Access and Success

Helping thousands of students to thrive

A new fundraising project will transform support for students at Leeds and give thousands more the opportunity to thrive, no matter their background.

"It’s hard to overstate the disadvantages some students face," says Louise Banahene MBE, Director of Educational Engagement and Student Success at Leeds. "Whether it’s their background, financial situation, relationships with family, caring responsibilities or their mental and physical health."

A brand new fundraising project, Access and Success, will expand support at Leeds to create a long term, impactful range of solutions which improve access to university, and give all students the tools to succeed once there.

Why now?

The cost of living crisis combined with static maintenance loans have created a new set of unprecedented challenges for students – particularly those from less advantaged backgrounds, without family networks or with caring responsibilities.

In the 2023-24 academic year, once average student rent was taken from the average maintenance loan, students were left with just 50p a week to live. Applications for the University's emergency Financial Assistance Fund have jumped from 271 to 1,341 in just four years.

Intervention is needed now more than ever before.

Why Leeds?

Leeds offers a vast range of support to students from before they enrol to long after they graduate. Sector-leading programmes and scholarship schemes tackle issues holding students back. It is the perfect platform from which to build.

Access and Success will utilise years of Leeds expertise to expand support to reach thousands more students at the University – and beyond.

It will ensure thousands more students are able to thrive.

Discover the scope of Access and Success at Leeds.

Access to Leeds

Leeds already opens doors to higher education across society. As part of Access and Success, the continuation and advancement of initiatives in place at Leeds will be crucial:

  • The University works with charity IntoUniversity to engage pupils across three learning centres in South and East Leeds, providing long term and sustained support to overcome the multiple barriers to education.
  • The Thomas Transition programme (for 16-year-olds) and Reach for Excellence (for sixth form pupils) equip pupils from under-represented backgrounds with the skills, confidence and knowledge to move into higher education.
  • Access to Leeds is one of the UK’s largest contextual admissions schemes. It gives consideration to less-advantaged applicants based on their personal circumstances.

Success at Leeds

The University has a responsibility to ensure students have every opportunity to succeed whilst at Leeds. Access and Success will continue to develop its sector-leading schemes:

  • For 20 years scholarships have enabled students from less advantaged backgrounds to meet their basic needs and access the University’s full range of opportunities and experiences. The life-changing annual bursary provides financial security, allowing students to focus on their studies.
  • The Plus Programme provides extracurricular and pastoral support. It provides study skills sessions, social events, transition support, mentoring, employability opportunities, and careers guidance.

The Student Success Centre

The first of its kind

The University has committed to investing £1 million in the Student Success Centre – the first of its kind in the UK – over the next four years.

It will tackle those issues holding students back by introducing a number of new initiatives:

  • Peer mentoring: Proven to enhance the sense of belonging for students, a peer mentoring network will help to improve retention and attainment rates. Students will be supported by peers who have faced similar challenges to them.
  • Financial literacy education: Individual coaching sessions, presentations and outreach workshops will help students better understand their finances and develop financial awareness whilst they are at university, equipping them to make the most of their time at Leeds.
  • Foundation Programme support: Specialist services for students on Foundation Programmes will be developed to support those with disabilities, mental health conditions, long-term medical conditions and specific learning differences.
  • Academic skills tutoring: Online resources, individual support and workshops will help to improve academic skills.
  • Student success tutors: A specialist team of tutors will work with students in need of extra support on a one-to-one basis.

Becoming the sector experts

A high-quality research team will inform activities in the Student Success Centre.

Their work will be crucial. They will consider each barrier, they'll consider solutions, and they'll evaluate impact. Their work will ensure Access and Success changes lives.

The insight provided by research team will inform practice not just here at Leeds, but across the sector.

What's next?

Alumni and donor support is needed to help transform students' lives at Leeds.

For more information about Access and Success, and for details of how you might support the programme, contact Kat Scott at K.R.Scott@leeds.ac.uk

To explore more about the support on offer at Leeds, view our 2024 Thanks To You magazine.

TopBuilt with Shorthand