Pathways to Birmingham eligibility criteria

Pathways to Birmingham supports students to decide on the best route for their future. Our eligibility criteria ensure we recruit students from backgrounds currently underrepresented at university who will benefit most from our activity.

Follow the steps below to see if you meet our Pathways to Birmingham eligibility criteria:

Step 1

You currently attend a Pathways to Birmingham partner school* and have attended a non-selective state-funded school in the UK at Key Stage 4 (GCSE or equivalent).  If you are a refugee or an asylum seeker, we will still consider your application if your Key Stage 4 qualifications were not taken in the UK. 
You have a Home fee status at the point of entry to university.
You are in Year 12 or Year 13 (or equivalent), or a mature student.

*Typically a state-funded school, college, or sixth form in the greater West Midlands (or from across the UK for NASS) that has chosen to be a Pathways to Birmingham partner school. Students cannot have attended a selective school for their GCSE qualifications.

Step 2

You will be eligible if you have had experience of public care.

OR meet at least three of the following measures:

You have been in receipt of Free School Meals in the last 6 years

This must be verified by a teacher or adviser.

You attend or attended a school or college that performs below the national average

Determined by the performance of your school/college at Key Stage 4 or 5, based on the data on the Department for Education’s school performance database.

To check your school, use this tool and search for your school.

To view your school’s performance at Key Stage 4, click the ‘Secondary’ tab and view the Attainment 8 Score for school and how this compares to the national average.

To view your school’s performance at Key Stage 5, click the ’16-18’ tab to see the average point scores for A Levels and other qualifications and how this compares to the national average.

If your school appears under these measures to be below the national average, you will be deemed to have met these criteria.

You currently live in a low-progression area

Students from a TUNDRA or POLAR quintile 1 postcode will receive two eligibility points and those from quintile 2 will receive one eligibility point. To check your postcode, visit the Office for Students’ postcode look-up.

You are the first generation of your immediate family to attend higher education

You are considered to be in the first generation of your immediate family to attend higher education if neither of your parents/carers has obtained a degree from a university in the UK or abroad before your secondary or further education began. If either of your parents/carers began a degree qualification but withdrew before completion, this is not considered as having obtained a degree. Whether an applicant’s siblings or cousins went to or currently attend university is not taken into consideration.

Your household income is below £42,875

An annual household income should be judged before tax. Support on what classifies can be found on the Student Finance England website. We may give additional consideration to applicants with very low household incomes e.g. those in receipt of free school meals, 16-19 Bursary Fund or Discretionary Learner Support relating to financial hardship. 

You have a disability and are in receipt of a Personal Independence Payment

Students should be in receipt of a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) at the 'enhanced' rate in either the 'daily living' or 'mobility' components, OR the 'standard' rate in both components.

You are estranged from both your parents or guardians

Defined as a young person who has no communicative relationship with either of their biological parents/legal guardians and who does not expect this situation to be reconciled. This must be verified by a teacher or adviser.

You provide unpaid care to a friend or a family member (you are a young carer)

Young carers are defined as persons under the age of 18 who help look after someone in their family, or a friend, who is ill, disabled or misuses drugs or alcohol. There is no time limit on the amount of care they provide for their dependents, this is just above and beyond what is normally expected. This must be verified by a teacher or adviser.

Step 3

If you only meet two of the criteria at Step 2, we will also consider your application if you have experienced other significant extenuating circumstances that had, or are having, a significant detrimental impact on academic attainment.

Extenuating circumstances that affect exams or the likelihood of going to university will be considered on an individual basis and must be verified by a teacher or adviser. A moderation board will ensure consistency across programmes.

Step 4

In addition to the above, A2B applicants must also:

Be applying to study at least one full-time undergraduate programme or foundation year

The programmes must be at the University of Birmingham. This includes any full-time undergraduate programmes including foundation year programmes.

You must select the University of Birmingham as your firm choice on UCAS.

With foundation year programmes, the reduced P2B offer will not apply but students may be able to receive the financial support (dependent on eligibility). However, this will only be applicable for the duration of the foundation programme.

Currently be completing at least one A Level or equivalent qualification

Individuals who are taking a gap year and possess achieved grades will not be eligible.

Not have completed and passed the following programmes prior to applying for A2B

Routes to the Professions
Inspired@Birmingham
Academic Enrichment Programme (AEP)
Realising Opportunities (RO)
National Access Summer School (NASS)

Year 12 Pathways to Birmingham participants are required to meet these conditions in Year 13 should they choose to apply to the University of Birmingham and wish to be eligible to apply for a Pathways to Birmingham offer.

If you meet the criteria as stated in the steps above, you will be eligible for any of our Pathways to Birmingham programmes, and should apply when applications open.