Grant some academic once denied (7)
I believe the answer is:
concede
'grant' is the definition.
(I know that grant can be written as concede)
'some academic once denied' is the wordplay.
'some' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue (some parts of the word are used).
'CONCEDE' can be found hidden inside 'academic once denied'.
(Other definitions for concede that I've seen before include "Surrender, yield" , "Admit; surrender" , "Admit; yield" , "Make admission" , "Admit (defeat in match)" .)