The first offers for a place on Oxford’s innovative new access programme, the ‘Astrophoria Foundation Year’, have been made to UK students.
This week, 35 applicants received offers to study at the University on a one-year fully funded course that aims to give motivated students the chance to reach their academic potential at Oxford. The offer includes the opportunity to live and study at one of ten Oxford colleges – including Jesus College.
The Astrophoria Foundation Year was launched last year for UK state school students who have experienced disadvantage or disruption during their education. It is designed to help students bridge the gap between A-levels and Oxford’s challenging undergraduate degrees, developing their academic skills, self-belief and confidence.
In total, there were 553 UK applications for places on the Astrophoria Foundation Year. The successful offer holders will study one of four foundation courses; Humanities (Classics, History, English and Theology); Chemistry, Engineering and Materials Science; Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE); or Law.
The entry requirements for the courses are lower than that for an undergraduate course at Oxford –for example where a subject requires AAA for a prospective undergraduate, Foundation Year students would need to achieve BBB. Students who pass their Foundation Year course at the required level will have the opportunity to progress onto the first year of their chosen undergraduate degree at Oxford without the need to reapply.
The other participating Colleges are Exeter, Keble, Lady Margaret Hall (LMH), Mansfield, Somerville, St Anne’s, St Hugh’s, Trinity, and Wadham. The students receive free tuition and accommodation, as well as a non-repayable bursary to cover their living costs.
Dr Alexandra Lumbers, Academic Director at Jesus, said, “The Astrophoria Foundation Year (AFY) provides an incredible opportunity for young people with academic potential but who have faced significant disadvantages, to pursue their university dreams. We firmly believe that a university education here at Oxford, and at other leading universities across the UK, should be open to anyone with the ability and potential to benefit from it. This new access initiative furthers the College’s mission in this area, and we look forward to welcoming our first cohort of AFY students later this year”.
The Astrophoria Foundation Year is part of the University of Oxford’s efforts to increase participation from students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds.
Professor Martin Williams, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education), said: ‘We are delighted to be able to make the first ever offers for our innovative new access programme. The Astrophoria Foundation Year opens up the possibility of an Oxford education to talented young people who have experienced severe disadvantage and may not otherwise have been able to reach their academic potential here. The programme will, we hope, give these students the opportunity to gain the skills and confidence needed to go on to study as undergraduates here at Oxford.’