Pathways to Banking and Finance icon
Applications open:
01 September 2022
Age:
Year 12
Location:
England, Online
Duration:
2 years

What the programme offers

Each university has a unique way of delivering the programme. Over the course of two academic years, every Pathways to Banking student will gain access to Sutton Trust Online and have the opportunity to take part in:

A work experience placement

A work experience placement

Discover a career in the finance sector on a three to five-day work placement. You’ll have a chance to work at a leading financial firm. You will develop your skills, build your networks and hear from practising professionals. In the past we’ve partnered with:

  • Deutsche Bank
  • Rothschild
  • Natwest
  • Goldman Sachs
  • Capital One
  • HSBC

Attend University events

Attend University events

We will hold regular events to help prepare you for applying to, and attending, university. Until government guidance changes, we will be holding our events virtually either after school or during half-terms and holidays. We try to schedule most events in your first year to accommodate your A-level schedule. You will receive a full calendar of events in your first month so you can save the dates. In the past we have offered:

  • Interview workshops
  • Business masterclasses
  • Industry insight days
  • Personal statement and CV-writing workshops
  • Mock assessment centres

 

An undergraduate mentor

An undergraduate mentor

You will be assigned a university student who will guide you throughout your two years on the programme. They will share their experience as an undergraduate studying business or finance. You can ask them questions about picking a school, managing your finances, navigating social life and more!

 

Summer School

Summer School

Our Summer School is a crucial part of the programme and will be held either online or at Warwick University, depending on whether universities are permitted to have non-undergraduate students on campus. You will go to lectures to discover what university life has to offer and attend career talks to hear from employers. It is packed with exciting skill-building activities and sessions. You will meet students and professionals from around the country while receiving expert support on university applications. You can look forward to:

  • Skills workshops
  • Networking events
  • Career talks
  • Industry spotlight sessions
  • Social activities
  • Skills sessions

 

Access to our Alumni Network

Access to our Alumni Network

Once you graduate from a Sutton Trust programme, you will become a member of our alumni community. Sutton Trust Alumni is the online home of the alumni community. Here you can create connections, access support and inspire change. With more than 3,500 alumni already active in the community, you can get advice from alums studying and working in areas you are interested in. You’ll also gain exclusive access to events, career opportunities and ways to stay involved with our work.

 

Access Sutton Trust Online

Access Sutton Trust Online

You will have access to our virtual platform throughout your programme. With Sutton Trust Online, you will receive personal statement support, and be able to chat to our community of alumni about university life. You will also be able to view our extensive content library with lots of useful resources to help you prepare for university and beyond!

Who can apply

Eligibility

To apply to Pathways to Banking and Finance, you must:

  • Attend, and have always attended, a state-funded, non fee-paying school/college
  • Be in Year 12 (England and Wales), Year 13 (Northern Ireland) or S5 (Scotland) at the start of the programme.
  • If applying for Pathways in person: Live within a reasonable commuting distance of the university you are applying to. This will normally be one hour’s travel time each way. Please note, this year’s programme may begin online, but we hope to move to face-to-face programming once feasible. There will likely be elements of digital and face-to-face throughout the year. We will continue to follow the government’s and each universities’ guidance on this. If you are unsure about this, please contact us.

In addition, we are looking for students who:

  • Have achieved at least five GCSEs at grades 9 – 6 (A*-B), including English and Maths. A minimum of two of these qualifications should be at grades 9 – 7. Or have achieved 5 A or B grades at National 5 (with a minimum of 2 A grades) including grades A or B in Mathematics and English.
  • Would be the first generation in their family to attend university
  • Have been eligible for Free School Meals whilst at secondary school
  • Live in a neighbourhood with a low rate of progression to higher education or a high level of socio-economic deprivation
  • Have attended schools with a lower than average progression to higher education, or a higher than average proportion of students who qualify for Free School Meals
  • Have been looked after or in care

The more criteria you meet, the more likely you are to be offered a place on the programme.

Having the opportunity to speak to someone so senior in the industry was great as at that point I realised that Bankers are just ordinary people. Furthermore, by taking time out of his day to speak to us it showed me that senior professionals in industry care about my progress and mobility. Anthony, London, Pathways to Banking and Finance 2018 - LSE
I wasn’t aware that there would be so many networking occasions and have gained so much invaluable advice from the professionals. Hearing about their journeys into banking and finance has been incredibly inspiring and has given me more confidence into pursuing a career in the sector regardless of my background. Pathways to Banking and Finance alum 2017 - University of Warwick
Throughout the programme the online mentoring has been very supportive, as they answer all questions and support me with my university application, which has improved my confidence in applying to university and pursuing a career in finance. Umut, London, Pathways to Banking and Finance 2019 - LSE
When I applied, I had simply hoped to gain access to more exposure to the world of Banking and Finance. In reality, I gained not only what I expected, but also countless work experience opportunities including a few days at Deutsche Bank, relationships with a network of Finance professionals, valuable information about higher education and university life, and the confidence and motivation to pursue a career within the sector. Pathways to Banking and Finance alum 2017 - University of Warwick

How to apply

Applications for all Pathways to Banking and Finance programmes are now open!

Below are the application deadlines for each university hosting a Pathways to Banking programme this year

University  Application deadline
University of Warwick Closed
University of Liverpool 11/11/2022
London School of Economics Closed
Online Closed

 

From our 2018 cohort

35%

The proportion who were eligible for Free School Meals.

89%

The proportion who would be the first generation in their family to attend university.

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Pathways 2021

University partners

Founding Corporate Partner

Funding Partners

With thanks to all our partners who generously provide funding alongside supporting students on the programme.

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