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Good Practice

Admissions Policy, the Schwartz Report and the QAA Code of Practice

An Admissions Policy summarises the view an institution takes of admissions and the importance it attaches to it. It says what it is looking for in its students, how the process operates and where with in the institution responsibility for Admissions Policy lies.

An institution's Admissions Policy should be easy to find, transparent, and up-to-date. Common problems include having a well-thought out and approved policy ‘hidden’ in internal pages such as Academic Secretariat or Quality, rather than being clearly linked from the applicant or admissions pages, or having a policy which does not appear to have been reviewed for some years.

The Schwartz Report: Fair Admissions to higher education: Recommendations for good practice (2004)

An initial outline of a ‘Model Institutional Admissions Policy’ was given in Appendix 6 of the Schwartz Report (Fair admissions to higher education: recommendations for good practice) while other sections of the Schwartz Report also comment on the content of the policy. Principle 1 talks highlights:

"..detailed criteria for admission to courses, along with an explanation of admissions processes.
...a general indication of the weight given to prior academic achievement and potential demonstrated by other means. The latest available information should also be provided about the entry qualifications of applicants accepted on each course, and procedures for complaints and appeals. (5.1)"

Section B4 of the Report also stated that the Policy should make clear the Institution’s interpretation of ‘merit’ (B4) and the importance of having ‘Clear lines of responsibility’ for ‘Policy and processes’ to ensure institution-wide consistency, feedback and clear complaints and appeals procedures.

QAA Code of Practice: Section 10 Admissions to higher education - September 2006

The QAA addresses the same issue in its Code of practice: Section 10 Admissions to higher education - September 2006 - Precept 1 which states that:

"Institutions have policies and procedures for the recruitment and admission of students to higher education that are fair, clear and explicit and are implemented consistently.

Institutions' policies and procedures that reflect the admissions process in its entirety for all categories of student, including full and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate study, will help to demonstrate that policies and procedures are fair and can be implemented consistently.

Policies and procedures that provide clear and explicit information about how applications from prospective UK and international students, from both within and outside the EU, are appropriately accommodated in the recruitment and admission process will also help an institution to assure itself that its policies are being implemented consistently.

Clearly articulating where within the institution the responsibility lies for each part of the admissions process will help institutions to be fair and consistent in the implementation of its policies. For example, which body has responsibility and authority for determining the number of offers to be made relative to the number of places available, the setting of criteria against which applicants will be considered, and the selection of applicants themselves.

Institutions may also wish to consider including in their policies and procedures information about the responsibilities and obligations of applicants and students within the admissions process. This may include how an institution will respond to applications that include fraudulent or false information.

Institutions will wish to consider how the diverse background, experience and age of applicants and different modes of study available can be appropriately reflected in its policies and procedures. In devising their policies and procedures institutions will wish to provide for equality of opportunity for all applicants within the selection criteria established for each programme.

Ensuring that all procedures and policies can be effectively implemented in relation to study undertaken in collaboration with other providers and operate in particular circumstances, such as Clearing, will help an institution to demonstrate that their procedures and policies are fair, clear, explicit and are implemented consistently.

Once policies and procedures have been established, institutions will want to consider which elements might best and most informatively be presented to applicants, their advisers and agents."

Precept 1 is just the first of 12 precepts many of which refer in more detail to HEI policy on admissions, for example HEI policy with regard to feedback to unsuccessful applicants (Precept 9).

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Reviewed: July 2009