SPA - Supporting Professionalism in Admissions

Good Practice

Planning and Managing Admissions

Considerations for staff dealing with Adjustment applicants

All staff who will deal with applicants (including temporary staff) must be thoroughly trained on the adjustment process and how to deal with applicants.

All institutions

  1. Has the applicant fully considered the reasons why they chose their original institution and, consequently, why they might wish to change?
  2. Is the applicant adjusting within the given timescale?

At institutions which may receive Adjustment applicants

As part of their discussion with applicants who seek to transfer to their institution staff should be trained to ask:

  1. Has the applicant actually registered for Adjustment?
  2. Is the applicant entitled to adjust?

        • An applicant cannot adjust unless they have met and exceeded their Conditional Firm           offer and their status is now UF
        • An applicant cannot adjust on their insurance choice
        • An applicant cannot adjust if the original offer was unconditional

At institutions which may lose Adjustment applicants

  1. Did the applicant mean to register for Adjustment (if not, instruct the applicant to contact UCAS)?
  2. Has the applicant spoken with accommodation/student services at their new intended institution?
  3. Is the applicant aware they will be giving up a guaranteed place at their original institution once accepted as an Adjustment applicant at the new institution?
  4. Is the applicant aware that if they fail to secure an Adjustment place they will keep their original UF and revert to their existing offer?
  5. Is the institution clear that any of their UF applicants registering for Adjustment who do not get a place in Adjustment remain UF with them and will come to them?
  6. Institutions will remember that a UF applicant who has registered for Adjustment is still their applicant and that they may, (if they wish) contact her or him to offer further information and advice about their institution and its' courses. Of course, institutions would do this in a professional manner without applying any pressure.
  7. At a very early stage in discussion about Adjustment, some institutions indicated that they were considering removing services or support such as accommodation or bursaries from UF applicants who registered for adjustment. It is unlikely now that any institution is considering this and SPA believes this is not good practice but, if any institutions are considering something similar, they must make their policy very clear.

For questions and details about processes of Adjustment go to the UCAS quick guide to Adjustment in the HE staff section of their website and/ or contact the UCAS HEI Team.

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Created: July 2011