We’re dedicated to making an excellent university education available to everyone, whatever their background.
That’s why we offer contextual admissions. This is where we look at each student individually and consider your personal circumstances. We may then offer you a place on a course with potentially lower entry requirements or additional support.
These offers are designed to recognise students who may have faced challenges that impacted their educational journey and provide a fair opportunity to attend and succeed in at university.
Alongside this, to further enhance the support we provide, students who receive a contextual offer will also be considered for a contextual offer scholarship. This scholarship, which is awarded after enrolment, is designed to help with the cost of student living.
Please note that the scholarship is not guaranteed for all contextual offer holders, as additional assessments will be made by our admissions team to determine eligibility.
What information is used?
Our contextual admissions process looks at things like if someone is a young carer, where they live, their household income, what school they went to, and more.
This helps us find students who might have faced challenges but still have what it takes to succeed at Solent university.
Who is eligible?
Our contextual offers are available to UK national students who have applied for a full-time, three or four year undergraduate course at Southampton Solent University, and will be commencing their first year of study with the University starting in September 2026.
To be considered, students must have made Southampton Solent University their firm choice university by the UCAS equal consideration deadline of Wednesday 14 January 2026, and meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Students from areas with low income or high deprivation, according to the UK: Index of Multiple Deprivation (quintile 1 and 2)
- They are from an area where not many people go to university, according to the Office for Students' Participation of Local Areas data (POLAR 4, quintile 1)
- They are a care leaver or have been a looked-after child (declared on your UCAS application).
Please note, contextual offers are not available through Clearing.
How to apply
- Students must apply for their course of study through UCAS, like usual.
- The Solent admissions team will review your eligibility and contact you directly to make you a contextual admissions offer.
What you get
- Extra consideration, even if your grades aren't perfect.
- The possibility of being offered an interview.
- A lower offer than the usual entry requirements.
- Consideration for a contextual offer scholarship, subject to additional assessment by our admissions team.
How offers are calculated
- Meeting one criterion reduces the UCAS points needed for your course by at least 16 points.
- Meeting two or more criteria reduces the UCAS points needed by at least 32 points.
- The exact offer will depend on the qualifications you are currently studying or have achieved.
Contextual offer scholarship
Find out more about the contextual offer scholarship. This £500 scholarship aims to support eligible students with the cost of student living or course tuition fees.
Find out moreIf you are assessed as eligible for a contextual offer and offered a place at Solent, your contextual offer will show up on UCAS Hub once your offer is made by the University.
You will receive an offer letter via the Solent University applicant portal, which will confirm your contextual offer.
