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Postgraduate Admissions Policy

Introduction
Admissions criteria and selection
Commitment to fairness, transparency and consistency
Feedback to applicants
Information shared with INTO University Partnerships
Application deadlines
The application in context
Postgraduate Taught Centralised Admissions
Postgraduate Research Admissions
Responsibility of applicants in the application process
The offer-making process
Meeting your conditions
Record Keeping Duties
Related policies
Disclaimer

Introduction

A diverse community is an essential part of the core values of the University of Exeter. Diversity amongst our student body enriches learning, teaching, and research.

The University’s Postgraduate Admissions Policy sets out the means by which we will encourage and welcome applicants with different educational and social backgrounds.

The Policy relates to all postgraduate programmes offered by the University of Exeter and from 2013 will include the University of Exeter Medical School¹. For admissions policy information for the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, please refer to their website.

The University is committed to ensuring that no student with potential to meet our entry requirements is deterred from applying. All applications are considered and evaluated on the basis of individual potential.

This policy is consistent with good admissions practice in higher education, as defined in the Quality Assurance Agency’s Code of Practice* and the Schwartz Recommendations for Good Practice**, and complies with current legislation affecting the admission of students.

*The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2006) Code of practice for the assurance of academic quality and standards in higher education. Section 10: Admissions to higher education – September 2006
**Admissions to Higher Education Steering Group (2004) Fair admissions to higher education: Recommendations for good practice

Responsibility for oversight of and changes to our Postgraduate Admissions Policy rests with the University of Exeter’s Admissions and Widening Participation Policy Group.

¹_{The University of Exeter Medical School will take its first entrants in 2013. Subject to accreditation from the General Medical Council two medical schools have been formed from the Peninsula Medical School. The University of Exeter Medical School will be based in Exeter, with a Plymouth University Peninsula School of Medicine, based in Plymouth.}

Admissions criteria and selection

General academic entry requirements

The University welcomes applications from appropriately qualified students offering a wide range of qualifications. Further details can be found on our website. International qualifications will be considered and evaluated by referring to independently published guides recognised within the United Kingdom higher education sector such as UK NARIC.

Competence in English Language

Teaching and assessment will normally take place in English. Therefore, applicants must be competent in the English language and most programmes require at least GCSE English at grade C or an equivalent qualification. If English is not your first language and you have not completed your education in a UKBA defined majority English-speaking country. You will need to submit evidence of a good command of English before starting your degree programme. Our website contains further information about our English language requirements.

Suitability of subjects and subject combinations required

Whilst we will normally consider a wide range of subjects as appropriate for entry to our programmes, applicants are advised to check individual programme requirements, where we will in some cases advise on preferences in respect of particular subjects or subject combinations that we believe provide the best preparation for study on that programme.

Other criteria

In addition to academic qualifications, when selecting candidates we will also consider whether an applicant is suitably motivated to complete their chosen programme of study, and whether the provision will challenge and benefit the student.

In our holistic assessment of an application, we will take into account information provided within the personal statement and reference, and will consider academic ability, motivation, experience and self-discipline. We will also consider relevant interests outside of studies such as work or voluntary experience.

A number of our postgraduate programmes also have compulsory non academic requirements such as evidence of work experience. These will be detailed in the programme entry requirements.

The University of Exeter will take into account compliancy requirements in regard to external legislation (such as the UKBA) when reviewing your application.

The University of Exeter reserves the right not to consider an applicant for entry if the entrant has previously been withdrawn from the University on Academic grounds or due to submission of fraudulent documentation.

Commitment to fairness, transparency and consistency

To ensure a fair and consistent admissions process, the University of Exeter will ensure that the following principles are adhered to:

All programmes will clearly state their entry criteria, including academic qualifications, along with appropriate experience and skills required for entry
Entry criteria will be easily accessible through our website
Applicants will be informed in general terms how they can demonstrate their achievements (both academic and experiential) and motivation to study
An offer below the normal entry requirements may be made in exceptional cases where there is evidence that the applicant’s grades may have been affected by individual extenuating circumstances.

Where programmes include interviews or tests as part of their selection criteria we will make this explicit to candidates, and provide details on how the interviews will be conducted and the criteria used to select successful candidates. Further information can be found in our Interview policy.

A number of programmes require candidates to provide additional written work to supplement an application. The University may request this and will explain the reasons for such a request.

Feedback to applicants

Entry to the University is competitive so not every applicant will receive an offer of a place. Where candidates are unsuccessful, feedback is available on request (see the University’s feedback policy).

Information shared with INTO University Partnerships

The University works with INTO University Partnerships to deliver a range of English and academic preparation programmes for international students through the INTO University of Exeter Centre located on our Streatham Campus. In circumstances where the University has assessed your application and feel an INTO programme may be appropriate, we would like to share information with the Centre, so that they can send you communications on their programmes. If you do not wish us to share your information with the Centre you can opt out as part of our online application process or by emailing admissions@exeter.ac.uk within 10 working days of submitting your application. If you email please quote INTO –OPT OUT in the subject field of your email and ensure that you quote your full name, Exeter Reference number and programme for you have applied, stating that you wish to opt out of shared information with INTO.

Application Deadlines

If there are spaces available you can apply up to the start of your programme. In deciding when to submit your application you should take into account factors such as securing accommodation and, if appropriate, applying for funding.

If you require a visa to study it is a particularly important that allow sufficient time for both the application and visa process.

For further information including advisory deadlines please view our Apply webpage.

The application in context

Whilst we do not routinely use contextual information to inform our decision making, there may be occasions where the applicant and/or their referee asks us to take account of certain contextual factors which may have affected performance, and to consider this in making an offer.

Evidence of contextual factors will not necessarily mean that preference will be given to candidates, as each case will be considered on its individual merits. However, in cases where it there is clear evidence that contextual factors have affected performance and achievement, and where the applicant is able to demonstrate motivation and potential to achieve, the University will consider this as part of its holistic assessment of the application.

Postgraduate Taught Programmes Centralised Admissions

The University is committed to providing a professional admissions operation in order to provide the best service to applicants. For the majority of our postgraduate taught programmes we operate a centralised admissions process. Admissions tutors within the academic departments remain involved in the admissions process, and are responsible for agreeing the entry criteria and selection processes for each of their programmes.

The consideration of individual applications for postgraduate taught programmes normally takes place in the central Admissions Office, where specialist admissions staff review the application on the basis of achieved and outstanding qualifications, alongside the personal statement, reference and other relevant information. Where the applicant has non-standard qualifications or on occasions where the applicant narrowly misses the qualifications for the standard offer for a programme, the application may be referred to the admissions tutor for consideration.

Postgraduate Research Admissions

The University is committed to providing a professional admissions operation in order to provide the best service to applicants. Due to supervisory requirements, all postgraduate research applications will be submitted to an academic college for consideration by the appropriate academic tutors.

Responsibility of applicants in the application process

It is the responsibility of applicants to provide full and accurate information in an application and to notify the University of any changes or corrections to the original application.

By accepting an offer of admission, the applicant agrees to abide by the rules and regulations of the University.

If someone is found to have provided fraudulent documentation in support of your University or UK visa application any offer from the University will be invalid.

In the light of additional information which was not available at the time of selection, an offer may be amended or, in exceptional circumstances, withdrawn. The University also reserves the right to correct errors where they have been made in the communication of decisions and offers. However, an offer made in error where all conditions have been satisfied will only be withdrawn with the applicant’s consent.

The University reserves the right to exclude a candidate who is considered on justifiable grounds to be unsuitable for a place according to individual circumstances.

The offer-making process

A formal decision will be communicated directly to the applicant by the central Admissions Office. Where a candidate has applied for one programme and is not successful, an alternative programme may be offered.

An offer, whether conditional or unconditional, will be made in good faith taking into account information as supplied by the applicant and/or referee at the time of the application. In some circumstances, an offer may be conditional upon non-academic requirements e.g. police checks which are deemed satisfactory.

Accepting an offer

To accept and secure your place

If you have an offer for a full-time taught postgraduate programme* you will need to pay a deposit to secure your place. You should pay your deposit by the deadline even if you have not yet met all the conditions of your offer.

_{*also applies to the part-time MA in Western Esotericism}

If you have an offer for a part-time or research degree, you should contact us to confirm acceptance. Remember to include your full name, Exeter reference number and programme title in your reply.

Meeting your conditions

Applicants who achieve the grades required by their conditional offer will have their place confirmed. Applications from candidates who have not met the required grades, are reviewed and their places may be confirmed if space is available: no guarantee is made that this will be possible. All conditions of offers must be met in full by the 31 August to guarantee a place for entry in the year of application. If conditions are met after this point we may be able to confirm a deferred place.

International Students

ATAS clearance

A number of our programmes fall within a list of subjects which require Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) clearance BEFORE a UK student visa can be issued. ATAS is a UK government scheme designed to ensure that students applying to study certain sensitive subjects in the UK cannot use their academic studies to spread knowledge and skills that could be used in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery. You will need to hold a valid ATAS certificate before you apply for your UK student visa or extension to stay. Whilst this doesn't guarantee you a visa, your visa application will automatically be refused if you need an ATAS certificate and cannot provide one. You can apply for an ATAS certificate up to 12 months prior to the start of your course and the certificate remains valid as long as your course details do not change. The ATAS certificate is institution specific so you may want to start the ATAS application after you have confirmed where you want to study otherwise you will need to apply for separate ATAS clearance certificates for each University/Institution and programme of study. Please note the average turnaround time for an ATAS certificate to be processed is 20 working days so please ensure that you apply for ATAS clearance in good time. You can find out more about ATAS on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website.

If your programme requires ATAS clearance it is University of Exeter policy not to issue a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS number) until we have received a copy of your ATAS certificate.

Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS)

A CAS is a unique reference number which is assigned and used by the UK Border Agency (UKBA). You CAS number will link to electronic information about you and your course of study which is provided by the institution you are going to study at. Every student will have a unique CAS number which is linked directly to their information.

The University generates the CAS via the UK Border Agency Sponsor Management System, once your offer is unconditional and has been firmly accepted. As a visa application can only be made in the 3 months prior to your planned start date we anticipate sending you your CAS number from May. In order to apply for a UK student visa and register at the start of your programme, you will need to produce your original certificates and transcripts. We recommend that you visit our International Students pages which provide more information about immigration, travel to Exeter, English Language requirements, visits to your country and much more, including our handbook 'International Students' Guide'.

Record Keeping Duties

The University will keep admissions documentation for all students who enrol/register at the University for the duration of their studies and for 6 years after.

We request that you do not send original documents in advance of your arrival at the University as we cannot guarantee the safe return via the postal system. If you are an International student, you will require the original documentation for the visa application process.

As part of the University’s UKBA Tier 4 Sponsor Licence, the University of Exeter is required to view and maintain copies of all International Students current passport and visa (valid for study at the University of Exeter) along with original qualification documents (including certified translations if these are not in English) on the basis of which admission was granted to the University. The University of Exeter undertakes these checks as part of the registration process upon arrival. We cannot permit an International student to enrol/register at the University without undertaking this process. In addition to the documentation required as part of our UKBA Tier 4 Sponsor Licence commitments we will also store any other documentation sent to us in support of an application.

As part of the Admissions process, if you are not successful in gaining a place at the University we will keep your documentation for a minimum of 6 months . Within 6-12 months of receiving an unsuccessful decision all documentation in relation to your application will be confidentially destroyed/deleted.

If you are offered a place at the University and decline, withdraw or fail to enrol, all documentation will either be held for a minimum of 6 months. All documentation will be confidentially destroyed/deleted within 12 months of an applicant declining, withdrawing or in the event of non enrolment.

Related policies

The Postgraduate Admissions Policy is underpinned by a number of other policy statements offering specific guidance on aspects of the process or for specific kinds of applicant:

Disability procedures for UK/EU applicants and international applicants
Discussing your application with others
Equal opportunities policy
Feedback policy
Interview policy
Applicants Declaring a Criminal Conviction
Fitness to Practise (Admissions Stage)

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to make variations to programme contents, entry requirements and methods of delivery, and to discontinue, merge or combine programmes, both before and after a student’s admission to the University, if such action is reasonably considered necessary by the University. If the University discontinues the programme prior to the student commencing the first term of study, the student may either:

withdraw from the University without any liability for fees, or
transfer to another programme offered by the University, subject to suitable qualifications, availability of places and the Dean’s approval.

If in these circumstances the student wishes to withdraw from the University and to enrol on a programme at a different University, the University shall use its reasonable endeavours to assist the student.

October 2011