New figures show that 30 per cent of the state pupils who attended a study day residential programme at Oriel College in 2024, and who are predominantly from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, later went on to apply to a course at Oxford University. Of those who applied, 35 per cent received offers.

The figures were released in a report documenting the activities and outcomes of Oriel College’s widening access programme during the 2023/24 academic year.

In a foreword to the 2023/24 widening access report, Tutor for Admissions and Outreach Professor Julien Devriendt said: “Widening access to higher education is critical to the present and future success of universities and colleges, but also for social mobility at large.

“To sustain the highest academic standards, we must continue to admit the students who stand to perform the best academically. Attracting a wide pool of applicants to choose from at the admissions stage is the key step to achieving this objective. We cannot admit students who never apply.”

The Admissions Tutor added: “It’s as simple as this: we do not want to miss out on the opportunity to educate aspirational students with promising futures just because they have been fettered by circumstances outside of their control.”

In total, 92 events took place as part of Oriel’s widening access programme from July 2023 to June 2024. Most of these were for cohorts of state pupils at non-selective schools and sixth forms in the college’s seven UK link regions.

Outreach Officer Carys Owen said in the report: “State schools often lack the resources to offer support to talented students who aspire to study at top universities. Fortunately, we can do our part to fill the gap, addressing access disparities by helping disadvantaged students acquire the skills and knowledge they need to make competitive applications.”

Visits from schools to Oriel College in central Oxford were the most frequent events, with as many as three in a single week during term time. Oriel also continued to work with charities like Generating Genius to further extend its impact.

In April 2025, Oriel College held another round of four study day residentials preferentially intended for disadvantaged state pupils. The programmes were offered at no cost to the pupils who attended, with each one focusing on either Mathematics and Computer Science, Chemistry and Biochemistry, PPE, or Law.

The residential component of the programmes gives aspirational students an insight into what life and study at an Oxford college is really like.

The entire widening access programme at Oriel College is supported by alumni contributions.