Oxford Brookes University – Academic Partnership Admissions Arrangements
General areas of ACP collaboration
1. Application process
Applicants will apply to OBU, who will make selection decisions based on previously agreed criteria. The academic partner will manage the defined and agreed aspects of the admissions process, subject to regular reporting and audit by OBU.
1.1 Verification of qualifications
Copies of official certificates and transcripts should be received during the application process, and originals seen at enrolment. Qualifications should also be verified with the awarding body where possible – using HEDD, LRS etc.
1.2 Assessment of fee status (home/overseas) / ID checks for right to study etc
Applicants’ ID should be checked during the admissions process, to check that they are the correct person, to confirm fee status and right to study in the UK.
If an applicant does not hold a UK passport they should be asked to provide:
BRP if they have settled status in the UK
EU “share code” for EU settled status etc
2. Entry requirements
These have been/are agreed between academic partner institutions and OBU before the programme is advertised. As the students are to be reported to HESA as OBU’s, consideration also needs to be given to the UCAS tariff scores and impact on league tables average tariff score.
2.1 Qualification Equivalence
How to determine “equivalence” of qualifications?
The UCAS tariff can be used to compare level 3 qualifications, and UK ENIC can be used to assess non-UK qualifications and approved degree awarding institutions. Ideally, the academic partner should use OBU’s qualification equivalence tables.
2.2 English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English
OBU English Language Requirements
The OBU Admissions policy states:
5.5. Applicants whose first language is not English will need to be able to demonstrate that their English language is proficient enough to enable them to succeed in their studies.
OBU would normally require someone whose first language was not English to be assessed via a formal English Language test. The academic partner is expected to adopt OBU’s approved English language qualifications.
2.3 Applicants who do not meet minimum entry requirements
A process should be agreed in relation to the consideration of applicants who do not meet minimum requirements, and the academic progress of such applicants monitored.
2.4 Selection for interview as necessary
OBU requires confirmation of whether everyone who meets the minimum requirements is invited for interview, or will there be a further shortlisting process for interview? If the latter, the shortlisting process and methodology should be approved by OBU.
2.5 Interview process
It is good practice to have a fair and transparent interview process so that candidates know what to expect and so that admissions decisions can be justified and defended upon appeal. This would usually involve
providing information in advance about the format of the interview (length, style, number of interviewers etc)
having a standard scoring methodology and scoring sheets
deciding the cut off score for interview selection
We suggest that OBU undertakes an annual review of the criteria that staff use to assess whether someone is appropriate for entry.