Time is right for contextual admissions, study finds

Academics say contextual offers should be made instead of relying on exam results

Universities should stop awarding places to students based on who has the highest grades and switch to a model where all results are judged in the context of students’ socioeconomic background, researchers have argued.

In a report on fair university admissions, funded by the Nuffield Foundation and published on 14 January, Durham University researchers Vikki Boliver and Mandy Powell suggested that universities should consider reducing entry requirements for disadvantaged students by more than just one or two grades to level the playing field.