Oxford accused of lowering their own standards to hit diversity targets with one in ten places now reserved for students from disadvantaged backgrounds

Oxford academics fear standards are being lowered to accept ‘disadvantaged’ students who would not otherwise be offered a place in a bid to hit diversity targets. 

The prestigious university aims to reserve one in ten places for students from ‘disadvantaged’ postcodes or areas with a high proportion of working class residents who do not get through the standard admissions process.

They will have usually been educated at a state school, with only privately-educated students nominated on rare occasion. 

Known as Opportunity Oxford, the scheme admits students ‘on the same rigorous basis as all other students’.

It is believed there are 220 places this year under the programme, rising to 280 by 2028, out of a total of 3,300 Oxford undergraduate places.

But academics involved in the admissions process say it is ‘simply false’ that students on the programme are assessed in the same way as those who are not. 

One don told The Times: ‘I have known students admitted under this scheme who could not write essays in grammatical English, something previously unknown in my experience among Oxford undergraduates.’ 

Another said they feared some among those offered a place under Opportunity Oxford could ‘displace’ those who have stronger academic ability.

It is believed there are 220 places this year under the Opportunity Oxford programme, rising to 280 by 2028, out of a total of 3,300 Oxford undergraduate places

Chris McGovern, chairman of right-wing pressure group Campaign for Real Education, said ‘well-intentioned but misguided policymakers are placing diversity, equality and inclusion above academic ability because intelligence is not evenly and fairly distributed.’

A spokeswoman for the University of Oxford however explained that anyone who receives an offer will be subjected to the same competitive process.

They said: ‘All Opportunity Oxford students must meet the same conditional offers for their course as other offer-holders.’

The spokeswoman added that the scheme plays an important role in ensuring equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their background.

Academics involved in admissions say it is ‘simply false’ that students on the programme are assessed in the same way as those who are not – but Oxford University disputes this