mail our WP lifecycle team: lifecycleteam@warwick.ac.uk

Refugees

Applicants who are based in the UK and eligible for Home fees, and who have either ‘humanitarian protection’, refugee status or limited leave under the UKVI Afghan or Ukraine schemes may be eligible to receive a Contextual Offer without having to meet other indicators. Contextual Offers can only be made to these applicants if they have studied A levels or equivalent qualifications in a UK school or college.

If you are unsure about your current immigration status please speak to your solicitor or to your family members if you are listed as a dependant on a family member’s immigration application. Applicants may be asked to provide additional supporting evidence of current immigration status, with documentation such as a Biometric Residence Permit, Home Office letters or a solicitor’s letter.

Please note: self-declared information from UCAS application forms is used to identify those students that have indicated they are refugees.

If you have any specific questions related to the criteria used to determine refugee or asylum seeker status please e-mail our undergraduate admissions team at: ugadmissions@warwick.ac.uk

Application process

Please apply as normal through UCAS: there is no need to do anything extra.
Applications will be assessed in the usual way against standard entry criteria.
You will need to be a Home fee paying applicant, from a state school.
The offer only applies to Undergraduate (UG) entry programmes; foundation year and graduate programmes (including Medicine) are excluded.
If you meet the contextual data criteria and qualify for an offer on academic selection, you will be made a conditional offer with reduced academic conditions. The Contextual Offer will be up to 2 grades lower than the Standard Offer (e.g. AAB rather than AAA) and/or may remove an additional requirement such as an admissions test.
Find out more information about Widening Participation at the University.

If you have any queries regarding your eligibility for a contextual offer or clarification of criteria, please contact us at contextualdata@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window. Please be advised that we cannot assist with queries related to what your offer will be, whether you will receive an offer or any questions regarding qualifications. These queries should be directed to ugadmissions@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window.

Questions?

You might be interested in our frequently asked questions.