Schools, colleges and community
Pathways to Banking and Finance
- Have you just started Year 12?
- Do you have an interest in a career in banking or the financial sector?
- Do you live within a one-hour commute of the University of Leicester by public transport?
If you answered yes to all of these questions, then the Pathways to Banking and Finance programme could be exactly what you’re looking for!
Starting in Year 12 and ending in Year 13, this programme will give you the opportunity to explore university study by engaging in a series of lectures, seminars and insight days hosted at the University of Leicester. You can also apply to attend a National Conference (summer residential) at the University of Warwick, as well as interact with industry professionals through events and work placement opportunities.
This fantastic programme is run in collaboration with the Sutton Trust and supported by Deutsche Bank.
Benefit of the programme
The programme will give you an insight into various business-related university courses such as Accounting and Finance, Economics, Business Management, Financial Economics and Banking, Marketing and Human Resource Management.
Students who complete the programme and apply to the University of Leicester will receive an offer up to two grades below the standard offer for that course (to a minimum of BCC for those studying three A-levels)*, and a £1,000 University of Leicester bursary for each year of your course (up to 4 years) on successful registration*.
Students may also receive a lower offer and additional scholarships from other universities in the partnership.
The programme is completely free with all public transport travel costs reimbursed.
*You must meet all minimum course requirements for the course you are applying for including GCSEs and level 3 subject requirements. Courses excluded from the grade reduction and bursary include; Medicine with a Foundation Year (A199), Clinical Sciences (B990), LLB Law Graduate Entry (M102), LLB Law JD Pathway (M103) and LLB Maîtrise (M120).
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this Sutton Trust Pathways programme hosted by University of Leicester, you must:
- Attend a state-funded, non-fee-paying school/college.
- Be in Year 12 and study in England.
Additional criteria considered includes academic achievements, being the first in your family to attend university, receiving free school meals, attending a school with below-average progression to higher education, living in a deprived area, or having been in care.
The more criteria you meet, the more likely you are to secure a place. You don’t need to meet all the criteria to be eligible.
If you are (or have been) looked after, accommodated or in care, you only need to meet the age, school and academic requirements.
Key Dates
In order to successfully complete Pathways to Banking and Finance and be eligible for the benefits of the programme, you need to achieve 60 credits from event attendance. Please see below some planned events (more dates to be added):
- Saturday 6 December 2025 – Launch Event (on-campus event)
- Wednesday 18 February 2026 – Industry Spotlight (virtual event)
- Wednesday 8 April 2026 – Group Academic Workshop (on-campus event)
- Wednesday 27 May 2026 – Group Academic Workshop (on-campus event)
- Tuesday 7 July to Thursday 9 July 2026 – National Conference at Warwick University
- Thursday 6 August 2026 – Group Academic Workshop (on-campus event)
How to apply
Applications open in September for current Year 12 students. Please visit the Sutton Trust’s website to apply.
Applications close on Monday 3 November 2025.
If you have any questions about your application, please email the progression programme team at progression@le.ac.uk.