1. Admissions and selection for HE is changing:
what do you need to know?
AUA Development Conference - 17 October 2012
Janet Graham, Director of SPA

2. AUA working session – some current issues in admissions:
 What does fair admissions mean in the changing HE landscape? SPA’s
national Fair Admissions Task and Finish Group
 What are the business process models used in HEIs to manage and run
admissions – how does this relate to the ‘applicant experience’?
 Student number controls – what has this meant for HEIs in terms of their
admissions processes and policies? Implications of new policies round
the UK.
 Why use contextual data in admissions?
 What are some of the other issues impacting admissions?

3. What is SPA?
 SPA - the Supporting Professionalism in Admissions Programme
 Established in 2006 following the Schwartz Report, Fair Admissions to
Higher Education: Recommendations for Good Practice 2004
 Small team, with strategic, policy and practical experience in the HE
admissions sector
 UK’s independent and objective voice on HE admissions, reporting to the
national SPA Steering Group
 Funded by HEFCE, DELNI, UCAS and Universities UK

4. SPA’s Good Practice for HE – some examples
Complaints and
Admissions Policies Interviews
Appeals
Admissions Tests Contextual Data Feedback
Applicant Experience Criminal Convictions Part-time admissions
Planning and Managing
Art and Design Equality and Diversity
Admissions
Centralised/ Devolved Vocational
HE in FE
Admissions Qualifications

5. What is Fair Admissions?
Schwartz principles for fair admissions:
be transparent
enable institutions to select students who are
able to complete the course as judged by their
achievements and their potential
strive to use assessment methods that are
reliable and valid
seek to minimise barriers to applicants
be professional in every respect and
underpinned by appropriate institutional
structures and processes

6. Fair admissions and fair access – what’s the difference?
 If fair admissions covers the five principles, is fair access about getting
more disadvantaged students into top universities? Supporting the most
able but least likely to apply?
 Yes, but that’s only part of the issue
 Raising aspirations and encouraging and supporting all students with
potential to aim higher for an HE course that is right for them at an
institution that can provide what they need, when they need it - full-time,
part-time, flexible or distance learning etc
 Schwartz Report: “Equal opportunity for all individuals, regardless
of background, to gain admission to a course suited to their ability
and aspirations.”

7. SPA Task and Finish Group on Fair Admissions - Outcomes
 The principles of fair admissions as outlined in the Schwartz Report are
still relevant and appropriate in the changing UK HE admissions
landscape. Considerable progress has been made on fair admissions.
 The fair admissions principles support the interests of both applicants
and of universities and colleges.
 Important that effective messages communicated to all HE
admissions stakeholders: staff in HEIs, BIS, funders, UCAS, pre-HE etc.
in relation to the scale of the current changes impacting admissions.
 Principles of fair admissions apply to all types of applicants (full and
part time; undergraduate and postgraduate; home, EU and international;
young and mature etc) and all parts of the UK.

8. Exercise – Admissions update
 The admissions cycle for 2013 entry has already started
 What 5 key things you would want to know more about if you were to
work in admissions to undergraduate courses this year?
 This could cover
 People you need to work with/talk with - internally/externally - who?
 Processes and procedures - internal and external
 Policies - internal policies and plans, external national policies

9. UCAS
2012 Institutions 338
2012 courses 37,201
Total applicants 2011
2013 Institutions 700,161
337
Total acceptances 2011
2013 courses 34,714
492,067
Total applicants 2011 2012 acceptances
700,161 (as of 11 Sept) -6.4%
Total acceptances 2011 compared to 2011
492,067
Source: UCAS analysis and research team

10. Reliable and accurate UCAS data?
• Majority of the data is self
reported, including GCSEs
• Except exam results collected
via the ‘Awarding Body
Linkage’ (ABL) link
• Information is checked by
school/ college if the
application is sent via an
approved centre
• Contextual information

11. Why use contextual data in admissions?
SPA’s definition:
 Data used by universities and colleges which puts attainment in the
context of the circumstances in which it has been obtained; currently
mainly educational, geo-demographic and socio-economic background
data.
Who is using it?
 Initially courses/ institutions who select students high application
numbers, far more than the places available – use to help them
differentiate more fairly between good applicants
 Now more want to use it as it helps identify students from
disadvantaged backgrounds; helps monitoring and tracking such
students; and is used in reporting in access agreements

12. Contextual Data - Initial basket of data for HEIs, free, via UCAS
Educational Background Socio-Economic Background
School performance: % of students % of students entitled to free school meals
achieving 5 A*-C GCSE including (for Scotland % registered) by Local Authority
English/Welsh and maths (or equivalent
SCQF level 4 in Scotland) % of students entitled to EMA (not England)
Average school “best 8” GCSE Lives in a low progression to higher
performance (England and Wales) and education neighbourhood (POLAR 2)
equivalent SCQF level 4 in Scotland
Basket of
Average (mean) of QCA points per A All being supplied by UCAS for 2013 at time
Data
level (England and Wales) and per student - of application, if universities and colleges sign
or average points score Highers equivalent up to take it. This is work in progress.
in Scotland

13. SPA survey: Contextual data use past, present and future
Within other parts of the admissions process
When considering applicants in Extra,
Clearing or Adjustment
When considering borderline offer holders at
Confirmation
Future
When assessing admission test results
2011 entry
In deciding which applicants to invite for
interview
Past
When deciding whether or not to make an
offer*
To make lower offers to some applicants
No. of responses 0 10 20 30 40 50
*The full question: “When deciding whether or not to make an offer to applicants who otherwise
meet your academic criteria”

14. SPA Contextual data research:
 Research report published on SPA website 20 February 2012
www.spa.ac.uk/contextual-data/contextual_data_research_project.html
 Rather than ‘levelling down’ using contextual data is about seeking
excellence; it widens the pool of applicants, and aids identifying the ‘best
applicants’ with the greatest potential and likelihood of a successful
degree outcome.
 Added value of contextual data: its contribution to WP strategy and
delivery of targets; consistency of approach in the application of
admissions procedures; targeting of support services and bursaries.
 Data quality needs improving to widen out use of contextual data by
more institutions

15. Admissions process models
 How should HEIs admissions function be structured to best
support fair and transparent admissions decision-making?
 Centralised?
 Devolved?
 Mixed?
 Which approach to choose?
 Definitions – what do we mean when we use these terms?

16. Centralised/ devolved/ mixed admissions decision-making
Aspects of variation:
 many devolved systems have a central policy unit
 most centralised systems have some devolved elements
 processing, decision-making, interview timetabling and other aspects of the
admissions process, can take place in different parts of an HEI
 it is very rare for all modes and levels of study to be centralised
 some teams are devolved on a campus, rather than on a faculty, basis
 in some devolved systems decisions are made by professional administrators,
not academic admissions tutors
 there is considerable divergence across all models in relation to who is
responsible for the setting of admissions decision-making criteria.
•

17. Admissions Structures – some statistics

18. Internal working relationships and collaboration
 Key interactions and communications in admissions – who with?
 Recruitment and school and colleges liaison
 Widening participation (WP) and outreach – Access Agreements
 Marketing
 Planning
 Data analysts
 Student records
 Student experience/ student services/ retention
 Finance
 International recruitment and admissions
 Students’ Union

19. What is the applicant experience strategy?
 Built under four broad stages
pre- post-
application transition
application application
 The SPA definition:
• “The applicant experience encompasses all the opportunities or points of
interaction between higher education and a potential student. Such
experience affects whether an individual chooses to apply to higher
education, whether they then become a higher education student and,
crucially, whether they are retained as a higher education student.
 Effective information, advice and guidance links and underpins
engagement through all pre-entry stages and beyond
 www.spa.ac.uk/applicant-experience

20. The applicant experience: definitions
A good applicant experience A poor applicant experience
 is mutually beneficial to both the  is inherently detrimental to both the
applicant and the higher education applicant and the higher education
provider provider – both lose out
 prepares, informs and provides  perpetuates barriers to entry
equality of opportunity to enter  disengages potential applicants and
higher education their advisors
 should accurately match the  risks incongruence between student
student’s aims, abilities and expectations and institutional character
aspirations with the character of the  therefore embeds an enrolment strategy
institution. leading to unfulfilled potential and
 therefore improves student retention increased drop-out
and enhances the strategic mission
of the institution

21. The Applicant Experience Strategy
 Strategic leadership in admissions is integral to an institution’s learning
and teaching strategy, management and planning.
 SPA’s view is that an applicant experience strategy underpins the student
experience, it supports the management and processes of both academic
and professional staff.
 The benefits for the institution should be
 more integrated ways of working, with possible efficiency gains
 enhanced staff professionalism and understanding of strategy
 improved quality practices and procedures which may give competitive
advantage, enhance reputation and aid retention
 ability to take advantage of external changes quickly
 The benefits for the applicant: transparency, a better experience

22. Countries in UK: Differences in SNC and Fees 2013-14
SCOTLAND
NORTHERN IRELAND SCOTLAND count for SNC
• Scottish/ EU
ENGLAND
NORTHERN SNC
• NI/EU count for • Scottish/EU count for
• IRELAND
Rest of UK exempt ••All UK/EUexempt for
Rest of UK count
• Fees:
SNC Free for Scottish/EU
• Fees: Variable
• NI/EU countfee for SNC
students
£1,380 to £3,465 for • Rest to £9,000 for rest of UK
••ABB+ UK exempt
up of exemptions
SNC • Fees: Freemargin
• Biddable for Scottish/
NI/EU
• Rest£9,000 for rest of
• up to of UK exempt EU students
ENGLAND
(5,000)
• Fees: Variable fee
UK
• up All UK/ EU count rest of UK
• to £9,000 for for SNC
£1,380 to £3,465 • Small specialist Arts/
• ABB+ exemptions
WALES
• for NI/ EU
Wales/ EU count for SNC
performing institutions
• Biddable margin (5,000)
• Rest of UK exempt • Small specialist
can opt-out Arts/
• up to £9,000 for
• Fees: Variable fee up to
rest offor Wales/EU • Fees: all UK/EU upcan
performing institutions
to
£3,465 UK opt-out
£9,000all UK/EU up to £9,000
• Fees:
• up to £9,000 for rest of UK
For cross border support for FT and PT undergraduate students see table at
www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/POLICYANDRESEARCH/POLICYAREAS/FUNDING-AND-MANAGEMENT/

23. Student number controls and fair admissions
 Major changes for 2012 entry introduced during the admissions cycle,
institutions, of necessity, adapted rapidly. More changes 2013
 Increased complexity and lack of transparency - schools and colleges
struggling to keep up
 Exemptions table - inherent unfairness of the AAB+ exemptions from
number control in 2012. Students not taking qualifications on the ABB+.
exemptions list for 2013 will be at an even greater disadvantage
 Unintended consequences: HEIs use exemptions table for offer making -
applicants with qualifications or combinations of qualifications not in
table disadvantaged
 Equality issues - Disabled students, black students, students from lower-
socio-economic groups and males were all identified as less likely to
achieve ABB+

24. Worth remembering the speed of change:
 HE White Paper (England)
‘Students at the Heart of the System’
June 2011
“We will move away from the tight number controls that
constrain individual higher education institutions, so that there
is a more dynamic sector”
“We will manage this transition carefully to avoid unnecessary
instability and keep within the overall budget”

25. Worth remembering the speed of change:
Two main elements influencing behaviour:
 New fee levels impacting on applicant behaviour
 New number controls impacting on institution behaviour
Speed of change: Last year, there were no experts;
This year HE admissions staff are the experts

26. How did this affect conversion?
For courses subject to HEFCE SNCs:
AAB+ acceptances down 15%
A Level AAB+ down 17%
Non-A Level AAB+ down 12%
Non-AAB+ (SNC) acceptances down 15%
Data: Interim assessment of UCAS acceptances by intended entry year, country of institution and
qualifications held, UCAS Analysis and Research, 20 September 2012

27. Reviewing 2012 admissions – Outcomes from SPA event
 More and longer institution Clearing activity (courses and marketing),
including courses not normally in Clearing, but actual enquiries quieter
for many normally in Clearing
 Some Confirmation decisions delayed for longer
 Different insurance behaviour, with lower uptake
 Reactive and cautious approach to offer-making during year
 Increased entry requirements
 More releases into Clearing; more delays in being released
 More internal data analysis and reporting of numbers

28. Brief guide to 2013 SNC
HEFCE guidance published July 2012
Quick highlights: exempt
 Students exempted from SNC will be those achieving high
grades in a variety of qualifications including ABB+ at A level
 Exemptions have been modified and additional qualifications
have been added
 e.g. Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects/GPR; Access to HE
Diploma
 Final version of the exemptions may not be out until
December 2012

29. Brief guide to 2013 SNC
HEFCE guidance published July 2012
Quick highlights: core
• Anyone under-recruiting by 5% or more in 2012 may have core
reduced in 2013
• Top-ups from foundation or HND are excluded from reduction
in the core.
• Protected core will be set at the lower of either:
 20% of the 2011/12 population or
 non-ABB+ population plus 10% (medical/dental students not counted)

30. Brief guide to 2013 SNC
HEFCE guidance published July 2012
Quick highlights: margin
• 5,000 margin places
• Around 400 margin places will go to new providers,
not previously funded by HEFCE.
• New providers had to submit bids for these places by
1 October 2012.

31. Brief guide to 2013 SNC
HEFCE guidance published July 2012
Quick highlights: margin
• 5,000 margin places
• The rest will be redistributed automatically by HEFCE
according to demand and quality measures
Approx 3,000 for those with average fee below £7,500; 1,500 for
£7,500-£8,250; 100 for franchise provision at HEIs above
£8,250
• Institutions that do not want additional margin places need to
inform HEFCE by 1 February 2013

32. Brief guide to 2013 SNC
HEFCE guidance published July 2012
Quick highlights: opting out
• Opting out is still allowed.
• Institutions that opted out in 2012 will be automatically
opted out for 2013 unless they notified HEFCE to the
contrary by 1 October 2012.
• Any new eligible institutions wishing to opt out needed to
submit their request by the same deadline.

33. Brief guide to 2013 SNC
HEFCE guidance published July 2012
Quick highlights: unknowns
• Details/specifics still to be worked out
• Impact of unexpected outcomes from 2012 SNC still to be
considered – HEFCE, UCAS and Universities UK doing
analysis
• No guarantee guidance as of July 2012 will remain
unchanged

34. Planning changes for 2013
 Priorities for planning based on lessons learned imperative.
 Key priority areas at the SPA event were:
 Strategies for target setting and managing numbers
 Increased and more informed recruitment/ marketing
activity
 Improved data analysis, monitoring and review
 Review of entry requirements
 Improved internal communication/ understanding –
admissions staff work with planning and recruitment
 SPA will continue to support institutions on HEFCE and other
changes will impact admissions

35. What else is impacting on admissions?
 Need to meet Access Agreements (or equivalents round the UK)
 Changes and developments to the Pre-HE curriculum – the future of
GCSEs, A level reform, Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland
 QAA Quality Code – Admissions: being reviewed and updated 2013
 Increasing competition between HEIs, and with HE in FE and new
private providers, UK plc: global competition
 Continuing developments with regard to international student visas -
UKBA - including issues arising from London Metropolitan University
losing is right to award visas – ‘potential impact on higher education as a
£12.5bn per year export industry for the UK’. (NUS)

36. Thank you
enquiries@spa.ac.uk 01242 544891
www.spa.ac.uk