Durham University rejects ‘anti-white discrimination’ claims over Asian access scheme

Durham University has announced a scheme to support prospective students coming from state-educated backgrounds that are of Asian heritage/descent.

The university says the programme “aims to support students who are typically underrepresented in higher education and particularly at Durham.”

However, the scheme has been criticised by MP Robert Jenrick as “a blatant case of anti-white discrimination.” Durham University has since confirmed that it does not “discriminate or make contextual offers based on ethnicity.”

Asian Access is a new residential programme that aims to inspire, empower and support Asian heritage students from across the United Kingdom to apply to Durham University.

Durham promises “a guaranteed alternative offer (typically two grades lower)” to students of this demographic who take part in a free summer school. This decision follows other UK Russel group universities’ efforts to offer support to BAME applicants.

The controversy surrounding the scheme

Reform MP Robert Jenrick accused the scheme of being “A blatant case of anti-white discrimination”. The MP said: “It is bizarre that Durham University think it’s sensible to lower the grades for British Asian students when they already outperform their white British counterparts.”

The treasury spokesperson for Reform UK added: “University admissions must treat students equally and stop trying to socially engineer outcomes by creating a two-tier system.”

MP Jenrick also explained to the Mail how a Reform UK government would “end this nonsense” and “make our universities meritocratic once again.”

However, the university has since branded these comments as “untrue.”

A spokesperson for Durham University explained how admissions decisions are “fair and based on published entry criteria.”

They also confirmed how there are several access programmes of academic study in support of underrepresented students applying to Durham.

These claims fail to account for the inequalities inherent in the BAME student experience. Their experience suffers “in terms of where they study, the likelihood of their dropping out, the attainment of a ‘good’ (first or upper second) degree, and in employment opportunities”

In 2019 and 2021, Universities UK surveyed Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) student attainment in British higher education. Initial findings revealed an attainment gap between BAME and White British students achieving a First or a 2:1. The gap has since reduced “from 13.2 per cent for 2018 graduates to 8.8 per cent for 2021 graduates”.

This improvement is as a result of changes recommended by the research body. Durham University’s latest announcement promises a step further in narrowing this gap and improving BAME student experience.

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Why the scheme is needed in Durham University

Universities UK’s reports attribute the attainment gap to a number of factors, most significantly, BAME students’ lacking sense of belonging.

According to a 2025 Palatinate investigation, race and belonging at Durham University has been and continues to be an issue.

“As previously reported by Palatinate, an FOI revealed that, since 2010, the percentage of BME students at Durham has increased by 20 per cent. At Grey College, in 2010/11, nine per cent of undergraduates identified BME, in 2023/24, 30 per cent of undergraduates identified as BME. The FOI did not disaggregate ‘BME’ into specific ethnic-minority groups.

“A Freedom of Information request by Palatinate found that instances of racism have nearly doubled since 2019, where there were 80 race-related crimes in the DH1 postcode last year. Palatinate’s survey found that people from Black and Asian heritage backgrounds experienced racism both within the student community, and in the city.”

Durham University’s scheme marks a promising effort to improve this current situation and offer increased support to students in ethnic minorities.

Durham University spokesperson said: “This story is untrue. We do not discriminate or make contextual offers based on ethnicity.

“We encourage applications from all talented students with the potential to succeed at Durham University, irrespective of background.

“Our admissions decisions are fair and based on published entry criteria.

“We agreed with the Office for Students as part of our published access and participation plan that we would increase our numbers of students who are underrepresented at Durham through a range of targeted intervention schemes and a range of financial support.

“We offer several access programmes of academic study to support underrepresented students to apply and prepare for university and thrive while they are here.

“Students must meet published criteria to apply successfully, including demonstrating high academic achievement and potential, and come from neighbourhoods with low progression rates for university.

“Contextual offers, which are standard practice in the higher education sector and shown to be effective in supporting underrepresented students to access university, are made to all eligible students who complete successfully their programme of academic study.”

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Featured image via Durham University