Widening Participation & Outreach

Falmouth University graduation 2019 – graduates walking through gardens in gowns and hats.

We support students from all backgrounds to join our creative community.

Our Widening Participation & Outreach team supports students from all backgrounds to develop their creativity, access higher education and have the courage to pursue their potential.

Who we support

Our widening access initiatives are designed to support underrepresented students who may face barriers when accessing higher education.

This could include individuals who identify under one or more of the following criteria: 

  • Those who receive/have received Free School Meals or whose household income is below £25,000 
  • Those from areas with low higher education progression 
  • Ethnically diverse students
  • Care Leavers or Care Experienced individuals 
  • Those whose parents did not go to university 
  • Mature students 
  • Disabled students 
  • Carers 
  • Those who have one or more parents serving in the Armed Forces 

How we support

We support individuals in two main ways: directly or through their schools and colleges. You can explore the individual support we offer, as well as how we equip teachers and advisors, below.

Staff and students discussing around a desk.
The Compass

Individual support

What we offer

Our Enhanced Applicant Support Programme aims to remove some of the barriers that underrepresented students may face when applying to university.

All applicants are assessed based on our eligibility criteria (see who we support), and are then offered a support package based on their needs. Support could include personal statement advice, portfolio feedback, interview adjustments, mentoring and/or financial bursaries. 

Find out more

Our Saturday Club programmes give young people aged 14-15 across Cornwall the opportunity to study subjects that they love for free at their local university.

We offer clubs in Art & Design, Fashion & Business and Film & Media, delivered every Saturday during term time in our industry-standard facilities. 

Find out more about our National Saturday Clubs

 

Working in collaboration with Brightside Mentoring, we connect young people studying at our partner schools and colleges with online mentoring support and advice, to help them make confident and informed decisions about their futures. 

“[My mentor] has been really, really helpful, I now know which universities I’d rather focus on and the courses that can help me get the contacts, experience and opportunities needed for my future. Thank you so, so much!”

– Creative Futures Mentoring Programme participant 

Every year, our outreach team runs an exciting creative competition designed to celebrate and showcase young people’s creativity. Entrants will be invited to an exhibition of entries and could be in with the chance to win some incredible prizes.

If you want to hear about our next Creative Competition, let us know via email.

Email us about our Creative Competitions

Falmouth University is a funding partner of Careerpilot, a website developed to support young people aged 13-19 to access impartial information and support about progression routes. Careerpilot is free for all schools and colleges in the South West region, as well as in some parts of the South East.

Go to Careerpilot's website

Alongside Careerpilot, Lifepilot is a website resource aimed at supporting adults who are progressing to higher level study. 

Go to Lifepilot's website

The Falmouth University Travel Fund is designed to support individuals facing financial hardship with visiting the University. 

If you're a UK resident and meet our eligibility criteria, we can assist you with the cost of travel to the following events: 

  • Open Days 
  • Applicant Days 
  • On-campus Interviews 

Find out how to make a claim

Free online advice and guidance sessions

A man and a woman sitting on a bench
People & Behaviours

Wed 08 May 2024

12:00 - 13:00

Moving to Falmouth Webinar

Online

Join our webinar to hear from our students about why they chose to move to Falmouth, what it was lik...

Moving to Falmouth Webinar
Person sat at laptop working with design book
Interior Design online 2024

Thu 09 May 2024

13:00 - 14:00

BA Interior Design (online) Taster Session and live Q&A

Online

Join the BA(Hons) Interior Design (Online) course team for a taster session in Interior Design.

BA Interior Design (online) Taster Session and live Q&A
Students working in front of laptop
Marketing & Digital Communications MA Lead Image 2022

Fri 10 May 2024

12:30 - 13:30

BSc Business & Marketing (Online) Taster Session and live Q&A

Online

Join the BSc Business & Marketing (online) Course Leader for a taster session to give an insight int...

BSc Business & Marketing (Online) Taster Session and live Q&A
Falmouth University students relaxing on the beach
Beach group students talking

Wed 15 May 2024

12:00 - 13:00

Budgeting as an international student: Advice Session

Online

In this session we will give you a short overview of things and costs to consider when budgeting for...

Budgeting as an international student: Advice Session
Students chatting in bike store on Penryn Campus
Accommodation bike shed boys talking

Wed 15 May 2024

17:30 - 18:30

Parents & Carers: Starting University Webinar

Online

If your young person is starting university in September, then this session is a great way to find o...

Parents & Carers: Starting University Webinar
Launchpad postgraduate group brainstorm

Wed 22 May 2024

17:30 - 18:30

Preparing for University as a Mature Student (Q&A)

Online

An opportunity to chat to current mature students at Falmouth University

Preparing for University as a Mature Student (Q&A)
International students chatting in a group
International students chatting in a group

Thu 23 May 2024

11:00 - 12:00

Visas and Fees for international students

Online

In this session we will remind you about the visa process in general and give you general guidance.

Visas and Fees for international students
Students walking towards a gateway between red brick walls on Falmouth campus.
Students walking on Falmouth campus

Wed 05 Jun 2024

12:00 - 13:00

Moving to Falmouth Webinar

Online

Join our webinar to hear from our students about why they chose to move to Falmouth, what it was lik...

Moving to Falmouth Webinar
Printed visual communications student work
Visual Communications student work 4

Tue 11 Jun 2024

12:00 - 13:00

BA(Hons) Visual Communication Course Overview and Q&A

Online

Discover everything you need to know about Visual Communication BA Hons (Online) at Falmouth Univers...

BA(Hons) Visual Communication Course Overview and Q&A
Penryn campus students outside exchange, sitting on grass
Penryn campus students outside exchange

Wed 12 Jun 2024

12:00 - 13:00

Budgeting as an international student: Advice Session

Online

In this session we will give you a short overview of things and costs to consider when budgeting for...

Budgeting as an international student: Advice Session
Student studying at laptop and desk
Online study 3

Wed 12 Jun 2024

18:00 - 19:00

BA(Hons) Photography (Online) Course Overview and Live Q&A

Online

Discover everything you need to know about BA(Hons) Photography (Online) at Falmouth University.

BA(Hons) Photography (Online) Course Overview and Live Q&A
Interior design students looking at cardboard model
Interior design students

Thu 13 Jun 2024

13:00 - 14:00

BA Interior Design (online) - Course Overview and Q&A

Online

Discover everything you need to know about BA Interior Design (online) at Falmouth University.

BA Interior Design (online) - Course Overview and Q&A
Students at the beach
Student life

Wed 19 Jun 2024

16:00 - 17:00

Student Support and Accessibility Webinar

Online

Find out more about what student support and accessibility support is available to you.

Student Support and Accessibility Webinar
International students main

Thu 20 Jun 2024

11:00 - 12:00

Visas and Fees for international students

Online

In this session we will remind you about the visa process in general and give you general guidance.

Visas and Fees for international students
Business Entrepreneurship_Main

Thu 20 Jun 2024

12:30 - 13:30

BSc Business & Marketing (online) - Course Overview and Q&A

Online

Discover everything you need to know about BSc Business & Marketing (online) at Falmouth Universit...

BSc Business & Marketing (online) - Course Overview and Q&A

Useful resources

From personal statement advice to a parents and carers guide, here are all our best resources for applying to university.

Girl wearing red jumper and pink glasses sits on a blue sofa with her feet up on a coffee table while working on a laptop
Personal statement page

Personal Statement Guide

How do you write a personal statement and what should you include? Read our advice.

Personal Statement Guide
Two girls talking inside a glass building at Falmouth University
Interview Technique Header

Preparing for Your Interview

What's an interview like and how can you prepare? Read our advice and tips and search for course inf...

Preparing for Your Interview
A Falmouth University student sat on the floor surrounded by papers and books
Portfolio advice image

Portfolio Advice

What is a university portfolio and how do you make one? Read our guide.

Portfolio Advice
Smiling fashion marketing students working together around a desk.
UG16 PG63 Fashion Marketing Students and Computer

Apply for Undergraduate Courses

Join our undergraduate community. Find out key dates and get application information and advice...

Apply for Undergraduate Courses
A girl with her parents looking through sketchbooks at a Falmouth University Open Day
Open day mother father daughter girl art illustration

Parents & Carers Guide to University

Get clued up on what to expect from the university application journey as a parent or supporter. ...

Parents & Carers Guide to University
Person sat at laptop working with design book
Interior Design online 2024

Parents & Carers Guide to Online Study

See how you can support a student considering an online degree at Falmouth.  

Parents & Carers Guide to Online Study
Parents smiling with daughter at an Open Day at Falmouth University
Open day Penryn mother smiling father daughter student mentor

Clearing Advice for Parents, Guardians and Carers

What is Clearing? How can your child apply? And how can you support them through the process? Find o...

Clearing Advice for Parents, Guardians and Carers

Schools and colleges hub

Are you a teacher or advisor? Get equipped to help your students harness their creativity and discover the career opportunities that are open to them through higher education.

Find out more
school girls building a plastic structure

Our Access and Participation Plan

Our Access and Participation Plan sets out what we are doing to improve equality of opportunity for underrepresented groups to access and succeed in higher education. 

Collaborative partners and networks 

Next Steps South West

Next Steps South West (NSSW) is a collaboration of fourteen partner universities and colleges throughout Cornwall, Devon and Somerset. Part of the Office for Students’ Uni Connect Programme, we work collaboratively to help young people and adult learners to progress into higher education.

Care Leavers Covenant 

The Care Leavers Covenant is a national inclusion programme that supports care leavers aged 16-25 to live independently and access opportunities. Falmouth University is a proud signatory of the covenant and is dedicated to supporting care experienced individuals.

Western Vocational Progression Consortium

The WVPC is a consortium of universities and colleges in the South of England, hosted at the University of Bath. It aims to increase the progression of adults and young people to higher level study through providing online, impartial information and support about all progression routes on Careerpilot and Lifepilot websites.

Meet our team

Our Schools and Colleges Partnerships team is made up of passionate and highly experienced practitioners. 

To book an activity or for further information, contact your regional representative or email outreach@falmouth.ac.uk.

Aby Underhill Carey profile picture
Aby Underhill Carey

Aby Underhill-Carey

Senior Outreach Officer

E: Aby.underhillcarey@falmouth.ac.uk 

Aby Underhill-Carey
Headshot of Andrew Wallis
Andrew Wallis

Andrew Wallis

Head of School and College Partnerships, South West and Wales

E: andrew.wallis@falmouth.ac.uk

Andrew Wallis
Anna Hawes profile picture
Anna Hawes

Anna Hawes

Head of UK Recruitment and Outreach

E: anna.hawes@falmouth.ac.uk

Anna Hawes
Brad Tudor-Gayler profile picture
Brad Tudor-Gayler

Brad Tudor-Gayler

Head of School and College Partnerships, South East and London

E: Brad.tudor-gayler@falmouth.ac.uk

Brad Tudor-Gayler
Chloe Lingard profile picture
Chloe Lingard

Chloe Lingard

NSSW Outreach Officer

E: chloelingard@falmouth.ac.uk

Chloe Lingard
Joshua Barnett headshot
Joshua Barnett

Joshua Barnett

Head of School and College Partnerships, Midlands and North

E: j.barnett@falmouth.ac.uk

Joshua Barnett
Lucy Davis profile picture
Lucy Davis

Lucy Davis

Outreach Officer

E: Lucydavis@falmouth.ac.uk

Lucy Davis

Contact

If you would like to find out more or tell us you identify as an underrepresented student and would like support, please contact our Outreach Team:

E: outreach@falmouth.ac.uk.