Rising Concerns Over University Admissions and Diversity Targets
Recent data has revealed a growing trend in university admissions, where students with A-level grades as low as three Es are being accepted into higher education institutions. This practice is reportedly aimed at meeting government diversity targets, raising concerns among educators and critics alike.
According to figures from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), several top universities, including the University of East Anglia, Oxford Brookes, and Kent University, have been accepting students who significantly underperform academically. These institutions are allegedly doing so to fulfill equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) goals set by the Office for Students (OfS), a government-sponsored regulator.
The OfS has urged universities to be more “ambitious” in reducing inequality, warning that failure to narrow the “access gap” between students could result in fines. This pressure has led to a widespread shift in admissions policies across the sector.
The data, which was published on the UCAS website, highlights how students with lower grades are being accepted into courses that typically require higher entry requirements. For example, students with DDE grades have been admitted to study economics at Oxford Brookes, a course that usually requires ABB. Similarly, Kent University has accepted CDD students onto its mathematics degree, despite the official requirement of ABB. The University of East Anglia has also accepted students with CCD grades for its American studies program, which traditionally demands ABB.
Other examples include students with three D grades being admitted to the nursing program at the University of South Wales, where the standard requirement is BBB. These cases reflect a broader pattern of universities making “contextual offers” to students who demonstrate disadvantage. Some institutions consider factors such as race, gender, or socioeconomic background when evaluating applications.
In addition, some universities have included poor white males as a disadvantaged group in their admissions criteria. The University of South Wales, for instance, considers whether applicants come from an ethnic minority group when assessing eligibility for its nursing course. According to research by the Sutton Trust, a quarter of all British universities now use contextual admissions.
Another notable example is Bournemouth University, which admitted students with EEE grades onto its computer science course, which typically requires BCC. However, these students were admitted through an additional “foundation year,” which has much lower entry requirements. The number of universities offering foundation years has increased significantly over the past decade, rising from 52 in 2011/12 to 105 in 2021/22. During this period, the number of entrants into these programs surged from 8,470 to 69,325.
The government argues that foundation years provide a valuable pathway to higher education, particularly for students from under-represented backgrounds. However, critics argue that students with low grades may struggle to cope with the academic demands of their chosen courses. Chris McGovern of the Campaign for Real Education warned that universities are “betraying young people” by encouraging them to enroll in courses they are not qualified for. He claimed that this could lead to a dilution of academic standards, potentially harming public services, professions, and the economy.
McGovern also suggested that vocational training might be a better option for many school leavers. The trend of less selective admissions has been influenced by the requirement for universities to report their progress toward EDI targets annually. Additionally, there are financial incentives for universities to be less selective, as it allows them to avoid running loss-making, half-filled courses.
The OfS stated that its goal is to ensure that anyone with the ability and desire to pursue higher education can access its benefits. A Department for Education spokesperson emphasized the importance of maintaining quality and ensuring that students admitted are likely to succeed.
When contacted, Bournemouth, South Wales, and East Anglia universities confirmed they use contextual admissions for disadvantaged students but asserted that they maintain high academic standards. Other universities mentioned in the data declined to comment.