Lancaster Contextual offer

[Toffeebananachocolate]

DD has found out she has a late offer place on the Lancaster Access Programme contextual offers scheme. She is year 13, has already applied to Lancaster and has been offered a non-contextual offer of ABB.

On the website, it says that Lancaster Access Programme students will receive an alternative offer of up to three grades lower. My question is, do they actually offer three grades lower? Or perhaps one or two grades lower? Most Uni's are explicit in the reduced offer via contextual schemes e.g. it explicitly says that you will receive an offer one grade lower or two grades lower etc. I know that a standard contextual offer (non widening opportunity programme) at Lancaster is a two grade reduction, but the Lancaster Access Programme says up to three grades lower.

Would be really helpful to know how they do this. Know it probably a long shot that someone on here might know as it's a fairly niche question! Thank you in advance. 🙏

My DD was offered one grade below each A level for doing the Access course, the grade on her course was ABB and the contextual offer was BCC. If your DD does decide to go there she will receive an extra bursary of £1000 every year of the course for completing the access course. My DD is loving it there so far.

@Teawithchocolate thank you for responding to the chat. A three grade adjustment is what DD was hoping for, so fingers crossed she gets the same as your DD. We are based in the south and don't really know anyone who has been to Lancaster. From everything I have read, though, it sounds like a great Uni and DD is very keen.

Do students normally move into the city from Y2 onwards? It doesn't look particularly close on google maps.

Do you mind me asking what course your DD is doing? It's really good to hear that she is enjoying the Uni.

Also @Teawithchocolate, is there a lot of work involved in doing the Access course? What do they have to do? Can you fail it?

Sorry for all the questions! We just don't know much about it. 🙏

For the Access course you have to gain a set amount of credits depending on what year you start the course year 13 will need less credits than if you start the course in year 12. Then you gain points for doing things like visiting the University in person and providing feedback back your visit.

There are also lots of activities you can do online such as workshops learning about study techniques and student finance to gather credits by providing feedback, the course is designed around university preparation, providing she collects the required number of credits your DD won't fail.

My DD is studying fine art and yes students live off campus in the 2nd year, the town centre is not far from the university and there are regular buses to the university for students to commute to, there are areas in between the university and town centre where students live too, such as near the city Williamson park, hope that helps.

I would also point out that Lancaster are also one of the unis who quite often accept student s who kiss their grades because they aren't seen as "desired" by many students due to location and non RG status despite being very highly ranked. Personally I think they are great and hope you all get your places and love it there.

@Teawithchocolate, that's great to hear. So basically just participating in activities and feeding back. DD can do that 😊!

She's very enthusiastic about Lancaster and we will both be visiting the campus sometime in February.

Brilliant about you visiting in February, the offer holder day sealed my DD's decision to choose Lancaster.

DD is definitely edging towards Lancaster. Course sounds good and apparently in the first year you can choose two modules from different courses which is interesting.

The Lancaster Access Scheme opportunity is the cherry on the cake really. Fingers crossed that the campus visit is a success. 🤞🤞🤞

My DD is doing a module in a different subject along with her course. 🤞 for your visit, there are quite a lot of videos on YouTube from students who study there.

@Teawithchocolate will take a look online. Thanks for the tip.