Admissions Policy

The School is committed to widening access and participation, including outreach programmes, contextual admissions, and initiatives to support disadvantaged or underrepresented students.

The principles for programme admission at the School include fairness, transparency, inclusivity, merit and potential evaluation, English language proficiency, holistic evaluation, legal compliance, academic suitability, ethical standards, and continuous improvement.

Admissions staff are responsible for the following:

• Collaborating with the Marketing Team to ensure a positive applicant journey.
• Promoting access through outreach activities and participation in open days.
• Providing excellent customer service and professionally representing the School.
• Addressing all pre-application queries, including those related to UCAS, CAS, and visas.
• Recording and tracking all queries and applications in line with School regulations and policies.
• Arranging interviews where required.
• Working with undergraduate and postgraduate programme teams to understand entry requirements and resolve queries.
• Managing offers, pre-contract information, contracts, registration, and enrolment processes.
• Collecting metrics for reporting and driving continuous improvement.

The School is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. It adheres to the Equality Act 2010 and follows guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The School assesses whether reasonable adjustments are needed for applicants with disclosed disabilities, long-term health conditions, or other factors to ensure fair access and success. No academically qualified applicant will be denied admission due to disability if reasonable adjustments have not been ruled out.

Applicants with a disability, long-term health condition, or other needs should disclose this information early in the application process. This allows the School's Admissions and Student Success Teams to arrange necessary support and adjustments in line with legislation. Reasonable adjustments can also be requested during the registration process after accepting an offer. All information will be handled according to the School's privacy policy.

For applicants disclosing a disability, long-term health condition, or other needs on their application form, the Admissions Team will collaborate with the Student Success Team. The Student Success Team will assess the need for reasonable adjustments and necessary arrangements to meet programme requirements. If needed, they will invite the applicant for a face-to-face interview to assist with this assessment, which may lead to a Learning Support Plan (LSP). This assessment is separate from the academic selection process. Students can also apply for learning support plans after starting their studies.

If the Student Success Team determines that no reasonable adjustments can be made under the law, admission may be denied to applicants with a disability, long-term health condition, or other needs. Applicants who are refused admission have the right to appeal under the School’s appeal and complaints procedure. For more details, refer to the Learning Support Plan and Reasonable Adjustments Policy.

The Admissions Team must use only accurate and up-to-date information provided by the Marketing Team. This includes details on programmes, modules, and entry criteria, and applies to all information sources including the School’s website, brochures, emails, and external publications. The Director of Operations is responsible for instituting processes for ensuring the accuracy of this information.

Further to the Accuracy of Information Policy (AOIP), the Marketing Team must ensure that information is updated regularly and that any changes are communicated promptly to all Directors and students. The Director of Operations oversees this process and reports on information accuracy to the Executive Board.

The School reserves the right to amend programme and module information. If changes occur after applications have been received, the School will notify all applicants of the changes and the reasons behind them, ensuring they can make informed decisions.

All staff must handle applicants' data, including queries, confidentially and avoid disclosing it inappropriately. Admissions staff may not communicate with third parties about an applicant without explicit authorisation, including referees listed in the application form. The School processes personal data in line with its data, privacy, and retention policies, available on the School's website.

The School welcomes applications from international students and can issue a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to support UK visa applications. Details of the process are available on the School’s website and in this Policy. The National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) assists in verifying international qualifications.

Applicants must demonstrate adequate English language proficiency by:

• Being a citizen of a majority English-speaking country.
• Having received education in an English-speaking environment.
• Achieving the minimum score in IELTS or another equivalent test, as specified in the programme specification and published on the School's website.

The School will issue a Certificate of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) for visa sponsorship only if:

• All conditions in the conditional offer letter, including English Language requirements and acceptance by the deadline, are met.
• The tuition fee deposit is paid, or official evidence is provided from a governmental or international sponsorship agency.
• The applicant has not been misled into having unrealistic expectations.
• The applicant shows genuine intention to complete their studies.
• The CAS questionnaire and supporting documents are submitted.
• The applicant provides all required evidence, including maintenance funds, as per UKVI requirements.

International students should refer to the Visa Sponsorship and Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) Policy on the School’s website.

As a Student Sponsor Licence holder, the School must:

• Maintain a visa refusal rate of no more than 10%.
• Ensure an enrolment rate of at least 90%.
• Achieve a course completion rate of 85% or more.

The Admissions Team is responsible for ensuring that these criteria are met by rigorously vetting all applicants and only offering admission when these requirements are assured.

The School's website integrates with the Academic Governance System (AGS) to provide up-to-date programme and module specifications. Information published includes:

• Programme names, final and exit awards
• Programme descriptions
• Core and optional modules
• Entry requirements
• Teaching and assessment details
• Careers information
• Fees

The entry requirements for all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes must be clearly outlined, including:

1. Qualifications and experience, including international qualifications and Recognition of Prior Learning and Experience. 
2. English language proficiency
3. Additional requirements, such as IT skills

This information is also reflected on external systems like UCAS. Entry criteria cannot be waived, and applicants must review these details before applying. The School reserves the right to adjust entry requirements before the admission cycle begins and will notify all applicants of any changes to allow them to make an informed decision.

The School will clearly publicise its application processes and timescales through relevant platforms such as UCAS. Information provided will include:

• Application procedures and deadlines
• Application review processes
• Communication timelines
• Interview procedures, if applicable

The School will communicate with applicants promptly, providing offers and responses to queries via email or the applicant portal. Details on next steps following an offer, including acceptance deadlines and enrolment procedures, will also be outlined.

All applications and supporting evidence will be evaluated fairly and consistently, in line with the Student Admission and Registration Regulations. If there are more qualified applicants than available places, priority will be given to those with the highest academic achievements and potential benefits from the programme. Meeting entry requirements does not guarantee an offer, as applications undergo a competitive selection process. Feedback will be provided to unsuccessful applicants, subject to operational constraints. Applicants may appeal admission decisions according to the Appeals process outlined in the Admissions Policy.

The School operates a fair admissions that promotes education for everyone. It applies applicable law, including the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

A. In some cases, depending on the course, applicants may need to disclose criminal records at the stage of application. The School will consider the application per the course entry criteria, including academic requirements, and if an offer is made, registration will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. This will be mentioned on the course page on the website.

B. On other courses, applicants will have to declare unspent convictions under the 1974 Act after an offer has been made and accepted per the course entry criteria:

• Violence-related offenses: any offence, including assault, battery, ABH (Actual Bodily Harm), and other violent crimes;
• Sexual offences: any offence involving sexual misconduct, including under the Sexual Offences Act 2003;
• Drug offences: any offence with regard to controlled substances and drugs;
• Any firearms offences
• Public order offenses: serious offences like rioting or violent disorder;
• Terrorism-related offences
• Offences involving arson

The Executive Committee, or a delegated sub-group, will assess disclosed information based on risk. All disclosures will be handled in accordance with the law, including data protection provisions. Decisions can be appealed through the admissions appeals and complaints process.

Students may apply to defer their entry. The School has the discretion to accept or reject deferment requests based on academic and operational considerations.

An unconditional offer may only be made if an applicant meets all entry criteria for the programme.

If an applicant does not currently meet all entry requirements for an undergraduate or postgraduate programme but is expected to do so soon, the Admissions Team may issue a conditional offer. This offer will specify the conditions the applicant must meet, including:

1. Pending qualifications: If the applicant is pursuing an academic qualification, the offer may require completion of specific requirements before the School confirms their place.
2. International students: The offer will detail any requirements for international students, such as English language proficiency.
3. Other requirements: Some programmes may require non-academic conditions, such as the completion of a DBS check.

The School may invite applicants to an interview as part of the assessment process in the following situations:

• If the programme requires it;
• If the applicant needs visa sponsorship;
• If the applicant has non-standard qualifications;
• If the application relies heavily on recognition of experience.

Any fraudulent applications or misrepresentation of qualifications or other information will be investigated and may result in the withdrawal of an offer, cancellation of enrolment, or disciplinary action.

When the School issues an offer letter, it must include essential pre-contract information. This includes the programme name, core and optional modules, the award to be received, programme duration, and details of tuition fees and any additional charges.

The offer letter must detail the steps an applicant needs to take to formally accept the offer. This includes outlining any conditions, the acceptance deadline, the formal acceptance process, and when the offer will expire.

Once the offer is accepted, it constitutes a legally binding contract between the applicant and the School. Students must adhere to the School's regulations and policies, pay tuition fees as scheduled, and complete registration.

The contract outlines terms and conditions related to engagement with studies, changes to programmes, data protection, liability, withdrawal of services, and cancellation. A copy of the contract is available on the School's website.

After formally accepting their offer, students will be informed by the School about fee payment and the registration process. Enrolment in the programme will follow registration. Both registration and enrolment are necessary to access the School’s services. For more details, refer to the Registration and Enrolment Policy.

RPL and other claims for module exemptions and credit awards will be accepted only if the applicant meets the same rigorous standards as those applied to summative assessments, proving they can achieve the module and programme outcomes at the required level.

RPL and RPE for entry criteria will be assessed by the admissions team against the established entry requirements.

If the School must suspend or discontinue an undergraduate or postgraduate programme with offers already made, affected applicants will be informed promptly. The School will either offer a place on a suitable alternative programme or, if this is not possible, provide advice and support to find a suitable alternative at another higher education provider.

If the School cannot offer a suitable alternative programme or if the alternative is rejected by the student, a full refund will be issued for any deposit fees paid. Applicants must take reasonable steps to mitigate their situation based on the School's advice. If they incur reasonable and evidenced expenses securing a similar programme at another institution, the School will provide reasonable compensation upon receipt of a valid claim.

If an applicant is dissatisfied with a rejection decision by the School, they may appeal. If the dissatisfaction concerns how the application was handled or how the decision was made, rather than the decision itself, they may lodge a complain

The School will endeavour to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants, subject to operational constraints. Applicants considering an appeal should first seek and review this feedback from the Admissions Team.

If the feedback does not resolve the issue, the applicant may submit a formal appeal in writing to the Director of Student Services.

The Director of Student Services will review the appeal and provide a formal response within 15 working days. The Director's decision is final.

Applicants should first write to the staff member who made the decision if they are dissatisfied with how their application was considered.

If dissatisfaction persists, they should then write to the Director of Student Services. 

The Director's decision on admission is final.

All appeals and complaints should be addressed promptly and as close to the point of origin as possible. A response must be provided within 15 working days. If this is not feasible, the applicant must be informed and given an estimated response date.

The School’s Automated Governance System (AGS) securely records all admissions communications, including applications from platforms like UCAS, queries, submissions, offers, correspondence, documents, and RPL claims. Communications via other channels (e.g. telephone, email) are also logged on the AGS. Applications submitted through the School's website are added to the AGS, and applicants must provide accurate information. False or misleading information may result in application rejection at any stage. The AGS automatically sends email notifications to applicants and staff about updates and reminders to log in and take necessary actions.

The School processes personal information to provide admission services and comply with external data obligations, including Higher Education Statistic Agency (HESA) and Office for Students (OfS) reporting requirements. This includes personal data about applicants. The processing follows the School’s data, privacy, and retention policies, which are available for download on the School’s website and comply with legal requirements.