1.1. The University’s postgraduate students have lively, enquiring minds and a fascination for their subject. The University’s postgraduate admissions processes are intended to identify the most talented and able students worldwide.
1.2. The University of Bristol aims to:
1.3. The University will achieve these aims by:
1.4. The Admissions Principles and Procedures through which the University assesses applications and offers places are designed to be:
1.5. The University will review its Admissions Principles and Procedures annually in the light of experience, research and best practice.
2.1. Under Statute 21 of the University, Senate regulates the admission of students, subject to the Charter, Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations.
2.2. The Admissions, Recruitment and Widening Participation Strategy Group (ARWP) is tasked with ensuring that key policies and procedures relating to the recruitment and admission of all students are consistent with each other. The Group is chaired by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) and includes a representative member of academic staff representing each of the three sub-groups, and from three different faculties, the Academic Registrar, the Director of Student Recruitment, Access and Admissions, the Head of the International Office, and the Vice-President (Education) of the Students’ Union.
2.3. ARWP has three working groups including a Postgraduate Admissions Group (PGAG), which reports both to ARWP and to the University Graduate Studies Committee (UGSC). PGAG is responsible for much of the detailed policy development and monitoring work, liaising with the Graduate Education Directors and the postgraduate admissions practitioner community to produce recommendations for action.
2.4. In relation to postgraduate study the Admissions, Recruitment and Widening Participation Strategy Group is responsible for:
2.5. ARWP reports to the Education Committee and makes an annual report to Senate. In order to respond to rapidly changing circumstances, the Chair is empowered to act on behalf of the Committee between meetings.
2.6. The University Graduate Studies Committee (UGSC) is a subcommittee of the Education Committee. Membership includes the Graduate Education Director from each Faculty (one of whom acts as Chair), the Director of the Education Support Unit, the Academic Registrar, and a representative from the Faculty Education Managers. The role of the UGSC is to advise the Education Committee on the development of policy on graduate studies across the whole University and on matters referred to it by the Education Committee.
3.1. All Faculties and Schools must act in a way consistent with the University’s admissions aims (see section 1.2) and must follow the principles and procedures set out in this document.
3.2. The Admissions, Recruitment and Widening Participation Strategy Group will require an Admissions Statement for each programme or group of programmes admitting postgraduate research students, providing details of the entry requirements and local admissions procedures which will be followed for all programmes, in line with the University’s Admissions Principles and Procedures.
3.3. Each Faculty or School (as appropriate) will use its statement(s) to seek approval from the Group for the proposed method by which they will admit students. The Postgraduate Admissions Group will approve individual Admissions Statements, on behalf of the Admissions, Recruitment and Widening Participation Strategy Group. For monitoring purposes, the Admissions, Recruitment and Widening Participation Strategy Group will consider a sample of approved statements on an annual basis.
3.4. Admissions Statements will include:
3.5. Admissions Statements will be accessible on the University’s website.
3.6. The Postgraduate Recruitment and Admissions Office will develop web-based support materials for those engaged in admission to postgraduate research programmes. The office will also keep an up to date list of postgraduate admissions staff for communications purposes, and provide training and access to up-to-date information on changes in legislation, qualifications and other contextual information as well as University policy and practice by means of regular meetings of a postgraduate admissions forum. The aim will be to ensure that any training is relevant to the needs of those admitting students to postgraduate research programmes and focused on helping them to do their job effectively. Training providers will include staff with professional expertise in the relevant areas of legislation and policy as well as experienced postgraduate admissions staff.
4.1. Faculties, and in particular the Graduate Education Directors, are ultimately responsible to the University for the admission of their postgraduate students, and must ensure that processes are in place to handle enquiries and applications and to admit students, in accordance with the University’s Admissions Principles and Procedures.
4.2. Control over entry to any programme remains with faculties, acting on the advice of Schools in the evaluation and acceptance of student transfers and accreditation of prior learning. Control over entry to a particular unit and programme transfers within a School remains with the relevant School.
4.3. Key staff who are responsible for admissions are listed below:
5.1. Applications for postgraduate research programmes should be made using the University’s standard online application form, in accordance with the procedure described in the prospectus and on the website.
5.2. Where a studentship position is advertised the advert should clearly state the requirements for candidates, the details of the funding available, and the deadline for applications. Applicants responding to a studentship advert or other advertised postgraduate research position should be asked to state this clearly on their application.
5.3. Competition for funding for postgraduate study is fierce, and funding is often tied to a sponsor’s conditions. In some cases this may affect the decision about the application. Where there is a possibility of this occurring, this should be stated in the Admissions Statement.
5.4. The University reserves the right not to consider incomplete applications. Submission of incomplete applications can lead to delays in processing. The Admissions Statement should make clear what documents are required with the application to constitute a complete application.
5.5. While there is no university-wide charge to applicants for consideration of their applications, individual Schools may, if they wish, introduce their own charge. In such cases, Schools are expected to ensure that details of the amount payable and mechanism for payment are published in their Admissions Statement, in the prospectus and on the university website.
5.6. Some programmes require a deposit by way of acceptance of an offer. Where this is the case, Schools must make this, and the mechanism for making payments, clear in their Admissions Statement, in the prospectus and on the university website.
6.1. General admissions requirements for entry to research degree programmes are outlined in the University Postgraduate Prospectus, available on the University's website at http://www.bris.ac.uk/prospectus/postgraduate/, and described in detail in school literature and web pages relating to specific research degree programmes.
6.2. In some faculties, students aiming for a Doctoral degree are registered for a Master’s degree by research in the first instance and are eligible for transfer to registration for the PhD degree subject to satisfying the requirements set by their faculty and/or school. The timing of the transfer process varies depending on the programme of study, but is normally between one and two years (for full time students). Transfer to Doctoral registration, and continuation of registration for a doctorate, is in all cases subject to satisfactory progress.
6.3. The University’s minimum requirements for entry to postgraduate research programmes are a first degree, normally at a level equivalent to UK Honours 2.1 level, OR a relevant Master’s qualification, OR evidence of prior learning or achievement that enables the University to assess the candidate’s potential to succeed in the programme applied for.
6.4. Applicants whose first language is not English are required to satisfy the University’s Language Entry Requirements Policy: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/university/governance/policies/admissions-english-lang-reqs.html. Faculties and schools should enable and encourage students to attend language courses as appropriate, either before their programme begins (if the IELTS score is lower than required before admission), and/or during the programme, as required by the school/faculty.
6.5. The University recognises the diversity of educational backgrounds from which its future students come. There are many ways of demonstrating the academic promise and ability to benefit from study and it is recognised that educational systems and choices vary extensively worldwide.
6.6. Postgraduate Admissions staff must ensure that their programmes have explicit criteria by which applications are judged, which support the University’s admissions aims and are in accordance with the principles in this document.
6.7. These criteria could be articulated at programme, School or Faculty level, to meet local preferences and needs. Criteria should include elements that allow the following judgments to be made:
6.8. A candidate’s suitability is based primarily on academic criteria. Availability of funding may also be taken into consideration in admissions decisions in certain circumstances. This may include an applicant’s eligibility for funding, as well as the opportunity to provide a funded place.
6.9. The school’s strategic research priorities should also be taken into account in any admissions decisions.
6.10. Decisions are taken by two or more members of academic staff.
6.11. The University upholds the principles of equality and diversity, respect and dignity. Candidates are not discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality, religion or belief, disability, health or age. Selectors must ensure that all admissions decisions take account of the University’s statutory responsibilities in respect of equal opportunities and any related University policies and must be based on fair and justifiable criteria. Selectors should encourage applicants to disclose disabilities in order that appropriate support can be put in place.
6.12. In the case of entrants seeking accreditation of prior learning or achievement, criteria must be in place to enable a potential student’s preparedness and potential to complete the programme to be evaluated. Evidence that the criteria have been applied will be provided to the relevant faculty office by those involved in decision-making.
6.13. Admissions decisions will take into account the completed application form, two academic references, the verified degree transcript, the English language qualification (where required) and the intended research topic or proposal (where required). The admissions statement should make clear where any additional supporting information is required for application.
6.14. Schools may require applicants to provide supplementary material for admission, subject to explaining clearly why and how this will be used in assessing the candidate. (For example, applicants may be asked to provide a creative piece of work or a critical essay on a specific topic).
6.15. Admissions staff will be aware of University admissions guidance such as the Admissions Principles and Procedures for postgraduate research programmes and Guidelines on the Accreditation of Prior Learning. The reasons for an admission decision will be recorded.
6.16. Admissions staff will assess the academic potential of individual candidates and the School’s capacity to offer appropriate supervision, and take into consideration the University’s Admissions Principles and Procedures and programme entry requirements. Selectors must ensure that all admissions decisions take account of equality and diversity policy and are based on fair and justifiable criteria.
6.17. Consideration of applications from students who declare a disability is based on the same criteria and principles as for other candidates. The University is seeking to reduce any barriers that might confront a student with a disability seeking to study at Bristol. A decision may need to take into account any overriding health and safety concerns, barriers relating to professional requirements, or the University's ability or inability to make any necessary reasonable adjustments. Such cases will be addressed on an individual basis. Implementation of the Admissions Principles and Procedures will be sensitive to the different experiences of disabled applicants, and will take into account their response to the opportunities and challenges they have encountered, on the understanding that these may be individual to the applicant. Applicants with a disability are encouraged to disclose this to the University, to enable any necessary reasonable adjustments to be planned in support of their education.
6.18. Admissions staff will disregard any criminal convictions that are spent under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, unless the programme of study is likely to bring the student into contact with children or vulnerable adults. Where this is the case, a disclosure will be sought through the Criminal Records Bureau. Where an applicant has an unspent (or spent in relevant cases) conviction, a decision on whether to offer a place will be made by a group convened by the Academic Registrar according to the procedure set out in our procedures for the recruitment of students who are ex-offenders.
6.19. When considering an application, the University of Bristol will take into account whether or not a student is able to meet the necessary UK visa requirements for the full duration of their programme. The University reserves the right to reject an application, in circumstances where these requirements cannot be met.
6.20. In order to avoid the proliferation of potentially dangerous technologies in unstable or unfriendly regimes, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) runs an Academic Technology Approval Scheme. This scheme is compulsory for overseas applicants from outside the EU and approval by the FCO under the terms of the scheme is a requirement for entry to a number of programmes.
6.21. The University of Bristol is not prepared to admit applications on the strength of information believed to be either fraudulent or plagiarised, and reserves the right to reject or cancel an application under these circumstances, as outlined in the University statement of policy on fraudulent applications.
6.22. The University reserves the right to exclude a candidate who is considered on justifiable grounds to be unsuitable for a place on a particular course or for attendance at the University.
7.1. Schools may formally interview candidates, subject to following University-approved procedures, and being able to explain, if required, how the interview will be used in assessing the candidates.
7.2. These are:
I. All candidates must be treated on an equal and fair basis.
II. Formal interviews intended to select students must normally be conducted by at least two people, including at least one member of staff who has undergone University-provided training on fair and effective recruitment techniques.
III. The interview and consequent decision-making will be consistent with the University's policy on equal opportunities. Questions related to the race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality, religion or age of the applicant must not be raised either at the interview or in subsequent discussion. However, staff should encourage applicants to disclose any disability to the University, to help ensure that any necessary adjustments can be planned to support their education.
IV. Criteria for measuring a candidate's performance must be specified in the Admissions Statement.
V. A note of the interview, including the reasons for the decision, must be taken and submitted to the appropriate Admissions Selector (e.g. Head of School, Head of Subject).
VI. Where appropriate, interviews may be conducted by telephone, video conferencing or other appropriate technologies.
8.2. Faculty offices (or graduate schools or schools as approved by the faculty) normally make formal offers on behalf of the University. Offers may be made with or without conditions attached. The levels of conditional offers made should normally be in line with published entry requirements and may not vary substantially from these. 8.3. Applicants will receive a decision online, and can accept or decline their offer online. All offers, including unconditional offers, are made in good faith, and the University reserves the right to withdraw an offer on justifiable grounds. 8.4. In determining the number of offers to be made, admissions tutors must take account of the student number targets agreed by the University Planning and Resources Committee on an annual basis.
9.1. Normally an applicant is expected to confirm their acceptance of an offer within 40 days of the date of the offer being made. Faculties (or Schools) may establish their own deadline for applicants to respond to an offer if 40 days is deemed to be inappropriate in their circumstances.
9.2. Where a conditional offer is made applicants are expected to provide the University with evidence that any offer conditions have been met. The University does not guarantee to hold open places for offer-holders who have not confirmed their acceptance.
9.3. In the case of conditional offers the Admissions Statement should make clear the timeframe in which applicants are expected to provide evidence that conditions have been met. The Admissions Statement should also make clear if it is possible for candidates to apply for deferred entry.
9.4. International applicants should indicate at the point of application whether they require immigration sponsorship by the University of Bristol.
9.5. The University has contingency plans in place to enable it to cope with failure of these processes (for example, localised computer systems failure) or in the event of candidates being unable to satisfy their offer conditions because the outcomes of previous qualifications have been delayed by strike action, by natural disasters or similar unforeseen circumstances beyond the applicant’s control. However, depending on the timescale, the amount of information available and availability of places, it might be necessary to offer a place for the following academic year (ie deferred entry).
10.1. A decision must be recorded for all applications (including a reason, where a rejection is recorded).
10.2. The University will only communicate about a decision with the candidate, unless the candidate grants permission for the University to discuss it with another person.
10.3. Unsuccessful applicants will be informed online. Due to the volume of applications received by the University, we regret that it is not possible for us to enter into further correspondence with unsuccessful applicants. There is no right of appeal and the decision will not be reviewed. However, concerns that the University’s Admissions Principles and Procedures have been incorrectly implemented may be investigated under the applicant feedback and complaints procedures.