Summer learning proves a hit in Aberystwyth

Students on Access All Aber were able to choose from a broad range of subjects to study during the five-day residential programme.

Aberystwyth University’s annual summer residential programme for young people who want to sample student life has proved to be a hit once more this year.

Access All Aber, a five-day programme combining academic study, educational visits and evening social events was fully subscribed with fifty Year 12 students taking up residence in Pantycelyn during July.

Designed for young people from Widening Participation backgrounds, members of the group could follow courses in all the academic disciplines offered at Aberystwyth University, from Veterinary Science and Physics to International Politics and Creative Writing.

With the option of attending lectures through the medium of Welsh or English, the course also included a session on student finance and how to make the most of the financial support available.

Relaunched in 2023 following a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Access All Aber forms part of Aberystwyth University’s long-standing commitment to widening access to young people from backgrounds less likely to consider studying at university.

This year’s programme attracted students from 25 schools and colleges across Wales.

Nia Gwyndaf, Head of Student Recruitment and Widening Participation at Aberystwyth University said: “The step up from school or college to university, coupled with moving away from home for the first time can be daunting for many young people. Access All Aber is all about providing a realistic academic experience that gives our students an idea of what university life is all about and give them a taste of the various subjects we offer here at Aberystwyth. Our hope is that this will inspire them to take the next step to study a degree when the time comes, be that at Aberystwyth or any other university.”

“We are delighted with the way this year’s course went and grateful to all our academic colleagues and student ambassadors who contributed to its success.”

Students who successfully completed the course this year received a certificate and a contextual offer for entry to Aberystwyth University in September 2025.

“Over the years, Aberystwyth University has opened its doors to hundreds of young people who were unsure about going to university and I am pleased that this work continues in the form of Access All Aber. Last year, the first after the pandemic, proved an immediate success and we look forward to welcoming fourteen students from that group onto our degree programmes in September. Our hope now is that this year’s cohort will be equally inspired to study at university and reap the benefits of an Aberystwyth University degree”, Nia Gwyndaf added. 

Information about the Access All Aber programme is available online and applications for the next course will open in March 2025. 

Share