‘I Shouldn't Really Be Here’: University Students' Perceptions and Experiences of Transitioning to University With a Contextual Offer Admission

Abstract

Universities may offer students from disadvantaged personal or socioeconomic contexts a lower threshold for entry compared to students from a more stable or affluent background; this is termed a contextual offer. Examples may include having a health condition, disability or living and going to school in a less affluent area. While there has been extensive debate on how to enact these offers, the experiences of students who attend university with a contextual offer have been lacking in the literature. In this study, we interviewed five students from two UK Universities to explore their experiences of transitioning to university with a contextual offer. Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Our findings suggest that students felt that their offer had given them opportunities they would not have had, which not only raised their ambitions and expectations but also negatively impacted their self-belief as many students worried about their academic abilities. Students also discussed how their contextual offer had negatively impacted their sense of belonging, both academically and socially, at university, leading to feelings of difference and lower self-efficacy; however, these feelings were ameliorated by knowing others with contextual offers. Finally, students felt that there was a need for greater awareness of contextual offers to reduce stigma and ensure that others could benefit from them. Implications for research, policy and practice are discussed.