If you're a UK student from a disadvantaged or underrepresented background, we have extra support to ensure you're not at a disadvantage when you apply to Imperial.
Eligibility checker
Use our tool to see if you’re eligible for our contextual admissions route.
Last updated: February 2025
The information on this page is for students applying for undergraduate study in 2024–25 and 2025–26. We review our use of contextual data each year – we will publish any changes for future years on this page.
What is contextual admissions?
We understand that some students face extra challenges that can affect their grades. Our contextual admissions approach takes these barriers into account.
Benefits for applicants who are eligible for contextual admissions consideration:
- Guaranteed minimum offer: You might get a guaranteed minimum offer.
- Guaranteed interview: You could be guaranteed an interview.
- Extra support: We help you transition from school to life at Imperial.
Who is eligible?
If you are a student with Home fee status or an appropriate UK residential status, you may be considered through our contextual admissions route if one of the following also applies to you:
- You are a care leaver or have spent time in care under a local authority, or
- Your home address* postcode falls into England’s index of multiple deprivation quintile one, or
- You currently receive Free School Meals or have been eligible to receive them in the past; or
- Your home address* postcode falls into POLAR4 quintile 1 or 2 and you also meet one of the following criteria:
- You are the first in your family to attend university
- You attend an English school where the key-stage 5 performance is below Imperial's percentile threshold of 20%
- You attend a school in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland where the Free School Meals percentile is above Imperial's percentile threshold of 80%
*Your home address is your place of permanent residence and not your school or boarding school.
Support for eligible students
If you are eligible for our contextual admissions route, then you’ll have access to extra support through our admissions process.
2025 entry support
If you're applying to a department that interviews applicants, you'll get a guaranteed invite if:
- you meet the minimum entry requirements (AAA at A-level or equivalent) for Imperial; and
- your admissions test score meets the department's contextual threshold, if relevant
Check our course pages for details.
You’ll get a guaranteed offer at the department's minimum entry level* if you:
- Meet the minimum entry requirements for Imperial (AAA at A-level or equivalent).
- Show clear motivation for the subject in your personal statement (check our guidance for tips).
- Score above the department's minimum in its admissions test and/or interview (only for departments that use one or both). If the department doesn't use an interview or admissions test, only criteria 1 and 2 apply.
*For our BSc Medical Biosciences courses within the School of Medicine, you'll get a guaranteed offer if:
- Your predicted grades meet the minimum university entry standard of AAA at A-level or equivalent.
- You show clear motivation to study science/bioscience/medical biosciences and understand the specific course.
- This is your first sitting of A-levels (not for resit years).
Reconsideration pool 2025 entry
We know that students who apply without their final exam results might not show their full potential yet. That's why we have an August reconsideration pool.
If you get exceptional results, your application might be reconsidered, even if you don't have an Imperial offer.
If you applied to an Imperial undergraduate course and:
- Scored competitively but didn't meet the offer threshold
- Meet the criteria for our contextual admissions (see "Who is eligible?" above)
- Achieved at least the minimum entry standard for the Imperial course your originally applied for.
You have another chance to secure a place at Imperial later in the process.
How to apply for reconsideration
We'll contact you when we're making offers to let you know if you're eligible for reconsideration.
We won't contact you again after exam results are published, even if you get the required grades and we have places available.
Instead, follow these steps on A-level results day in August to let us know you want to be reconsidered.
What to do on A-level results day
- Check you meet the grade requirements
- Apply online to be reconsidered
- Verify your identity
- Stay accessible
- Communication policy
Make sure you've achieved at least the minimum entry standard for the Imperial course you originally applied for.
Check the entry requirements on our course pages – make sure you’re checking the course page for your year of entry.
You can only apply for reconsideration for the same course and department you originally applied to.
If you've met the minimum entry standard for the imperial course you originally applied for and there are still places available, fill out our online reconsideration form.
The reconsideration form will be available on this webpage on the morning of A-level results day.
You must complete the form before the deadline (to be announced closer to the time).
You can't register your interest before A-level results day, so wait for the process to open and note the deadline.
We'll need to match you to our list of applicants, so have your UCAS Personal ID number ready when completing the form.
Make sure we can reach you easily.
We'll contact you by email to confirm your details and let you know what happens next.
An Admissions Officer might need to call you, so keep your phone handy.
If you apply for reconsideration, we'll contact you directly.
Your UCAS nominated representative won't receive this communication, so make sure we can contact you.