Access to UWE Bristol
Access to UWE Bristol is designed to help you feel confident as you make the move to university life.
Helping you prepare for university life
Access to UWE Bristol is a support package designed to help you feel more confident and ready as you start your university journey.
You don’t need to apply – eligibility is based on the information you provide on your UCAS application and is offered to applicants who receive a contextual offer.
If you're eligible, we’ll let you know. You’ll be automatically enrolled and given access to a range of activities and resources to help you settle in and succeed, including:
- Online webinars
- Summer School
- Guidance to help you transition smoothly into higher education.
Access to UWE Bristol webinars
Information about upcoming live webinars to help you prepare for university, and connect you with current students, will be published here in November.
Watch recordings of past webinars to give you an insight into life at UWE Bristol.
Study skills for success
Discover practical tips and tools to help you manage your time, stay motivated and study effectively. Our students will share what’s worked for them and how they’ve made the most of academic support at UWE Bristol.
Making friends and finding your community
University is about more than just studying—it’s about finding your people. Learn how to build friendships, connect with others on the Access to UWE Bristol programme, and feel part of a supportive community from day one.
Managing your time effectively
This session explores how to balance your time at university, including studying, working part time, and making space for life outside your course. Find out what kinds of jobs are available to students, how to look for them, and what a typical week might look like. You’ll also hear from current students about their experiences.
Access to UWE Bristol Summer School
The Access to UWE Bristol Summer School is a free, on-campus experience for contextual offer holders. It’s a great opportunity to get a feel for university life, meet other future students, and start building your confidence ahead of September.
Summer School is open to offer holders from a range of courses, so you'll have the chance to chat with students from different subjects. The School lasts for four days and you might get to visit more than one UWE Bristol campus.
What you'll do at Summer School
- Stay in en-suite accommodation in our Student Village, or
- Attend each day if you’d prefer not to stay overnight
- Practise independent living skills
- Make connections with other offer holders
- Meet university support staff and current students
- Explore the campus and facilities
How to apply
You will need to sign up for Summer School — we will confirm dates and let you know via the Welcome portal when applications are open and explain how to apply. You’ll need to be aged 18 years or over to attend.
Summer School is very popular, so places will be allocated randomly. We’ll let you know after the deadline if you’ve been successful.
Contact us
Got questions about Access to UWE Bristol? Just drop us a line, we’re here to help: Widening.Access@uwe.ac.uk.
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Contextual offers
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Undergraduate study
Everything you need to know about undergraduate study at UWE Bristol including courses, accommodation, fees and funding, employability and life at UWE Bristol.
Undergraduate applications
Let us guide you through the process of applying to UWE Bristol, including what to do before you apply, how to apply, and next steps after you've applied.
Funding and scholarships
Funding and scholarships information for new students, including advice on undergraduate and postgraduate funding and financial support from UWE Bristol.