It is time for a radical overhaul of how students
apply to university, said the University and College Union (UCU)
today (Thursday), as the universities’ regulator launched a major
review of university admissions.
UCU said it wants to see students
apply to university after they receive their results as
that would be fairer for students,
eradicate the need for controversial unconditional offers
and bring the
whole of the UK into line with the rest of the
world when it comes to university admissions.
A survey of recent university applicants found
that over half
(56%) felt universities should only make offers after people
receive their results. Support for
students applying after they get their results was highest
amongst traditionally hard to reach groups such as black and
minority ethnic students, and those who were the first in their
family to go to university.
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: ‘There is
growing support for a shift to a fairer admissions system, where
students apply to university after they have received their
results. Allowing students to apply after they receive their
results would bring us into line with the rest of the world and
eliminate the use of controversial unconditional offers.
‘This review is the opportunity for us to finally move to a
system where university offers are based on
actual achievement rather than unreliable estimates of
potential.’
The review by the Office for Students is seeking the views
of students, staff at universities and colleges, schools and all
those with an interest in education, on a range of issues
relating to admissions.
