ADMISSIONS POLICY
1. Aims
1.1
Brunel University aims to:
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1.2
The University will achieve these aims by:
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1.3
create a student body that is balanced and diverse in terms of cultural
background and experience;
recruit students who have the ability to successfully complete their chosen
course, whatever their background
encouraging applications from all those with the motivation and academic
ability to succeed at Brunel;
assessing each application on an individual basis;
offering places to applicants who have the potential to successfully complete
their programme at Brunel;
transparency in the admissions process.
The admissions policy complies with relevant legislation and is guided by the
principles outlined by the Admissions to Higher Education Steering Group and by the
Quality Assurance Agency’s Code of Practice for Admissions to Higher Education. A
separate document contains the principles and procedures for admissions.
2. Entry Requirements
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
It is the policy of Brunel University to admit students who are able to demonstrate the
potential to benefit from, and the ability to successfully complete its programmes.
The minimum entry standard for the University is set by Senate and reviewed
annually.
Senate devolves, to Heads of School, the power to set the minimum entrance
requirements for undergraduate programmes. These are reviewed annually.
Details of entry requirements for each programme of study are provided in the
University’s prospectuses and on the University’s website.
The minimum entry requirement for admission to a Postgraduate course or a
research degree, set by Senate, is normally a UK first or second class honours
degree or international equivalent. Candidates with other qualifications and/or
experience will be considered on an individual basis.
An appropriate level of English Language competence is required for all applicants
whose first language is not English. The Learning and Teaching Committee sets the
required standard, and guidelines are provided on the University International
Admissions website.
Applications from candidates without the normal, formal qualifications will be
considered on an individual basis and all aspects of an application will be taken into
account when making a decision i.e. qualifications, work experience, personal
statement, references. Where applications are based on prior experience, the
following will apply:
 an applicant’s prior uncertificated learning will be assessed for entry to any
programme at whatever level by the relevant School. The previous study or
work experience must be directly cognate with a specific Brunel course;
Created Feb 2006. Revised Nov 2006. Revised June 2007. Revised June 2009. Revised June 2010
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2.8
2.9
2.10
2.11
2.12
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2.14
responsibility rests with the applicant for making a claim to have acquired
knowledge and skills and for supporting the claim with the appropriate
evidence;
 the learning derived from experience must be identified by the applicant in
order to be assessed;
 the identification of prior learning comes through systematic reflection on
experience, the writing of clear statements about what has been learned and
the collection and collation of evidence to support those statements;
 where it is proposed to allow entry with specific credit, the methods of
assessment shall be such as to allow due consideration by external
examiners and boards of examiners;
 the academic function of assisting the applicant to prepare evidence of
learning shall be separate from that of assessing the learning.
Admissions on the basis of Prior Experience and with academic credit at an
appropriate level will be permitted provided that any exemption granted is limited to a
maximum of 50% of the taught credits. The onus is on the applicant to produce
material to show that s/he has achieved the learning outcomes of the course to
enable exemptions to be granted.
Applicants who are offered a place to study at Brunel and subsequently defer their
place, will be admitted on the basis of the entry criteria of the year they applied,
except in the case of undergraduate “clearing” applicants. An offer made in Clearing
is valid for the current year only, unless the applicant has met the standard entry
requirement for the following year. Applicants will normally be allowed to defer entry
for one year only.
The University reserves the right to refuse admission to applicants who have not met
academic entry requirements or where there is evidence that they are unable to meet
the academic, professional or vocational requirements of the course.
Any information on the UCAS application form which is given to provide a fuller
picture of an applicant’s background will be used for monitoring purposes only and
will have no bearing on the decision-making process.
Applicants who do not abide by the rules and regulations of the University, or who
make fraudulent applications, including non-disclosure of information relevant to the
application, will have their offer of a place withdrawn. Registrations based on
fraudulent applications will normally be declared null and void.
Applicants who have been notified to the University under the UCAS similarity
detection service will be considered equally with all other applicants. However, they
will receive a warning letter explaining that a note will remain on their record and that
the University views plagiarism as a serious offence which will not be tolerated once
they become a student. GTTR applicants identified as plagiarising their personal
statements will automatically be rejected.
Students making an application for a course, for which they have previously been
registered at Brunel University and have subsequently failed, will not normally be
considered for re-acceptance until a minimum period of one year has passed.
3. Discrimination
3.1
3.2
The University is committed to eliminating unfair discrimination and to promoting
equal opportunities.
The University reserves the right to refuse (or to withdraw) admission to applicants
whom it judges may constitute a present or future risk to staff, students or others.
Created Feb 2006. Revised Nov 2006. Revised June 2007. Revised June 2009. Revised June 2010
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Annex 1: Admissions Principles and Procedures
Annex 2: Guidance Notes for Applicants who are Ex-Offenders
Annex 3: Admissions Policy on the Acceptance of Ex-Offenders
Annex 4: Procedures for Criminal Conviction checking for Professional Courses
Annex 5: Procedures for Criminal Conviction checking for non-Professional Courses
Annex 6: Arrangements for the Admission of Applicants under the age of 18 years
Annex 7: Fitness for Practice
Annex 8: Applicant Feedback and Complaints Procedures
Further information or advice on the Admissions Policy can be obtained from the
Senior Assistant Registrar (Admissions).
Created Feb 2006. Revised Nov 2006. Revised June 2007. Revised June 2009. Revised June 2010
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