Widening Access at UWS

What is Widening Participation?

At UWS widening participation has always been central to our institution. We believe in supporting and enabling students to achieve their potential regardless of their background. 

Widening participation addresses patterns of under-representation in higher education.  It is also part of a governmental education policy in Scotland and the UK.  Widening Participation attempts to increase the proportion of young people entering higher education, from under-represented groups.  UWS works with prospective students from groups that are currently under-represented, including students:

• From low income backgrounds and low socioeconomic groups
• Who are the first in their generation to consider higher education
• Who attend schools and colleges where performance is below the national average, this includes FOCUS West or SHEP schools.
• Who are care experienced
• Who are young carers
• Who are estranged from their families
• From under-represented ethnic backgrounds

Widening Access at UWS

UWS is committed to Widening Access and works on many pre-entry initiatives to encourage applicants from all backgrounds to study here.

• FOCUS West Routes for All Programme working with schools across the West of Scotland with low progression to higher education and encouraging young people to look at higher education after school 
• Access to a Career in Education (ACE) – a UWS initiative working to support young pupils in Ayrshire schools who are interested in a career in teaching
• Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) for adults returning to study 
• College Transition Support and articulation 
• Contextual Admissions
• Supporting Care Experienced, Estranged and Student Carers with pre-entry advice and guidance in schools and communities across Scotland 
• Corporate Parenting at UWS 
• Other Support - We also offer additional support to asylum seekers and refugees and military veterans and their families at UWS. 

  For more information on any of the above programmes please contact Alison Hillis on Alison.hillis@uws.ac.uk