Is UNIQ for you?
Is UNIQ for you?
UNIQ is the University of Oxford’s access programme for UK state school students in their first year of further education. We prioritise places for students with good grades from backgrounds that are under-represented at Oxford and other universities. Every year more students from diverse backgrounds get offered places at Oxford with help from UNIQ.
There are three components to the UNIQ application criteria: our minimum criteria, your academic prior attainment, and your background. We will ask you for information about these three aspects through the online application form. Other than the minimum criteria, we use your information in context so the only way to tell if you will be able to get onto UNIQ is to apply!
We check the information that you provide, and your place on UNIQ may be withdrawn if we cannot verify it.
Minimum criteria
To be able to apply to UNIQ, you must fulfil all our minimum criteria regarding current institution, current studies, and residency status.
UK and Islands state school, college or sixth form
To apply to UNIQ, you MUST be currently studying at an UK and Islands state school or college in the first year of further education.
Current study
You MUST currently be:
- A year 12 student in England or Wales, in the first year of A level studies or equivalent, or
- A year 13 student in Northern Ireland, in the first year of A level studies or equivalent, or
- An S5 student in Scotland, studying Highers or equivalent
Age
(Updated.)
You must be under 18 years old at the time of the residential, and we would normally expect you to be 16 or 17 years old.
In certain extenuating circumstances there may be exceptions to this. If you will be 18 years old at the time of the residential but are in the correct year group (please see 'current study' section above) and you have faced severe personal disadvantage or disrupted education, you can apply to the programme.
Each application will be reviewed for eligibility and if you are offered a place it will be for the following:
- a place on our online sustained-contact programme, which provides in-depth information about the Oxford application process, as well as information about super curricular activity;
- a fully funded Open Day visit where you will also have the chance to meet academics and current students, take part in college tours, and visit the Open Day Information Centre to find out about the University’s extensive student services.
UK and Islands residency
You must be a UK or Islands resident settled in the UK or Crown Dependencies at the time of applying to UNIQ with no restrictions on the period for which you may stay in the UK and Islands. There is more information about this further down this page.
If you do not attend a state school you cannot apply to UNIQ. This includes if you attend a public school, an independent school, or a private school, even if your attendance is supported by any scholarships or bursaries. We cannot take applications from overseas students. Only UK and Islands state schools are selectable on our application form.
Academic attainment and potential
Because you will have only just started your further education studies, our academic selection is slightly different to applying to undergraduate study at Oxford as we put greater emphasis on your prior attainment rather than predicted grades. But we don't want students with academic potential to miss out on this great opportunity, and you may find that our grade requirements are lower than you might expect.
We would normally expect that you would have:
England, Wales, and Northern Ireland
A minimum of six GCSEs, with one or more at grade 7 or A and above (or equivalent).
Scotland
A minimum of six National 5s, with one or more at grade A. (Updated.)
Some of our UNIQ courses have further requirements and subject recommendations. Please check the course pages before you apply.
Your background
We offer places on UNIQ based on your merits and background.
We especially take into account:
Care experience
We will strongly prioritise your application if you have ever been or are currently in care, including foster arrangements, in a residential children's home, through a supervision order, or in kinship care. If you provide information about your care experience we may check this with a referee.
Free School Meals (FSM)
If you are currently eligible for Free School Meals or have ever been eligible for them in the past, then please note this in your application. Free School Meals are usually associated with a low household income or receipt of certain benefits. If you provide information about your past or present FSM status we will check this with your school or college.
Socioeconomic background
We will also assess information you provide as part of your application to take into account your socioeconomic background when selecting participants.
More information
Extenuating circumstances
We recognise that some students face additional difficulties in accessing their education, and as a result their academic results may not provide an accurate reflection of their academic potential. If there are any special circumstances that you would like us to consider in your application, please record these in your application in the ‘Extenuating Circumstances’ section provided on the application form.
Disability and special educational needs
UNIQ welcomes applications from students with disabilities or other needs and makes reasonable adjustments to facilitate access. You do not need to declare this at the point of application, but if we offer you a place you would be asked to let us know about anything that we would need to consider to accommodate your needs. This includes any access arrangements for the residential in Oxford.
If you would like more information about accessibility and resources for students, staff and visitors in Oxford more generally, please visit our Equality and Diversity disability support pages. Information about building accessibility can be found on the University's Access Guide or interactive map.
Residency of UK and Islands
To be eligible to apply for UNIQ you must be eligible for home fees status at the point that you would be applying for higher education.
That would normally mean that you should have been a resident in the UK (England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Island) for at least the three years before your first academic year in higher education. This residence should not have been wholly or mainly for the purposes of receiving full-time education. We cannot accept applications from overseas residents including those from the British Overseas Territories.
We now also accept applications from eligible students from the Crown Dependencies of the Isle of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark. This brings our criteria in line with the UK government's removal of the separate 'Islands' fees category. Note that if you are from the Channel Islands or Isle of Man, you will be entitled to different financial support to that of students from the rest of the UK. Find out more at:
For UNIQ 2025, residency requirements mean that you must have been resident in the UK and Islands from 1 September 2023, and that this residence should not have been wholly or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education during any part of it.
There are exceptions to this, as some students are granted home fee status despite not meeting the three-year requirement. Examples include students who have refugee status recognised by the UK Government (or who are a relevant family member of a refugee with recognised status) or students who have humanitarian protection status recognised by the UK Government (or are a relevant family member of a person with recognised humanitarian protection).
Fee status is defined by UK government regulations. More information can be found from the UK Council for International Student Affairs. If you are unsure if you are eligible to apply for UNIQ, please get in touch with us by email.
I have another question!
Take a look at our frequently asked questions. If you cannot find the answer there, please get in touch.
