Advice for 2020 applicants and offer holders

Current advice as of 25 May 2020

Advice for 2020 applicants

Here’s a summary of what we know at the moment:

  • UK schools remain closed to most pupils.
  • GCSE, A-level, BTEC Nationals, Access and other examinations will not take place this summer.
  • The government has assured students they will be able to progress on to higher education without disruption.
  • The Department for Education and Ofqual have published guidance for schools, pupils and parents about the process for the award of A-level qualifications this year. The guidance is clear that the grades awarded to students will have equal status to those awarded in other years.
  • International students are being similarly disrupted, with different decisions being made by individual countries about national examinations. Read our additional advice for international applicants and offer holders.
  • We recognise that students intending to go direct from their undergraduate studies to a postgraduate degree are also facing uncertainty.

You'll be concerned about what this means for your future. And we’re sure you have questions about how cancelling 2020 exams will affect you in the long run, especially if you're planning to start uni this year. We've put together a set of FAQs which should explain all, whatever your situation. And if you are planning to apply to start your studies in 2021, find out about our plans, and what you can do. 

Answer:

We are committed to doing all we can to support our students and applicants and to ensure that the impact of COVID-19 on your progression to university is minimised.

Universities, UCAS, examination regulators and school leaders are working together to address all the practical implications of the decision to not hold public examinations this year. Two factors are informing the approach we are taking at the University of Brighton:

  • The Office for Students has emphasised the importance of consideration for students from disadvantaged backgrounds during this unique admissions cycle.
  • The government is committed to ensuring there are no barriers which stop candidates in achieving the qualifications they need to progress to higher education in the next academic year.
  • We are also applying these principles to students intending to apply for postgraduate courses with us this year.
Answer:

We understand that gap year plans will have changed for many students who have applied and deferred their place until 2021. If this is your situation and you would like to start your course in 2020 please get in touch with us. We will do everything we can to be flexible and make this change for you. Accommodation applications are open until June 30 so we recommend acting now so that you are guaranteed an offer of a room in halls.

Answer:

Teachers in UK schools and colleges will calculate your A-level, BTEC, GCSE and Access grades based on guidance provided by Ofqual. These grades will be confirmed by the examination boards and passed to the university in the normal way for us to confirm your place on your chosen course. Applicants taking the International Baccalaureate will also have their grades calculated and passed to us in the same way.

Ofqual have acknowledged this is an anxious time for private candidates: they are continuing to explore options for students who have been home-schooled, are studying independently or are following distance learning programmes and we are waiting for a separate update on this.

For international applicants, we are monitoring and acting on the advice and guidance provided by a wide range of examination boards and the UK Home Office. We aim to be as flexible as possible when assessing both your academic and English language qualifications.

Universities are taking a range of approaches to final year assessment. We will accept scans of transcripts of degree results for postgraduate applicants completing their undergraduate degrees in the summer of 2020.

Answer:

No. During the 2020 cycle, some universities were already making unconditional offers to students still waiting for exam results. A small number of institutions decided to take this action in immediate response to the announcement that UK examinations were not going to take place. However, the Office for Students (OfS) has instructed all universities who are making such unconditional offers to stop the practice.

OfS guidance makes clear unconditional offers should only be made in very specific circumstances to students who have already achieved their qualifications.

The OfS has emphasised that in the current period of raised anxiety unconditional offer making of this kind is not in the interests of prospective students. For the same reason, OfS has advised all higher education providers not to make time limited offers, make lower than usual conditional offers or provide other inducements to encourage students to accept offers.

We believe it is really important that when you are considering which offer to accept you can do this informed by what will be best for you in the long run.

At Brighton, we continue to make offers in the usual way. We will not be changing conditional offers we have already made into unconditional offers until we receive details of candidates’ qualifications.

Answer:

The standard deadline for most UCAS applicants is usually early May. However, UCAS have confirmed that this deadline has now been extended to June 18 to give applicants the time they need to make considered decisions about their preferred university.

If you are applying for a postgraduate course, and you are intending to apply for university accommodation, we recommend you apply and accept your place by the end of June. We will continue to accept applications after this date and you will need to confirm your acceptance of our offer before the start of the autumn term.

Answer:

In this extraordinary recruitment cycle, we continue to apply our existing admissions policies which are designed to make sure that everyone who applies to us receives equal and fair consideration. This means we will amend your conditional offer if it is necessary to do so within the scope of our admissions policies. 

Answer:

Grades are just one of the factors we considered when we made you an offer. When we confirm your place on your chosen course we always look beyond the grades you hold. In any normal year, we can and do confirm places for students who have not achieved the grades we have asked for.

Answer:

Ofqual has included some information for candidates in your position. You should contact your assessment centre to explore your options but we advise you to be prepared for the likelihood that you may not receive a grade this summer and will have to sit an examination as soon as it becomes possible to do so. We will accept online equivalency tests in place of GCSEs, find out more about these options. We will review applications on a case-by-case basis, please get in touch if this does not cover your particular circumstance.

Answer:

In normal circumstances we do require original paper copies of qualifications to verify them but we know that this will be a challenge for many applicants. We will accept transcripts or scanned copies of certificates instead or seek to confirm your award directly with your institution.

Answer:

Given the exceptional upheaval caused by COVID-19 we will automatically extend our mitigating circumstances policy to everyone who has applied to start in 2020. 

This proactive approach means we can provide students with reassurance at a worrying time. COVID-19 disruption will not impact on you joining us at the start of the next academic year or in thriving on your chosen course.

You do not need to apply for mitigation or send us any evidence of your circumstances. We recognise everyone has been significantly impacted and will amend records on your behalf.

Answer:

We are working hard to adjust to the new situation we are all facing. We will be in touch with you regularly about the online transition support we plan to provide over the summer for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer:

Yes, our admissions team are now based off-campus and working as normal. We continue to receive applications and make offers to students, including international applicants.

If you have not applied yet, but intend to do so, you should apply as planned. Our enquiries team can advise you on all aspects of studying here.

Answer:

We are not currently holding interviews at the university. Our admissions team will contact you to make alternative arrangements.

Tests, exercises or portfolio review will also be done online.

Answer:

It’s not possible to visit our campuses at the moment. You can still get to know us by joining our online Q&A sessions with students and staff and imagine yourself on campus by taking a virtual wander around some of our facilities. Explore online now. 

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Accommodation and student life

Answer:

Yes, application for university halls is now open and invitations are being sent out.

All applicants are guaranteed an offer of a room in halls. You must select Brighton as your firm choice before you can apply for accommodation.

We are currently reviewing our 30 June accommodation application deadline with a view to extending it, given the degree of upheaval caused by COVID-19.

Answer:

Whilst you can’t visit our campuses at the moment you can view 360º tours on our website. You can also message our students and ask them about their experiences, and read their blogs about accommodation, moving away from home and lots more.

Answer:

You can apply for your student finance now. The Student Loan Company are continuing to deliver their core services, which include processing loan applications from new and existing students.

Answer:

There are still loads of ways to find out about studying here. Get in touch with our enquiries team online, by phone and through live chat. Message our students and say hello through the Unibuddy app and book a place on our regular online events. We are updating Twitter and Facebook and keeping the positive vibes going on Instagram. There are loads of great course and subject social media too.

Finally, make sure to read our emails – we will send you helpful reminders and advice regularly. You can sign up for email updates here if you haven’t applied or done so already.

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Useful sources of information

We strongly recommend you check the government and UCAS websites for the latest advice rather than rely on secondary sources of information.