Initiatives to improve access to graduate study
In addition to UNIQ+, Academic Futures and funding for under-represented groups, we have launched other pioneering initiatives to improve access to graduate study.
Pilot initiatives
A number of departments have pilot initiatives to improve postgraduate access for under-represented and socio-economically disadvantaged groups at the University of Oxford.
The pilots aim specifically at better contextualising the admissions procedure for graduate applicants, in order to improve the fairness of the assessment and selection process, and minimise conscious and unconscious bias. The initiatives being undertaken are described on this page and vary between departments and in some cases between courses offered by the same department.
These initiatives apply only to the course selection procedure. The college selection procedure has not been amended and will be undertaken in the same way for all graduate courses.
Collection and use of contextual data
The University currently collects a range of contextual data from candidates who apply for graduate study. For some courses, this information is only used for research purposes, to understand the demographics of those applying and of those who are offered places.
However, for courses taking part in an initiative to better understand the context of your achievements and the challenges that you might have faced in your education to date, this data may also be used at several stages in the assessment and selection process.
Further information about the collection and use of contextual data can be found in our Application Guide, including a list of courses taking part in this initiative. The How to apply section of individual course pages will also indicate if a course is taking part in this initiative.
Contextual statement
We recognise that the socio-economic data that we collect may not fully capture an individual student’s personal circumstances or educational trajectory. Applicants who meet a range of defined criteria are encouraged to submit a statement providing additional details about their personal circumstances, using the contextual statement form.
Further information about the contextual statement initiative can be found in our Application Guide, including a list of courses taking part in this initiative. The How to apply section of individual course pages will also indicate if a course is taking part in this initiative.
Shortlisting Black-British students for interview
For some courses, applicants identifying as Black British will automatically be interviewed if they meet certain criteria.
Further information about shortlisting applicants identifying as Black British can be found in our Application Guide, including a list of courses taking part in this initiative. The How to apply section of individual course pages will also indicate if a course is taking part in this initiative.
topPositive action under the Equality Act 2010
The University is also taking positive action under the Equality Act 2010 to tackle the underrepresentation of UK students from Black, Bangladeshi and Pakistani backgrounds at Oxford and to encourage more students from these groups to apply for graduate study.
topApplication fee waivers
A standard application for graduate study requires the payment of an application fee. These fees are used to support the University’s graduate access and widening participation initiatives for applicants or students from disadvantaged or underrepresented groups at Oxford. This helps us particularly to support applicants and potential applicants from all backgrounds, at every stage of their journey into graduate study at Oxford. A range of application fee waiver schemes are available to applicants who meet defined eligibility criteria.
Further information about application fee waivers can be found in our Application Guide, including full details of the various schemes and their eligibility criteria.
topClose the Gap
The ‘Close the Gap’ project aims to transform doctoral student selection to develop a socially and epistemically just and inclusive environment for research. It is an equal partnership between the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. It is one of thirteen projects to improve access to doctoral study for UK Black, Asian and minority ethnic students, which are partially funded by the Office for Students and Research England.
Close the Gap has developed and is testing new disciplinary-specific, race-literate, fair selection processes that are designed to bring about meaningful change in postgraduate research and doctoral candidate selection. In particular, it is working to address the underrepresentation of Black British, British Bangladeshi and British Pakistani students in postgraduate research in the UK overall and in all major discipline groups at doctoral level in the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
In the following short film, students from Oxford and Cambridge describe the importance of widening access to postgraduate study.
The Toolkit for Fair Doctoral Admissions
The final output of Close the Gap is the Toolkit for Fair Doctoral Admissions for Ethnically and Racially Minoritised Applicants (PDF). It offers an overarching, collaborative approach to reviewing and reforming doctoral admissions to promote fairer practices for ethnically and racially minoritised groups.
The toolkit was championed at its launch in October 2025 by the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge, Professor Deborah Prentice, and the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford, Professor Irene Tracey, who provided the opening addresses and contextualised the project's significance.
Toolkit Structure
The Toolkit is structured around three components:
- Understanding the Issue – identifying where disparities exist and potential underlying causes of inequalities.
- Developing and Implementing Solutions – co-developing tailored admissions initiatives based on insights from analysis.
- Evaluating and Sustaining Change – refining initiatives and embedding long-term improvements within institutional practice.
It also includes nine detailed resource packs for specific, tested initiatives, covering topics such as:
- Communications with prospective supervisors
- Competency-based admissions
- Contextual data usage
- Race-equitable interview practices
Using the Toolkit
Designed for those shaping PhD admissions policy and strategy within UK higher education, the Toolkit combines a clear review of the factors driving inequities with practical tools to address them. Institutions can work through the whole Toolkit or use specific sections and resource packs to tackle particular challenges, supporting fairer and more inclusive admissions.
If you'd like to share your feedback on the toolkit or seek advice on how to incorporate its recommendations into your admissions processes, please reach out to the Close the Gap team at [email protected]
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