‘Conditional unconditional’ offers out under UK admissions code

UK universities are set to ban use of “conditional unconditional offers”, and to use unconditional offers only in limited circumstances, under new guidelines.

The 20 institutions represented on Universities UK’s board have already signed up to the Fair Admissions Code of Practice, produced with GuildHE, and more are set to follow suit following its publication on 7 March.

Under the code, universities agree to not make conditional unconditional offers or offers with significantly lower entry requirements if applicants agree to make an institution their “firm” choice, a practice that was seen as placing undue pressure on students.

Conditional unconditional offers were banned in England by the sector regulator, the Office for Students, during the coronavirus pandemic, in a bid to reduce instability in admissions. But this prohibition expired last September.

Also under the code, institutions would agree to use unconditional offers only in limited circumstances, such as when an applicant already holds the required grades or where admissions decisions are substantially informed by an interview, audition or other process.

The document was published after the Westminster government confirmed that it was abandoning plans to move to a system of post-qualification admissions in England, under which students would have submitted their applications after receiving their grades. Now was “not…the right time for such a major upheaval”, the Department for Education said.

The new code says admissions policies “should prioritise the interests of applicants and deliver the best outcomes for these applicants, above the interests of universities and colleges”.

It says institutions should ensure that their admissions practices “support student choice and do not create unnecessary pressure”, and as such they should review their use of financial, accommodation and other incentives that seek to encourage applicants to choose a particular campus.

It says “contextual” offers with lower entry requirements can be used to minimise barriers to admissions for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and to reduce inequalities, “while maintaining standards”.

Institutions should “clearly explain” their use of contextual offers, the code continues. It recommends that universities allow applicants to understand where past applicants may have been admitted holding lower grades than originally requested, and to explain why this occurred.

Quintin McKellar, vice-chancellor of the University of Hertfordshire and chair of UUK’s fair admissions review, said supporting the code allowed institutions “to make a public commitment to prioritise applicants’ interests above all else”.

“The code behaviours build on the fairness and transparency in the admissions system, support student choice and avoid putting any unnecessary pressure on applicants,” Professor McKellar said.

“All applicants must be able to make informed decisions based on clear evidence of their strengths, capability and potential, and on comprehensive and consistent information about how courses will meet their expectations, as future students and in their lives beyond graduation.”

Michelle Donelan, the higher education minister, said the changes “really help to put university applicants’ needs first”.

“I have long called for these much-needed changes to the admissions process such as increased transparency in advertising and also called out the use of conditional unconditional offers, which only really benefit the university or college. This code highlights the undue pressure this places on applicants to make a decision which may not be in their best interests,” Ms Donelan said.

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com