King's has been awarded University of the Year for Social Inclusion in the Daily Mail University Guide 2027.
The award, announced on the day hundreds of thousands of students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland receive their A-Level results, recognises King's initiatives to remove barriers to success throughout student educational journeys. The announcement is part of the Daily Mail's University Guide, with King's also being named one of the top 10 universities in the UK.
King's flagship social mobility projects include a range of programmes supporting young people to overcome barriers to education and progress to university.
This support spans key stages of the education journey, from Year 6 through to university and beyond, with programmes including Step Up Scholars, King's Scholars, Scholars+ and the K+ programme. Together, they aim to narrow the attainment gap, support pupils to progress to their next stage of education and help more young people see university as a realistic and achievable option.
Support continues once students arrive at King's, helping to create a more equitable and inclusive university community. King's PLUS provides tailored support for widening participation students throughout a two-year programme, while the King's Black Excellence Programme, co-created with students, supports Black and Mixed Black heritage home undergraduate students across all year groups. Financial support is also available through the King's Living Bursary and Affordable Accommodation Scheme, helping eligible students with the costs of university and supporting them to make the most of their time at King's without financial worries.
King's wider commitment to inclusion was recognised in 2024 when the University was awarded University of Sanctuary Status, recognising its work to create a place of safety and solidarity for people who have been forcibly displaced from their home countries.
In recognition that no single institution or sector can address entrenched inequality alone, King's endeavours to strengthen partnerships and opportunity in local communities as part of Strategy 2030. King's has worked in strategic partnership with Citizens UK to respond to issues affecting local communities, such as working with parents in South London to establish initiatives including Parent Power, Empoderando Familias and EmpowerESOL. These initiatives support families and communities to access education and opportunities.
Professor Kim Piper, Academic Director (Student Success), King's College London, said: "Universities have an important role to play in breaking down barriers for underrepresented students, empowering them to access and succeed in higher education. At King's, we are committed to playing our part. Our new Strategy 2030, sets our aims to expand pathways into King's for diverse and talented students, broaden opportunities for individuals from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and further reduce attainment gaps.
"We can already see the impact of this approach in practice. From our scholar programmes providing mentoring and tuition, to our financial support schemes, our actions help to create a world in which a young person's destination is not limited by their start in life."
Alastair McCall, Editor, Daily Mail University Guide, said: "King's College London proves that it is possible to be both a top 10 university and to have a socially inclusive student population. To achieve this feat and be academically highly selective puts King's into a very exclusive club.
"It takes its commitment to fair access seriously with more than one third of admissions in September 2025 gaining their place with contextual offers (typically reduced by two A-level grades) that take account of social, economic or educational disadvantage.
"Support continues once students enrol with the King's Plus programme creating a cross-faculty community with dedicated events through which students from backgrounds under-represented on campus can build social networks and enhance their university experience.
"These students enjoy the same successes as other King's graduates - high-skilled jobs and some of the highest graduate salaries are the norm. Education can be the greatest agent of social mobility and all the evidence from King's College London suggests the university lives that ideal on a daily basis.
"It was this year's outstanding candidate to be the Daily Mail University of the Year for Social Inclusion."
