University welcomes help for poorer students
The University of Bradford offers a number of schemes to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds
- Published
The University of Bradford has welcomed further help for disadvantaged students.
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has confirmed the £28.50 it charges people to apply for university will be scrapped for some students from 2025.
The fee will be waived for any student who has received a free school meal at any point in the previous six years.
The university, which has its own schemes to support students from low-income backgrounds, said the move would help "break down barriers”.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Shirley Congdon said the announcement from UCAS was welcome.
“These initiatives will also help with the University of Bradford’s commitment to social mobility, helping to ensure that everyone who studies at Bradford fulfils their potential.”
The University of Bradford also has an Undergraduate Bursary Scheme which supports students from low-income households.
Meanwhile the Howard Opportunities Programme, supported by the Keith Howard Foundation, is designed to make it easier for under-represented groups to access higher education.
Leading university
The programme, which starts in September 2024, offers £400 per month towards living costs for working class white males from the Bradford district.
In 2023, the university was named the leading university in England for improving students' social mobility for the third year running.
The English Higher Education Social Mobility Index measures the change in a person's socio-economic situation as a result of attending a university.
Prof Congdon added at the time: "At Bradford, the principle of equality of opportunity is at the heart of who we are, what we do, how and why we do it," she said,
"We are fiercely committed to widening access to higher education through our approach to recruitment and admissions."
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