Realising Opportunities was launched in August 2009 and was funded for a three year pilot phase by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (DBIS). Following the pilot, the RO universities committed direct funding to the Partnership. The RO programme provides able students with skills and information to help them not only make informed decisions about their future and to raise their aspirations to progress to a leading research intensive university, but to support their current work in school/college. Students are supported throughout the programme by their RO host university, the RO Central Team and a team of undergraduate students based at the RO Partner universities. Successful completion of the RO programme gives students the opportunity to have their achievements recognised through UCAS, resulting in additional consideration and the potential for alternative offers from the RO Partner universities.