Access Sheffield policies (Contextual admissions)

Our Access Sheffield policies help to ensure that everyone who has the potential to succeed on our courses has the opportunity to do so. Find out more about how we use contextual data in our admissions decisions at Sheffield.

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Contextual data

As part of the selection process for our undergraduate courses, we review contextual data and use this additional information about your application to support our decision-making.

Contextual data sets your application in its educational and or socio-economic context, meaning we take into account challenges you might have faced in your education and how these might have affected your performance in qualifications.

Admissions decisions are not made on the basis of contextual data alone, and we may contact you for more information about your circumstances to help us properly consider your application.

Contextual offers

If you meet one or more of the Access Sheffield criteria set out below, you could get a contextual offer. A contextual offer takes into account your academic achievements, your personal situation and your potential to succeed.

We’ll give your application additional consideration when we receive it and when exam results are released. If we offer you a place, we may also be able to make you a lower offer.

What is a lower offer?

If you're eligible for a contextual offer and are taking A Levels, our lower offer will be either one, two or three grades below the standard requirements. If you're taking other qualifications, we'll apply an equivalent reduction.

For example, if the standard offer is AAB with an A in Maths, the contextual offer could be ABB with an A in Maths.

Contextual offers are listed under ‘Access Sheffield offer’ in the entry requirements section of course entries in our online prospectus.

In a small number of cases, we aren't able to issue a lower offer to eligible applicants because of the combination of the qualifications they're taking and the entry requirements for their course. But we'll still give your application additional consideration.

You must have home fee paying status in order to benefit from the contextual offer. Separate terms apply if you're identified as a forced migrant.

Who's eligible for a contextual offer?

Students taking additional qualifications

If you're taking certain additional qualifications alongside your standard Level 3 programme, we may be able to make you a contextual offer subject to you achieving a certain level in the additional qualification. We'll issue this alongside our regular, Level 3 only offer, giving you two routes to join us.

Students taking the Extended Project Qualifications (EPQ)

Eligibility

You should be completing, or have completed, your Extended Project Qualification on a topic we consider relevant to your degree course choice, in addition to a set of 3 or more A Levels, or equivalent.

How to notify us

We’ll identify your eligibility from the qualifications information in your UCAS application. Make sure any additional qualifications are included either as Completed/Certified qualifications with a final grade, or as Not Yet Completed qualifications with a predicted grade confirmed by your school or college.

Contextual offer

Depending on the course you've applied for, we may be able to make you a contextual offer equivalent to one A Level grade below the standard entry requirements for your course, subject to you achieving a specific grade in the EPQ. You can check which courses make contextual offers in our online prospectus.

Students taking Core Maths

Eligibility

You should be taking or have completed one of the following Core Maths qualifications, in addition to a set of 3 or more A Levels, or equivalent:

AQA Level 3 Certificate Mathematical Studies
City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate in Using and Applying Mathematics
NCFE Level 3 Certificate in Mathematics for Everyday Life
OCR Level 3 Certificate in Core Maths A (MEI)
OCR Level 3 Certificate in Core Maths B (MEI)
Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Certificate in Mathematics in Context

How to notify us

We’ll identify your eligibility from the qualifications information in your UCAS application. Make sure any additional qualifications are included either as Completed/Certified qualifications with a final grade, or as Not Yet Completed qualifications with a predicted grade confirmed by your school or college.

Contextual offer

If we offer you a place on certain courses with a GCSE Maths requirement, we'll make you a contextual offer equivalent to one A Level grade below the standard entry requirements for your course, subject to you achieving a specific grade in Core Maths. You can check which courses make alternative offers in our online prospectus.

Students taking Further Maths

Eligibility

You should be taking or have completed an A Level or AS Level in Further Maths.

How to notify us

We’ll identify your eligibility from the qualifications information in your UCAS application. Make sure any additional qualifications are included either as Completed/Certified qualifications with a final grade, or as Not Yet Completed qualifications with a predicted grade confirmed by your school or college.

Contextual offer

If we offer you a place on certain courses with an A Level Maths requirement, we'll make you a contextual offer equivalent to one A Level grade below the standard entry requirements, subject to you achieving a specific grade in Further Maths. You can check which courses make alternative offers in our online prospectus.

Students eligible for our Access+ support

If you're from one or more of the following backgrounds covered by our Access+ scheme you could be eligible for a contextual offer, as well as additional consideration when exam results are released.

Residents of neighbourhoods with low participation in higher education or areas of disadvantage (2025 entry)

Eligibility

You should live in a postcode area with a low level of participation in higher education (POLAR4 quintile 1) or a neighbourhood that is assessed as being in a lower quintile in the Governments Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD quintile of 1 or 2).

You can check your area by searching for your postcode on our 2025 entry postcode checker.

To benefit from a contextual offer when exam results are released, you'll also need to have made Sheffield your Firm choice with UCAS.

How to notify us

We receive information about where you live directly from UCAS, so you don't need to do anything. We'll assess your eligibility automatically.

Contextual offer

You’ll be eligible for a contextual offer up to two grades below the standard A Level entry requirements for your course.

If you miss the conditions of your offer, we’ll give your application additional consideration to see whether you might still be sufficiently prepared for degree study with us.

You can get additional support as an Access+ student.

Students who are care experienced

Eligibility

You should’ve lived in public care or as a looked-after child at any stage of your life up to the age of 18, including if you:

Were adopted from care or left care with a Special Guardianship Order before the age of 18
Lived with foster carers or in a residential children's home
Have been looked after under a supervision order; or
Have lived with friends or relatives in formal kinship care under a Local Authority but are not currently recognised by your Local Authority as a care leaver in receipt of statutory support

This doesn't cover time spent in boarding schools, working in care or healthcare settings, or if you're a carer yourself (see below).

To benefit from a contextual offer when exam results are released, you'll also need to make Sheffield your Firm choice with UCAS.

How to notify us

Please let us know that you're care experienced in your UCAS application.

If you haven’t done this, you can still tell us using our Access+ eligibility declaration.

We'd also encourage you to complete our Disrupted Studies form, particularly if you believe your circumstances may have affected, or go on to affect, your ability to meet our entry requirements (standard or contextual).

Contextual offer

You’ll be eligible for a contextual offer up to two grades below the standard A Level entry requirements for your course.

If you miss the conditions of your offer, we’ll give your application additional consideration to see whether you might still be sufficiently prepared for degree study with us.

You can get additional support as an Access+ student.

Students who are care leavers

Eligibility

You should be recognised by your Local Authority as a 'care leaver' or were in the past.

Have been looked after by a local authority for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14; and
Were looked after by the local authority at school-leaving age or after that date

This doesn't cover time spent in boarding schools, working in care or healthcare settings, or if you're a carer yourself (see below).

To benefit from a contextual offer when exam results are released, you'll also need to make Sheffield your Firm choice with UCAS.

How to notify us

Please let us know that you're a care leaver in your UCAS application.

If you haven’t done this, you can still tell us using our Access+ eligibility declaration.

We'd also encourage you to complete our Disrupted Studies form, particularly if you believe your circumstances may have affected, or go on to affect, your ability to meet our entry requirements (standard or contextual).

Contextual offer

You’ll be eligible for a contextual offer up to two grades below the standard A Level entry requirements for your course.

If you miss the conditions of your offer, we’ll give your application additional consideration to see whether you might still be sufficiently prepared for degree study with us.

You can get additional support as an Access+ student.

Students who are carers

Eligibility

You should be responsible for providing unpaid care to someone who has, for example:

A long-term illness
A physical or learning disability
A mental health condition
An addiction; or
Temporary care needs following, for example, an accident or operation

To benefit from a contextual offer when exam results are released, you'll also need to make Sheffield your Firm choice with UCAS.

How to notify us

Please let us know that you're a carer in your UCAS application.

If you haven’t done this, you can still tell us using our Access+ eligibility declaration.

We'd also encourage you to complete our Disrupted Studies form, particularly if you believe your circumstances may have affected, or go on to affect, your ability to meet our entry requirements (standard or contextual).

Contextual offer

You’ll be eligible for a contextual offer up to two grades below the standard A Level entry requirements for your course.

If you miss the conditions of your offer, we’ll give your application additional consideration to see whether you might still be sufficiently prepared for degree study with us.

You can get additional support as an Access+ student.

You could also get further specialised support as a carer.

Students who are estranged from their families

Eligibility

Estranged students have no relationship with, or support from, their parent(s) or carer(s). We'll consider you an estranged student if:

You haven't communicated with your parents for 12 months prior to the start of your degree course and the situation is irreconcilable; or
Both your biological or adoptive parents are deceased; or
Your parents can't be traced or it isn't practicable or safe for you to make contact with them

To benefit from a contextual offer when exam results are released, you'll also need to make Sheffield your Firm choice with UCAS.

How to notify us

Please let us know that you're estranged from your family in your UCAS application.

If you haven’t done this, you can still tell us using our Access+ eligibility declaration.

We'd also encourage you to complete our Disrupted Studies form, particularly if you believe your circumstances may have affected, or go on to affect, your ability to meet our entry requirements (standard or contextual).

Contextual offer

You’ll be eligible for a contextual offer up to two grades below the standard A Level entry requirements for your course.

If you miss the conditions of your offer, we’ll give your application additional consideration to see whether you might still be sufficiently prepared for degree study with us.

You can get additional support as an Access+ student.

Students who have parenting responsibilities

Eligibility

You should be a parent of, or responsible for the care and wellbeing of, a child aged 17 or under. This includes being:

A biological parent
A step-parent
An adoptive or legal parent
A legally-appointed guardian
A foster carer; or
Someone who provides kinship or other parental care to a child or a family member or friend

To benefit from a contextual offer when exam results are released, you'll also need to make Sheffield your Firm choice with UCAS.

How to notify us

Please let us know that you have parenting responsibilities in your UCAS application.

If you haven’t done this, you can still tell us using our Access+ eligibility declaration

We'd also encourage you to complete our Disrupted Studies form, particularly if you believe your circumstances may have affected, or go on to affect, your ability to meet our entry requirements (standard or contextual).

Contextual offer

You’ll be eligible for a contextual offer up to two grades below the standard A Level entry requirements for your course.

If you miss the conditions of your offer, we’ll give your application additional consideration to see whether you might still be sufficiently prepared for degree study with us.

You can get additional support as an Access+ student.

Students entitled to free school meals

Eligibility

You should have been entitled to free school meals at some point during the six years prior to your final KS4 year (the year you were aged 15-16).

School pupils in the UK are normally entitled to free school meals if their parents or carers are on a low income or in receipt of certain benefits. If you’re not sure, your school will be able to confirm this for you. You may also be entitled if you're paid qualifying benefits directly, instead of through your parent or carer.

To benefit from a contextual offer when exam results are released, you'll also need to make Sheffield your Firm choice with UCAS.

How to notify us

We receive information about free school meal eligibility from data sourced directly from the National Pupil Database, so you don't need to do anything. We'll assess your eligibility automatically.

Contextual offer

You’ll be eligible for a contextual offer up to two grades below the standard A Level entry requirements for your course.

If you miss the conditions of your offer, we’ll give your application additional consideration to see whether you might still be sufficiently prepared for degree study with us.

You can get additional support as an Access+ student.

Students who are forced migrants

Eligibility

You should:

Have official refugee status or limited leave to remain; or
Be seeking asylum

This includes if:

The UK government has granted you refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK
You have limited or discretionary leave to remain in the UK; or
You're currently seeking asylum in the UK

How to notify us

Please let us know that you're a forced migrant in your UCAS application.

If you haven’t done this, you can still tell us using our Access+ eligibility declaration.

We'd also encourage you to complete our Disrupted Studies form, particularly if you believe your circumstances may have affected, or go on to affect, your ability to meet our entry requirements (standard or contextual).

Contextual offer

You’ll be eligible for a contextual offer up to two grades below the standard A Level entry requirements for your course.

If you miss the conditions of your offer, we’ll give your application additional consideration to see whether you might still be sufficiently prepared for degree study with us.

You can get additional support as an Access+ student.

Students who have participated in a widening access programme

If you've participated in one of the access programmes offered by the University of Sheffield, or the national Realising Opportunities programme, you'll be eligible for a contextual offer.

Participants in our post-16 Discover programme

Eligibility

You should be participating or have participated in one of our post-16 Discover pathways when you apply, and you should go on to meet the participation benchmark.

If you've applied for the MBChB Medicine (A100), to benefit from a contextual offer when exam results are released, you'll need to make Sheffield your Firm choice with UCAS. For other courses, the contextual offer will apply whether you select Sheffield as your Firm or your Insurance choice.

How to notify us

You don't need to do anything, our academic selectors will already be aware of your participation in the programme.

Contextual offer

You'll be eligible for a contextual offer equivalent to up to two A Level grades below the standard entry requirements for your course (three grades for A*AA computer sciences courses), where all other requirements for the course have been or can be met (for example required subjects, GCSE requirements, pre-entry tests, and portfolio requirements).

Participants in the Realising Opportunities programme

Eligibility

You should be participating or have participated in the programme when you apply, and you should go on to successfully complete all elements of the programme.

How to notify us

You don't need to do anything, our academic selectors will already be aware of your participation in the programme.

Contextual offer

You'll be eligible for a contextual offer equivalent to up to two A Level grades below the standard entry requirements for your course (three grades for A*AA computer sciences courses), where all other requirements for the course have been or can be met (for example required subjects, GCSE requirements, pre-entry tests, and portfolio requirements).

You must have home fee paying status in order to benefit from the contextual offer. Separate terms apply if you're identified as a forced migrant.

Participants in our National Discover Sheffield programme

Eligibility

You should be participating or have participated in the programme when you apply, and you should go on to meet the programme's participation benchmark.

To qualify for a contextual offer for our MBChB Medicine (A100) or BDS Dental Surgery (A200), you should have participated in additional mandatory elements of the programme.

If you've applied for the MBChB Medicine (A100), to benefit from a contextual offer when exam results are released, you'll need to make Sheffield your Firm choice with UCAS. For other courses, the contextual offer will apply whether you select Sheffield as your Firm or your Insurance choice.

How to notify us

You don't need to do anything, our academic selectors will already be aware of your participation in the programme.

Contextual offer

You'll be eligible for a contextual offer equivalent to up to two A Level grades below the standard entry requirements for your course (three grades for A*AA computer sciences courses), where all other requirements for the course have been or can be met (for example required subjects, GCSE requirements, pre-entry tests, and portfolio requirements).

Participants in our post-16 US in Schools Mentoring programme

Eligibility

You should be participating or have participated in the programme when you apply, and you should go on to meet the programme's participation benchmark.

To qualify for a contextual offer for our MBChB Medicine (A100) or BDS Dental Surgery (A200), you should have participated in additional mandatory elements of the programme.

If you've applied for the MBChB Medicine (A100), to benefit from a contextual offer when exam results are released, you'll need to make Sheffield your Firm choice with UCAS. For other courses, the contextual offer will apply whether you select Sheffield as your Firm or your Insurance choice.

How to notify us

You don't need to do anything, our academic selectors will already be aware of your participation in the programme.

Contextual offer

You'll be eligible for a contextual offer equivalent to up to two A Level grades below the standard entry requirements for your course (three grades for A*AA computer sciences courses), where all other requirements for the course have been or can be met (for example required subjects, GCSE requirements, pre-entry tests, and portfolio requirements).

Participants in our Access to Sheffield (Y12-13) programme

Eligibility

You should be participating or have participated in one of our Access to Sheffield (Y12-13) programmes when you apply, and you should go on to meet the participation benchmark.

If you've applied for the MBChB Medicine (A100), to benefit from a contextual offer when exam results are released, you'll need to make Sheffield your Firm choice with UCAS. For other courses, the contextual offer will apply whether you select Sheffield as your Firm or your Insurance choice.

How to notify us

You don't need to do anything, our academic selectors will already be aware of your participation in the programme.

Contextual offer

You'll be eligible for a contextual offer equivalent to up to two A Level grades below the standard entry requirements for your course (three grades for A*AA computer sciences courses), where all other requirements for the course have been or can be met (for example required subjects, GCSE requirements, pre-entry tests, and portfolio requirements).

You must have home fee paying status in order to benefit from the contextual offer. Separate terms apply if you're identified as a forced migrant.

Participants in our Access to Sheffield Summer School

Eligibility

You should have participated in our Access to Sheffield Summer School when you apply.

How to notify us

You don't need to do anything, our academic selectors will already be aware of your participation in the programme.

Contextual offer

You'll be eligible for a contextual offer equivalent to up to two A Level grades below the standard entry requirements for your course (three grades for A*AA computer sciences courses), where all other requirements for the course have been or can be met (for example required subjects, GCSE requirements, pre-entry tests, and portfolio requirements).

You must have home fee paying status in order to benefit from the contextual offer. Separate terms apply if you're identified as a forced migrant.

Participants in our Sutton Trust Summer School

Eligibility

You should have participated in our Sutton Trust Summer School when you apply.

How to notify us

You don't need to do anything, our academic selectors will already be aware of your participation in the programme.

Contextual offer

You'll be eligible for a contextual offer equivalent to up to two A Level grades below the standard entry requirements for your course (three grades for A*AA computer sciences courses), where all other requirements for the course have been or can be met (for example required subjects, GCSE requirements, pre-entry tests, and portfolio requirements).

You must have home fee paying status in order to benefit from the contextual offer. Separate terms apply if you're identified as a forced migrant.

Who's eligible for additional consideration?

Disrupted studies and mature students

If your studies have been disrupted, or if you're a mature student, we'll give your application additional consideration throughout the assessment process.

Mature students

Eligibility

You should be aged 21 or over when your course starts.

How to notify us

We receive information about your age directly from UCAS, so you don't need to do anything.

Additional consideration available

If you don't meet our standard entry requirements, we'll give your application additional consideration, to see if you have alternative qualifications or experience that will have prepared you for your course.

If we're unable to make you an offer for direct entry to a degree course, one of our foundation courses may be suitable for you. If so, we'll refer your application to our Department for Lifelong Learning for further consideration.

Students successfully completing a Department for Lifelong Learning foundation course are guaranteed progression to our standard degree courses.

Department for Lifelong Learning foundation courses

Students who have experienced Disrupted Studies

Eligibility

Disrupted studies covers issues of a personal, social or domestic nature that have affected either your post-16 studies, or your performance in any GCSE subjects, cited in our course entry requirements.

How to notify us

You can let us know by completing our Disrupted Studies form.

Ideally you should submit the form at the same time as your UCAS application, but the deadline for submission is 31 July of the academic year in which you apply.

Additional consideration available

If we accept your notification, we'll give your application additional consideration when we assess whether or not to make you an offer, and again when exam results are released.

Applying

You’ll apply for your chosen course/s in the normal way through UCAS. Some of our policies are activated automatically when we receive your application. For others, we'll need you to supply more information about your circumstances. We’ll get in touch if we need more information from you.

Applying for undergraduate study at Sheffield? Read our applying essentials to get ready to complete your application.

Still deciding? Visit us on campus or virtually to find out more about Sheffield.

Get in touch

If you have any questions about our Access Sheffield policies, you can contact our Access Service at access@sheffield.ac.uk.