Unconditional offers surge ‘undermines universities’

MORE than a fifth of A-level students received at least one unconditional university place offer this year – an annual rise of 29 per cent.

It means youngsters are guaranteed a place on a course regardless of how they perform in their exams, giving them an incentive to slack off.

Universities minister Sam Gyimah warned the rise suggested vice-chancellors are simply putting ‘bums on seats’ and their ‘irresponsibility’ risks harming the system’s credibility.

Experts have said the rise is due to oversupply of places following the lifting of the numbers cap, which has seen admissions tutors use unconditional offers as they compete to snap up as many students as possible.

Mr Gyimah said: ‘The rise in unconditional offers is completely irresponsible to stu- dents and universities must start taking a lead, by limiting the number they offer.

‘Places at universities should only be offered to those who will benefit from them, and giving out unconditional offers just to put “bums on seats” undermines the credibility of the university system.’

The data, released today by admissions body Ucas, reveals 22.9 per cent of 18-year-old university applicants – some 58,385 in total – from England, Wales and Northern Ireland have received at least one unconditional offer this year.

This is up from just 1.1 per cent in 2013. In total, 7.1 per cent of all offers made to students this year were unconditional.

Alistair Jarvis, chief executive of Universities UK, said unconditional offers ‘still account for a small proportion of all offers made by universities’.

‘Completely irresponsible’