Impact of COVID-19 Q&A

• Some of our students received conditional offers but will no longer be able to achieve the grades specified in the conditional offers as exams have been cancelled or postponed. What should they do?

  Many colleagues from universities and colleges involved in the conference advised they had written to applicants who may be affected in this way,  to tell them they would be willing to consider other evidence, and asking them to provide other evidence that might help them meet the criteria (such as transcripts from earlier studies). Please advise your students to get in touch with those universities or colleges they've received offers from if they are in this situation.

• When can students who got a deferred offer to start in 2020 register for the course?

  It will vary by university. Offer holders who have unconditional firm places from 2020 will be contacted directly by their university or college, rather than through UCAS, on their registration, induction, and orientation procedures. Most universities will wait until after the bulk of results for the 2020 entry intake have been resolved in August before they start formal induction and registration, but normally applications for accommodation should have opened in the spring.

  This year, due to COVID-19, many universities are advising offer holders against finalising accommodation and flights until they know what arrangements for teaching will be in place for their course – and remind your students, as always, to check the terms and conditions of any agreements.

• This year, more than ever, students are uncertain about moving abroad. What happens if a student accepts an offer, has their place confirmed, and then decides they don’t want to go?

  Universities are working hard to reassure students and we hope they will feel confident to enrol.

  But for those who might choose not to, our university admissions experts suggested that, depending when they receive their results (ideally no later than mid-August), there is a strong possibility the university will allow them to defer their place until 2021, and then seek to fill the vacancy created through the Clearing process.

  While some applicants may have the opportunity to defer a place, not all universities will be able to offer deferred places. Applicants should also be aware this may be more challenging later in the cycle after results are released, and be mindful of deposit policies where they are in place. We do very much appreciate it if applicants let us know they are no longer seeking to enrol, by withdrawing their application. Students should be mindful of deposit policies for tuition and accommodation.

• Will applicants be able to join undergraduate courses with January starts?

  January starts were described as not as common for undergraduate courses as they are for postgraduate, although some universities may start offering these this year.

  Of our panellists at the live Q&A, Edinburgh is not considering adding January starts for their undergraduate courses. Westminster was looking at running a small number of courses popular with international students fromJanuary to September 2021, in intensive delivery, and then reverting to the normal academic calendar for year two.

  On Slido, our colleague from Bath University also felt that compressing course delivery in this way is easier for postgraduate than undergraduate, and expects most universities will start with a September/October intake for undergraduate, with a combination of online and face-to-face, dependent on social distancing and other public health requirements.

English language tests

• For the 2020 cohort, some English Language exams such as IELTS were made available online. Do we know if they are staying online, and if universities and colleges will continue to accept these?

  We’ve added links to information on a range of English language tests on our coronavirus information hub.

  The online IELTS test referenced is IELTS Indicator, which is described by IELTS as a temporary response to COVID-19.

  Many universities and colleges have expanded the range of tests they will accept from applicants and will monitor how well students with those English language qualifications perform when studying courses, to inform any changes to entry criteria for future applicants. So, make sure you advise students to check individual provider requirements when applying.

• Does anyone know if the UKVI has come up with an alternative online test for international foundation students who require UKVI IELTS?

  You can view IELTS information on the impact of COVID-19 here.

  But please also check with individual universities, many of which are moving international foundation delivery online. As an online programme, students do not require a SELT to participate, and do not require a visa from UKVI. The universities working in this way will then be able to self-certify if the students’ English standard reaches the necessary level to start their degree, and on that basis support a visa application.

How universities and colleges will deliver the student experience in 2020

• Will the fees remain the same for universities delivering courses online for international students?

  Our university colleagues offered an answer to this, highlighting factors which might determine the pricing of online courses.

  Most UK universities that have declared their intentions for 2020 have indicated they will offer a blended approach to teaching, with most large scale lectures being offered online (because of social distancing), but small group teaching (seminars and tutorials) will be offered face-to-face, and additional support for those students unable to get to the university (because of travel or health issues). This means most courses will have to develop multiple delivery modes for their provision.

  Online courses are cheaper when they operate at scale and have been running for several years, but the costs of initial development are no cheaper than face-to-face teaching, if they aim to be interactive and of high quality.

• Will medicine and other lab-based courses be offered online if students are not able to travel to the UK?

  There are already examples in the UK of science degrees where lab activity can largely be delivered remotely (e.g. The Open University). Our panelists and Slido respondents thought that universities will look to reposition their lab and practical activity so they start with more theory-based content in September, and move to lab activity later in the academic year, once we have more scope to understand the social distancing requirements.

  UK universities have started to reopen lab facilities to research groups and are learning from this how to run lab work safely.

• What adjustments will be made for COVID-19 in university accommodation?

  The health and safety of students and staff on campus is paramount, and universities and colleges are evaluating social distancing adjustments that might be needed for student accommodation in this new context.

  Students should check with their university, as arrangements will vary, as will the terms and conditions. Many universities will be offering as much flexibility as possible in response to current circumstances.

Applying for 2021 entry and the impact of COVID-19

• For 2021 entry, should the UCAS reference include how long students were doing online learning, or measures taken by the school during COVID-19?

  That information would certainly be useful context for admissions decisions, but remember the 4,000 character limit for references.

  If you add this information to your school website, you could use a generic sentence in the reference which includes a link to the online information. The UCAS reference doesn’t accept hyperlinks so you will need to write the link in full – you could use a (free) service to shorten links such as https://bitly.com/ (one of many).

• How are admissions tests being affected by COVID-19?

  It is expected that some admissions tests will be affected, and when we know more we will update you through our adviser communications. 

  University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) has recently announced online provision.

• How can my students gain work experience for medicine applications during COVID-19?

  The Medical Schools Council offers information for international applicants, and some very useful advice on how applying for medicine during COVID-19, when access to work experience opportunities may be limited.

  Many applicants will be in similar circumstances with restricted access to such opportunities, and medical and health related admissions will take this into account in the next cycle. It might be helpful to think about the quality of the work experience and insight into the profession and not just the time spent in a healthcare setting.

  Alternatives to in person work experience could be talking with doctors and medical students (online if required), attending a university information session/open day, or reading medical literature. Medical schools will value quality of experience over quantity and look for clear evidence of reflection on experiences gained.