Outrage as historic UK university accused of ‘blatant anti-white discrimination’

One of England‘s oldest and most prestigious universities has sparked fierce backlash after launching a scheme critics claim explicitly discriminates against white British students. The University of Durham, founded in 1832 and steeped in centuries of academic tradition, is facing accusations of “blatant anti-white discrimination” over its new Asian Access programme.

This offers guaranteed lower entry requirements to British Asian applicants in high-demand subjects such as psychology, law, and politics. Under the initiative, running for the first time this year, state school pupils of “Asian heritage/descent” who participate in a free summer school — complete with provided accommodation, travel, and food — will receive an “alternative offer” typically two grades lower than the standard requirement.

The university claims the programme aims to support students “typically underrepresented in higher education and particularly at Durham.” However, opponents argue this creates an unfair two-tier admissions system that penalises white students despite clear evidence that Asian pupils already outperform their white counterparts in accessing university places.

Official government figures highlight the disparity. In 2024, 51.4 % of Asian state school pupils in England secured places in higher education, compared with just 29.8 % of white students. Only Chinese pupils recorded a higher rate at 66.1 %, while black pupils stood at 48 %.

These statistics have fuelled criticism that the scheme ignores existing overrepresentation among Asian applicants and instead prioritises ethnicity over merit. Reform MP and former minister Robert Jenrick was among the most vocal critics, telling the Daily Mail: “This is a blatant case of anti-white discrimination.

“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. University admissions must treat students equally and stop trying to socially engineer outcomes by creating a two-tier system.”

Mr Jenrick vowed that a future Reform Government would “end this nonsense and make our universities meritocratic once again.” A Durham University spokesman defended the programme, stating: “We encourage applications from talented students of all backgrounds. Our admissions decisions are fair, non-discriminatory and based on published entry criteria.”

The university added that it had agreed with the Office for Students, as part of its access and participation plan, to increase numbers of British Asian students alongside other underrepresented groups.

It emphasised that participants are drawn from neighbourhoods with low progression rates to university and that contextual offers are made to those demonstrating high academic achievement after completing the summer programme.

Despite the defence, Durham is the latest in a growing list of elite institutions criticised for similar practices. Oxford University has faced accusations of “social engineering” after data revealed it accepted 16 % of black applicants who fell short of their required A-level grades over five years, compared with just 6 per cent of white candidates.

Other universities, including York and Bristol, have also introduced “contextual offers” targeting specific ethnic groups or deprived backgrounds. Parents have increasingly voiced frustration, arguing that admissions officers too readily assume disadvantage based on ethnicity rather than individual circumstances.

One mother told The Times last year: “A lot of these students passed the 11+ entrance exam and have professional parents on high salaries.”

Critics contend that such policies undermine the principle of equal treatment and risk eroding public confidence in the fairness of higher education admissions.

The controversy has intensified debates about race-based initiatives in British universities. While supporters frame them as necessary to address historical underrepresentation, detractors see them as reverse discrimination that disadvantages the white British majority, particularly working-class students who already face significant barriers.

A Durham University spokesman 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.”