Virtual Summer School

The next Virtual Summer School will take place in May 2026 and applications will open in early 2026.

If you would like to be notified when applications for the Virtual Summer School 2026 open please complete this form.

About the programme
A guaranteed contextual offer
Eligibility criteria

About the programme

The Virtual Summer School is open to Year 12 students and offers many of the benefits of an in-person program but is accessed online via Zoom.

The three-day event comprises academic talks, social sessions, and information, advice and guidance to help you make informed choices about your future options in Higher Education.

Subject streams in the past have included:

• Biomedical and Biological Sciences
• Economics and Finance
• Engineering
• Historical Studies
• Law, Social and Political Sciences
• Medicine and Health Sciences
• Modern Language and Culture
• Maths and Physics
• Psychology
• Veterinary Science

Dates and times

Successful applicants will be expected to attend all three days online from 10 am to 5 pm taking place 27th - 29th May (inclusive). There will be regular screen breaks worked into the programme.

Guaranteed contextual offer

If you successfully complete the Virtual Summer School scheme, and depending on the course(s) that you choose to apply for, you may be eligible for a guaranteed contextual offer or interview to study at Bristol provided you meet the contextual entry requirements for that course.

For courses that do not routinely interview as part of the admissions process, you will be guaranteed a contextual offer (typically two A-Level grades below standard entry requirements) to study at Bristol provided you are studying any specified A-Level subjects and meet any additional requirements for your chosen course (e.g. GCSE or equivalent grades).

Applicants must still complete any admissions tests such as the UCAT/ LNAT/ SAQ (and score above a threshold) in order to receive the guaranteed offer/ guaranteed interview. 

For courses that require an interview as part of the admissions process, such as Medicine or Dentistry, you will be guaranteed an interview for that course provided you are predicted to meet or exceed the contextual entry requirements for that course; you meet any GCSE or equivalent requirements; and you have completed any relevant aptitude test such as the UCAT (and scored above a threshold) by the appropriate deadline. Following interview, you may be made an offer at the contextual level. 

This benefit can apply to multiple courses should you choose to submit multiple course applications to Bristol.

Please note that terms and conditions apply.

Eligibility

The scheme is only open to students who meet all of the following criteria.

You must:

• be eligible for Home fee status;
• attend a non-fee paying state school or college;
• be in your first year of A-Level study (or equivalent);
• have the academic ability to study at the University of Bristol (meeting the GCSE entry requirements for their chosen subject stream and studying any required Level 3 subjects).
• be in year 12 (or equivalent level of study) in the 2025-26 academic year (and under 18 during the summer school dates)
• have the potential to meet the contextual entry requirements where eligible

If a subject stream is oversubscribed, we will prioritise students who meet our widening participation criteria:

• are or have been eligible for free school meals;
• live in an IMD quintile 1 area as defined by your home postcode;
• are from a Black or Asian background or of a mixed background featuring one of these groups*;
• have spent three or more months in local authority care;
• are currently an estranged student;
• are from Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showmen and Boater (GTRSB) communities;
• attend an aspiring state school or college;
• are from any other minority ethnic background;
• are part of the first generation in their family to go to university;
• have caring responsibilities;
• have refugee status;
• have a disability;
• have a parent or carer who currently serves in the UK Armed Forces, or who has done so in the past.

*With additional priority assigned to the following underrepresented ethnic groups at UoB: Asian Pakistani; Asian Bangladeshi; Black Caribbean; Black African; or of a mixed backgrounds featuring one of these groups.

We recommend that you discuss your application to the programme with your Head of Sixth Form prior to applying as you will need your school or college to grant your permission to attend the scheme. You will also need to list a "Key Contact" (usually your Head of Sixth form) on your application form.

We offer a wide range of outreach programmes and interventions designed to support post-16 students from underrepresented, disadvantaged, and marginalised backgrounds. If you’re not eligible for this programme, you may still be able to take part in another. Explore our other outreach opportunities here.