‘Alarming’ rise in unconditional offers

The number of unconditional offers being handed out by the University of Kent is more than 100 times higher than five years ago.

A total of 1,170 were made to prospective students in 2018 - giving them a place irrespective of their final grades - compared to just 10 in 2013.

The vast majority - 1,165 - were subject to the applicant committing to making Kent their first choice university.

A sharp rise in unconditional offers nationally has been put down to increased competition for new students following the government’s lifting of a cap on numbers at individual institutions and the increase in tuition fees.

Ucas figures show that the offers - which have been called “pressure selling” by the Office for Students - make up 9% of the 13,405 awarded by Kent in the last year.

University spokesman Gary Hughes said: “We operated a pilot scheme during which approximately 500 applicant offers were of the conditional to unconditional variety. This scheme, which caused the increase in numbers, has now concluded.”

Meanwhile, at Canterbury Christ Church University, unconditional offers were made to 765 students in 2018, compared to 20 in 2013.

The offers made up 17% of the 4,590 places given by the university last year, compared to 0.3% five years previously.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds has called the increase “alarming”.

“I have been clear that the steep rise in unconditional offers across a wide range of subjects is disturbing. That’s why I am urging universities to use their offers responsibly, and not simply use unconditional offers to get students through the door,” he said.

Research by the Office for Students has found that students who accept an unconditional offer are likely to miss their predicted A-level marks by two grades or more.