Widening Participation

First Generation Scholars

"First Gen" is short for "First Generation." It celebrates and supports people who are the first generation of their family to attend university. In History we seek to recognise, celebrate and support all kinds of diversity.  We think that a diverse Department is a better department for many reasons, but particularly in terms of what we are all able to learn from each other. Our definition of "First Gen" recognises and celebrates this diversity: First Gen includes students who are the first in their family to pursue an undergraduate or graduate degree; students who have only one parent who went to university; students whose sibling was the first in their family to attend university; and students who identify with the First Gen experience. Being in the first generation of people in your family to go to university can be challenging, and we are here to support each other. Our First Gen group meets to share ideas and food, to exchange study tips, to relax and be ourselves. We hope you join us.

Contextual Offers

We subscribe to the University's wider policy on Contextual Offers which is committed to Fair Access and Widening Participation. The current contextual offer for History is AAB with an A required in History A-level or Higher.  

Bridging

The Bridge to History programme provides a one-week residential programme of classroom and cultural activities to support students from under-represented groups in higher education holding an offer to study in the History departments, to successfully transition into undergraduate study at Durham. It provides students with core knowledge and skills for successful study in higher education and for full and active engagement in the academic and social community of Durham University. 

The dates for the 2025-2026 Bridge to History programme are: Sunday 21st - Friday 26th September 2025. The course is free to attend. For further information please contact Dr Alex Barber. 

Sutton Trust

For more information about this scheme please visit the Sutton Trust information page and contact Dr Andrzej Olechenowicz.

Supported Progression

We also participate in Supported Progression, a university scheme designed to help year 12 students succeed at university.