Universities could be forced to hold back from offering students a place until AFTER they have received their A-Level results in planned shake-up of admissions process

  •  Students may soon be able to apply for universities after they receive A-levels
  •  The current system allows students to apply prior to getting their grade results
  •  Concern over how fair the system is has been raised as it's based on predictions
  •  Students who do poorly in mock-tests can be left ignored by top universities  

By John Stevens Deputy Political Editor For The Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

Students could apply for university places after they receive their A-level results as part of a major overhaul of the admissions process.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson yesterday backed an official review by the Office for Students (OfS) to look into whether it would be fairer to scrap the current set-up where admissions are based on predicted exam grades.

In a letter to the regulator, Mr Williamson said: 'We have to fight to keep the public trust and respect in our world-leading universities and to me that means a relentless focus on quality. I'm also concerned about how some universities are recruiting students, in particular a worrying rise in unconditional offers.' He also backed the OfS's investigation into whether 'conditional unconditional' university places were a breach of consumer rights.

At present, students apply to universities with grade predictions meaning many who fail mock-tests don't make the cut, yet then go on to achieve top university grade requirements

At present, students apply to universities with grade predictions meaning many who fail mock-tests don't make the cut, yet then go on to achieve top university grade requirements

Under the newly proposed system, students would only apply after they have their true results, in a bid to make the system fairer

Under the newly proposed system, students would only apply after they have their true results, in a bid to make the system fairer

'Conditional unconditional' offers are when institutions make a conditional offer to a student and then upgrade this to unconditional if they accept the university as their first choice.

Earlier this week, Mr Williamson told the Universities UK conference: 'I don't think there's any place for conditional unconditional offers at all... it sometimes limits youngsters from the most disadvantaged backgrounds from actually going to the very best academic institution that they possibly could do.'

Labour has pledged to scrap university offers based on predicted grades and implement a new 'fairer' system of post-qualification admissions (PQA).

Ucas, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, previously tried to move to a post-qualification system but dropped the idea in 2012.

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