OfS responds to Secretary of State’s unconditional offers statement

Responding to the Education Secretary’s call for a review of the university admissions system to tackle the rise in unconditional offers, Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the Office for Students (OfS), said:

‘Our own research on unconditional offers highlighted that indiscriminate use of the practice could amount to pressure selling and put universities in breach of consumer law. It is not in students’ interests to push them into decisions that may not be right for them, and admissions practices are clearly not working if they are having a negative impact on students’ choices or outcomes. As we announced in January, we plan to bring together a range of parties – including the Department for Education, UCAS, students, higher education providers, schools and employers – to consult on the admissions system and whether it is working in students’ interests as a gateway to a fulfilling experience of higher education.’