Oversubscription policy for undergraduate programmes
- Last updated:
1. Aims and governance
1.1. In line with Cardiff University admissions regulation and compliance with the QAA UK Quality Code for Higher Education, the University conducts its student selection process in an objective, open, transparent, fair, and non-discriminate manner. Whilst the selection processes for undergraduate programmes are bound by the University’s policy on equality and diversity, the following programmes are also subject to a maximum number of places and limits for each academic year.
- School of Dentistry - all undergraduate programmes
- School of Healthcare Sciences - all undergraduate programmes
- School of Medicine - MBBCh Medicine
- School of Optometry and Vision Sciences - all undergraduate programmes.
1.2. This policy is overseen by the Director of Recruitment and Admissions and the Admissions and Recruitment Group in each academic school and sets out to define the conditions associated with oversubscription within the parameters of the commissioned number of places on any programme.
2. Commissioned places
2.1. The number of places available on the undergraduate programmes are set annually by external commission and regulatory bodies and additional places cannot be made available by the University.
These bodies are:
- The General Optical Council (GOC) - all Optometry undergraduate programmes
- Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) – all Healthcare programmes, BSc Dental Therapy, BSc Dental Therapy and Hygiene
- Welsh Government – BDS Dentistry, MBBCh Medicine
2.2 However, the University will, in such circumstances, first seek to increase the number of places available in negotiation with the commissioning body before varying, or withdrawing, offers accepted by applicants.
3. Offer making
3.1. The University manages its offer-making in such a way that, in normal circumstances, there is a place for every offer-holder who meets the exact conditions of their offer. However, there may be circumstances outside the reasonable control of the University which mean that the number of applicants meeting the conditions of an offer of a place on a programme exceeds the number of places available (“oversubscription”).
4. Oversubscription
4.1. Oversubscription refers to the number of applicants meeting the conditions of an offer of a place on a programme exceeding the number of places available for that year/date of entry.
5. Actions by Cardiff University in the event of oversubscription
5.1. In these circumstances, the University reserves the right to make an independent academic decision on offer holders and will allocate places in accordance with the oversubscription policy on a fair and reasonable basis. The University will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from any inability or failure to admit an offer holder to the University as a result of oversubscription that is outside its reasonable control.
6. Fair and reasonable basis for allocation of places
6.1. All applicants who meet the published entry criteria are scored by attending an interview and offers of study are then made based on these scores. It is this score that would be used in the event of oversubscription to a programme for applicants who have exceeded or exactly met the conditions of their offer. Utilising this score means that the academic and value-based approaches are taken into account. Grades achieved and/or overall tariff and/or UCAT scores may also be used as factors to differentiate between those with the same interview score.
7. What happens if I am not allocated a place?
7.1. If you are not allocated a place due to the application of the oversubscription policy, the University will, wherever possible, try to:
a. offer you the opportunity of deferring your place to the next academic year, or
b. offer you a place on an appropriate alternative programme at Cardiff University.
7.1.1 If you do not wish to take up one of the alternative options offered to you as a result of the application of the oversubscription policy you will be released from your offer as a priority to enable you to pursue insurance, clearing, or other suitable options and offers.