A New Access Model: Built by Students, for Students

Leveling the playing field for university admissions, without the price tag.

Every year, thousands of sixth-formers across the UK submit university applications, full of hope, pressure, and second-guessing. For some, it’s the next step in a well-trodden path. For others, it’s a leap into the unknown, and one that often feels quietly rigged against them. And even for those who apply, and make it in, the barriers don’t stop at the offer letter.

The numbers make that painfully clear. A student from a disadvantaged background is 16 times less likely to get into Cambridge than someone from the most advantaged areas (UCAS 2016). If they do, they’re 40% less likely to graduate if they’re the first in their family to attend university (OECD 2020). And even then, the odds remain stacked: just a third of high-achieving, socially mobile students go on to highly selective universities and even fewer make it into elite graduate careers (Sutton Trust, 2021).

But even before any of that, many students don’t apply in the first place. For them, places like Cambridge or Oxford feel so far removed from everyday life that the idea of applying seems almost absurd. Not because they lack the ability, but because they’ve never seen someone around them go. Imposter syndrome doesn’t start after admission, it starts long before the application.

At Project Access, we believe that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. That’s what we’re working to change.

What We’re Doing About It

At Project Access, we provide free, one-to-one mentoring for students applying to top universities. Each applicant is paired with someone already studying their target course at their dream university, someone who knows the system from the inside and can offer honest, practical support. It’s a model that works because it builds trust, cuts through confusion, and demystifies a process that often feels like a black box.

Since our founding at Oxford in 2016, we’ve matched over 6,500 students with mentors. In our most recent admissions cycle, 85% of mentees received an offer from one of their top three UCAS choices.

And the support doesn’t stop at the application. For several years now, we’ve been running targeted mentoring for offer-holders, helping students meet their conditions and prepare for enrolment, in partnership with multiple Cambridge colleges.

We’re also continuing to expand support at other key points in the journey, including a UCAS Personal Statement Review Hub and detailed subject-specific admissions test guides, ensuring students have access to high-quality, targeted help from day one.

A Free Alternative to Pay-to-Play Admissions

It’s no secret that access to top universities is increasingly commercialised. Companies charge thousands of pounds for application support, pricing out precisely the students who could benefit most.

That’s why we’re building a free alternative: a digital hub offering curated guides, walkthroughs, video explainers, and student-led insights covering every step of the admissions journey. From choosing between courses to preparing for interviews, we’re working with current students and access practitioners to make sure the content is practical, honest, and grounded in real lived experience.

But our model goes further than resources alone. It’s built on three core pillars:

1. Our one-to-one mentorship, which pairs each applicant with a student already studying their chosen course at their dream university. These relationships build trust, provide tailored advice, and offer a powerful reminder: success is possible, and there are people who’ve walked this path before.
2. A community of like-minded students, so applicants know they’re not alone and can connect with others who are applying to similar universities, building both confidence and a sense of shared ambition.
3. And a growing library of free resources, designed to guide students through every stage of the journey, from early exploration to final submission, interviews, and beyond.

What’s Next

We’ve come to realise that our work doesn’t end with an offer letter. The next challenge is making sure students actually enrol. That’s why we run a dedicated Cambridge offer-holder programme, now in partnership with 10 colleges, to support students through results day and into their first term.

But even enrolment isn’t the end goal, it’s just the beginning. Because succeeding at university isn’t only about getting the grades. It’s about learning to navigate unfamiliar systems, building confidence in academic spaces that often feel exclusive, managing intense workloads, and figuring out how to access opportunities like internships and research placements. Many of the students we support arrive without the networks, guidance, or insider knowledge that help others hit the ground running. Some hesitate to ask for help. Others don’t even know what support is available. Without early, consistent support, too many end up struggling in silence, some leaving before their degree is done.

That’s why we’re launching our new “Future Programme” later this year, which is a long-term support model for underrepresented students that continues through the first terms of university. It will offer mentorship, skills-building, and tailored guidance to help students succeed beyond admissions and thrive in their academic, social, and professional lives.

As our mission statement puts it: “Let’s create a world in which passion and potential define a young person’s future.”

How to Get Involved

Schools and teachers do incredible work, but the reality is, many just don’t have the capacity to guide every student through a complicated and often overwhelming application process. When one university counsellor is responsible for an entire year group, it’s no surprise that students feel lost or give up before they even start. That’s where we come in: offering the kind of personalised, in-depth support that’s often out of reach in busy schools, from one-to-one mentoring to admissions test prep.

That’s why we’re actively looking to partner with schools and educators to spread the word about our free mentoring programmes and support their students directly. We’re also deepening collaboration with widening participation teams and university access officers, so we can be a consistent, trusted partner from first interest to final year.

Whether it’s inspiring students to apply, guiding offer-holders through the transition to university (as we’re already doing at Cambridge), or supporting them to succeed once they arrive through our Future Programme, we’re here for the full journey.

Want to get involved?

We’d love to hear from you.

mentorship@projectaccess.org or projectaccess.org.