A new code of practice for universities will aim to stop the practice of making “conditional unconditional” offers to avoid students making choices that are not “in their best interests”.
The offers give students a place regardless of their exam results, but only on the condition they make the university their firm first choice.
Their use has risen in recent years but was temporarily banned by the Office for Students – the body responsible for regulating universities – at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
After an 18-month review, Universities UK (UUK), which represents the sector, will publish its code of fair admissions on Monday, setting out how processes must support “student choice”.
The code will say that universities should not make “conditional unconditional” offers, or offers with significantly lower grade requirements based on applicants making their institution a firm choice.
The practice has been widely criticised over concerns that it demotivates students from working hard for their A-level grades and fulfilling their potential.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said that they welcomed the “absolute clarity with which it reinforces the message that the use of so-called ‘conditional unconditional offers’ is unacceptable”.
The code will also say that unconditional offers should be used in limited circumstances, for example where admissions are informed by interviews or auditions, and that incentives to students should not place “undue pressure on the decisions that applicants make, or the timescales in which they should make them”.
Data published by Ucas in 2020 showed that in 2019 there were 35 universities and colleges where at least 1% of offers made were “conditional unconditional”.
Universities will be expected to sign the new code but it will not be compulsory. A cross-sector group will evaluate how effective the code is after its publication.
Prof Quintin McKellar, UUK’s vice-president for England and Northern Ireland, said: “The Fair Admissions Code of Practice allows universities and colleges to make a public commitment to prioritise applicants’ interests above all else.”
The minister for higher and further education, Michelle Donelan, said: “These changes really help to put university applicants’ needs first. Prospective students should expect clarity from the provider and the course about quality, transparency and fair access.
“I have long called for these much-needed changes to the admissions process such as increased transparency in advertising and also called out the use of conditional unconditional offers which only really benefit the university or college.
“This code highlights the undue pressure this places on applicants to make a decision which may not be in their best interests.”
