It Changed My View’: Campaign Encourages Pupils in Deprived Areas to Consider University

Published: 24 September 2025. The English Chronicle Desk

A new government-backed letter-writing initiative is seeking to inspire students from some of England’s most deprived areas to consider higher education, highlighting how background need not dictate opportunity. Thousands of sixth formers with top GCSE results have received personalised letters from university students who share similar experiences, aiming to break down barriers to university progression.

One such letter, addressed to a student named Rahamat, begins warmly: “Dear Rahamat, first of all congratulations! I remember the day I got my GCSE results. The potential for your life to change has just begun.” It was written by Kemi Adeyemi, a final-year medical student at King’s College London, who grew up in care, attended state schools, and relied on free school meals. Adeyemi shared her journey to higher education, detailing the financial support and bursaries available to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and encouraging recipients to pursue their ambitions without fear.

“Don’t let financial considerations hold you back when choosing the right course and university for you,” she wrote. “Don’t ever feel like those spaces are not for people like us.” Adeyemi concluded her message with a note of encouragement: “Best of luck, and congratulations in advance for all you’re going to achieve.”

The Department for Education notes that students from privileged backgrounds remain almost twice as likely to attend university as their disadvantaged peers. Regional disparities are also pronounced: teenagers in Redbridge, London, are nearly three times more likely to progress to higher education than those in Knowsley, Merseyside.

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, said the initiative reflects Labour’s commitment to breaking the link between a young person’s background and future success. “Talent, aspiration and hard work – not postcode or background – should decide a young person’s future,” she said. “Universities need to do more to make sure they’re reaching the most talented people in our country wherever they come from.”

Evidence suggests such interventions can make a tangible difference. Research from 2017 showed that sending a letter from a current university student to a sixth former from a similarly disadvantaged background increased the likelihood of accepting a place at a selective university from 8.5% to 11.4%, roughly equivalent to an additional 300 students per year.

Adeyemi recently visited Christ the King Aquinas Sixth-Form College in Brockley, south-east London, meeting students who had received her letter. “It’s so important that young people know that their background doesn’t determine where they can study,” she said. “As a result of the letters, I hope students feel empowered to apply for university and that they know they deserve to be there just like anyone else.”

Among the students inspired by the initiative was 17-year-old Adam Dragan, who had been considering a degree apprenticeship or studying abroad to avoid student debt. Learning about bursary schemes and contextual offers altered his perspective, giving him the confidence to apply to the University of Oxford to study economics and management. “It changed my view of what’s achievable,” he said.

Similarly, Kaira Freeman, 17, now intends to study forensic psychology and appreciated the clarity the letters provided on financial support. David Zheng, another 17-year-old aspiring law student, described how the letter he received helped him feel more confident about navigating university life and funding, reinforcing the sense that he was not alone in his journey.

The campaign, which will reach almost 10,000 pupils, forms part of a broader effort to address educational inequality and ensure that opportunities for higher education are accessible to all, regardless of background.