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Schools' Hub : Contextual offers

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Contextual offers

At Arts University Bournemouth (AUB), our mission is to be the leading specialist art and design university, dedicated to turning creativity into careers.

We aim to create a student body that is balanced and diverse in terms of backgrounds and experiences and recruit students who have the ability to successfully complete their chosen course.

AUB will achieve these aims through:

  • Encouraging applications from all those with the motivation and academic ability to thrive at the University, whatever their background.
  • Assessing each application in a holistic way.
  • Offering places to applicants who have the potential to successfully complete their course.
  • Transparency in the admissions process.

As part of the application process, we receive information through UCAS for our undergraduate courses, which include contextual information about an applicant. These factors are considered in the assessment of an application.

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Am I eligible for a contextual offer?

You might be eligible for a contextual offer if you:

  • Are from an area that has low participation in higher education.
    • Current home postcode shows that you live in an area with low levels of progression to higher education, falling within TUNDRA LSOA quintiles 1 and 2. Eligibility for the TUNDRA LSOA measure can be checked on the OfS website.
    • Current home postcode shows that you live in an area that falls within the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) deciles 1, 2, 3 and 4. Index of Multiple Deprivation measure can be checked via the IMD postcode checker.
  • Have experiences socio-economic challenges during your education and been a recipient of Free School Meals.
  • Are care experienced.
  • Are estranged and aged 25 or under.
  • Are a young adult carer aged 25 or under.
  • Have a parent who's served, or is currently serving, in the UK armed forces.
  • Have participated in All Access AUB.

You'll automatically be made a Contextual Offer if you meet the above eligibility based on the information provided to us from your UCAS application.

To get in touch with any questions you have about Contextual Offers, please email admissions@aub.ac.uk.

View our Admissions Policy

What is a Contextual Offer?

If you meet the eligibility criteria above and have shared this information in your UCAS application, you'll automatically be offered a grade-reduction of up to two grades below the minimum entry criteria in their offers.

For example:

  • The standard entry for our undergraduate courses is BBB.
  • A contextual offer for one of these courses would be, for example, BCC, or equivalent 104 UCAS points.

In addition, as a Contextual Offer Holder, you'll be guaranteed a portfolio review/audition/interview if this is part of the application process for the course that you've applied for.

If your application for an undergraduate course is unsuccessful, you'll be offered a place on the Foundation Course if you meet the entry requirements for it, including in GCSE English and Maths.

Financial support for Contextual Offer holders

If you’re a Contextual Offer holder, we have an annual fund available for you to receive a one-off award of up to £50 for travel costs to attend an Offer Holder Day or other university induction/transition events, which includes interviews or auditions if you're a contextual applicant.

Contextual Offer holders will receive emails about this funding along with information on eligible events.

Please email wp@aub.ac.uk to find out more about the AUB Applicant Access Bursary.

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Transition to Creative HE Day

We're currently reviewing and planning this support for the 2027 entry application cycle and will share more information soon.

In the meantime, you can find out about our 2026 entry Transition to Creative Higher Education (HE) Day, which took place on AUB Campus in March, and was bespoke for Contextual Offer holders and All Access AUB participants. Designed to be a day all about you – giving you the tools, insight and reassurance to hit the ground running when you start your creative degree.

Learn more

Explore more

Overview

We know that inspiring your students, whatever their ambition, is at the heart of what we do in creative education.

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On-campus activities

We run a range of on-campus activities so that your students can experience life at an arts university first-hand.

Student talking to a member of AUB Staff at a UCAS Event

In-school activities

Our in-school activities have been designed to support your students in discovering more about Higher Education and creative pathways

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Lesson resources

We have a range of learning resources at AUB that can support your teaching either in the classroom or online.

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Helping your students apply

We appreciate that navigating the process of applying to university can be a daunting time for students – we're here to help.

All Access AUB Students cutting up images in the AUB studios and smiling

Widening access to AUB

Those with the potential to benefit from higher education, deserve the opportunity to do so. At AUB, we’re committed to making that happen.

Students in the AUB print room holding tools with paint and screens around them.

Global Schools

AUB offers workshops, talks and presentations to global schools. Get in touch with our team to find out more

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Dorset Boys' Impact Hub

The Dorset branch of Boys' Impact is the first in a series of regional networks with the aim of closing the gap in GCSE outcomes for boys.