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Last updated on Tuesday 20 Dec 2022 at 10:27pm
The impact of Covid-19 has been felt widely across the sector. Detailed below is a proposed 'Fair admissions agreement' – a set of principles and behaviours that demonstrate how the sector places the student interest at the heart of admissions decision-making processes, recognising the additional pressures on students during this difficult and disruptive time.
While many aspects of this agreement are relevant to universities across the UK, this set of principles is designed to guide admissions behaviours among universities in England given the specific regulatory context within which they are operating.
Universities' admissions processes for 2021/22 home undergraduate recruitment must put the student interest first. This means universities must:
This includes recruiting all full-time home undergraduate applicants only through UCAS. As such, the type of offer, full conditions, subsequent offer or decision amendments, and Confirmation decisions must be transmitted to the applicant using Track in the first instance.
Universities are to continue as usual in ensuring admissions practices are fair and transparent, including through clearing. These updated principles, recommended by UUK's Fair Admissions Review, include ensuring that admissions processes truly deliver for the applicant.
This includes not making:
This includes in relation to aspects of an offer communicated to applicants within or outside of UCAS that are tied to accommodation and other material and financial inducements such as bursary applications, discounted offer-making or similar schemes which unduly incentivise decision-making.
This includes accounting for the disruption and lost learning faced by some applicants, and the unique circumstances certain 'private candidates' are in.
This includes being mindful that this year's results awarded via teacher assessment will have equal status to the grades awarded in other years and should be treated in this way by universities.
This includes towards targets to increase the proportion of new students coming from disadvantaged backgrounds and other underrepresented groups.
This means universities upholding the highest standards of conduct to support stability at this time.
Our monthly updates are a great way for you to stay up to date with our work, events, and higher education news.