Part 3: Proposals for changes to registration application requirements

Question 1a

Do you agree or disagree with the proposal that the OfS should issue a decision under section 3(5) of HERA, which would establish the requirements for an application for OfS registration? Please give reasons for your answer.

Question 1b

Do you have any comments on the proposed section 3(5) Notice set out in Annex A of Part 3 of this consultation?

Question 1c

Do you agree or disagree that the proposed pre-application support would be beneficial to a provider applying for OfS registration? Please explain why.

Question 1d

Do you support any of the alternative options we have set out in Part 3, Annex C, Proposal 1, or do you have any other proposals? If so, please explain and provide reasons for your view.

Question 2a (i)

Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to require a provider to submit additional scenario planning, commentary and mitigation plans as part of the OfS registration application? Please give reasons for your answer.

Question 2a (ii)

Do you agree or disagree that the proposed financial scenario parameters for a provider already delivering higher education provide a realistic challenge to a provider’s financial forecasts? Please give reasons for your answer.

Question 2a (iii)

Do you agree or disagree that the proposed financial scenario parameters for a provider not yet delivering higher education provide a realistic challenge to a provider’s financial forecasts? Please give reasons for your answer.

Question 2a (iv)

Do you support any of the alternative options we have set out in Part 3, Annex C, Proposal 2a of this consultation, or do you have any other proposals? If so, please explain and provide reasons for your view.

Question 2b (i)

Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to require a provider, during the registration process, to submit updated financial and student number tables and commentary? Please give reasons for your answer.

Question 2b (ii)

Do you support any of the alternative options we have outlined in Part 3, Annex C, Proposal 2b, or do you have any other proposals? If so, please explain and provide reasons for your view.

Question 2c (i)

Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to require a provider, during the registration process, to submit audited financial statements for any financial years that are completed after the provider’s initial submission of its registration application, and before the OfS makes a final decision about the provider’s registration? Please give reasons for your answer.

Question 2c (ii)

Do you support any of the alternative options we have outlined in Part 3, Annex C, Proposal 2c, or do you have any other proposals? If so, please explain and provide reasons for your view.

Question 2d (i)

Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to require a provider, as part of its registration application, to submit a diagram showing its corporate structure and ownership as described in this proposal? Please provide reasons for your view.

Question 2d (ii)

Do you support the alternative option outlined in Part 3, Annex C, Proposal 2d of this consultation, or do you have any other proposals? If so, please explain and provide reasons for your view.

Question 3a

Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to introduce a requirement for a provider to submit information about historical or current investigations? Please give reasons for your answer.

Question 3b

Do you think there may be any unintended consequences of adopting this proposal? If so, please explain your answer.

Question 3c

Do you support any of the alternative options we have set out in Part 3, Annex C, Proposal 3 of this consultation, or do you have any other proposals? If so, please explain and provide reasons for your view.

Question 4a

Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to require a provider to report to the OfS specified matters that may affect a provider’s application to register? Please give reasons for your answer

Question 4b

We would welcome views on the list of specified matters set out in Table 6. Are there other specified matters you think should be included, or matters listed that should be excluded? Please give reasons for your answer.

Question 4c

Do you agree or disagree with the proposed reporting deadline of 28 days for all the specific matters proposed to be reported to the OfS? Please give reasons for your answer.

Question 4d

Do you think there may be any unintended consequences of adopting this proposal? If so, please explain your answer.

Question 4e

Do you support any of the alternative approaches we have outlined in Part 3, Annex C, Proposal 4 of this consultation, or do you have any other proposals? If so, please explain and provide reasons for your view.

Question 5a

Do you agree or disagree with the proposal to apply a resubmission restriction period to a provider with an application that was previously refused? Please give reasons for your answer.

Question 5b

Is there any other impact of this proposal or potential unintended consequences that we have not considered? If yes, please explain and provide reasons for your view.

Question 5c

Do you agree or disagree with the proposal that the time frame for the resubmission restriction period is 18 months? Please explain and provide a reason for your view.

Question 5d

Do you support any of the alternative options we have outlined in Part 3, Annex C, Proposal 5 of this consultation, or do you have any other proposals? If so, please explain and provide reasons for your view.

Question 5e

We are interested in respondents’ views on a 12-month resubmission restriction. Do you think this is a better option than the proposed 18-month resubmission restriction? Please explain and provide reasons for your view.

Question 6

Do you have any comments about the impact the proposals in this consultation may have on the timeline for a registration assessment outlined in Part 3 of this consultation?

Question 7

Do you foresee any unintended consequences resulting from the proposals in Part 3 of this consultation? If so, please indicate what you think these are and the reasons for your view.

Question 8

Are there any aspects of these proposals you found unclear? If so, please specify which, and tell us why.

Question 9

In your view, are there ways in which the objectives discussed in Part 3 of this consultation could be delivered more efficiently or effectively than proposed here?

Question 10

Do you have any comments about the potential impact of these proposals on individuals on the basis of their protected characteristics?