OfS ordered to crack down on ‘unethical’ unconditional offers

Education secretary Damian Hinds has demanded a review of university admissions to “protect the integrity of our higher education system”, as he warned 23 universities over their use of “conditional unconditional” offers.

In the latest in a series of interventions in higher education, Hinds said on 5 April that the “pressure-selling” tactics of conditional unconditional offers—which guarantee a place only if the student puts that university as their first choice—must end. He went on to name and shame 23 universities he said were “backing students into a corner” with conditional unconditional offers (see below for the list of institutions).

“It is simply unacceptable for universities to adopt pressure-selling tactics, which are harming students’ grades in order to fill places. It is not what I expect to see from our world-class higher education institutions,” said Hinds, adding that conditional unconditional offers were “damaging the reputation of the institutions involved”.