Overview

This is an update about what the University of Bath is doing in light of recent announcements on qualifications at a time when there is a great deal of concern and uncertainty over examination outcomes.

May we express our real admiration for students who are applying to University at this difficult time. We congratulate those who have received the results they aspired to, but fully understand the disappointment of those offer-holders who have not received the grades they expected to this year. We have followed closely advice from the regulators, acting to admit students as fairly as possible. We are aiming to admit as many eligible students as we can safely, recognising that our numbers cannot exceed those allowed for a Covid-secure environment. We are doing everything we can to give support and advice in what we appreciate are very difficult circumstances.

Our approach to the use of centre assessed grades

The UK and Welsh Governments have confirmed that this year's A level grades in England and Wales will be revised, with students' awarded grades replaced with their teacher assessments where these assessments are higher than their current awarded grade.

You do not need to contact us about your updated results. We will receive these in due course directly from UCAS and will be contact you as soon as possible with an appropriate update where necessary. We will contact you if there are any further actions required from you, or with an update from us where this is relevant.

If as a result of your revised grades you meet the original conditions of your Bath offer, we will guarantee you a place on your course. We will do our very best to enrol you in 2020, but in most cases expect this will not be possible. Where it is not possible, we will offer you a guaranteed place for entry in 2021.

We are not able to confirm at this stage whether we will be able to accept students who received revised grades that do not meet their original offer. If this is the case for you, we will let you know directly whether we can consider you once we have your revised grades from UCAS.

We appreciate this has been an extremely difficult and stressful period for many students - we are doing what we can to support you while also protecting the safety of our students and staff during the next year.

How we are handling appeals processes

Our advice to all offer-holders who have not been awarded grades which meet their entry conditions for their Bath offer is to engage with their school or college and whatever official appeals process exists for requesting a regrade.

This ensures that the University will consider all offer holders receiving a regrade in a consistent way, based on their qualification. It also ensures that any regrade will be an official award, which is then recorded on the student’s qualification certificates or transcript. Many students at Bath apply for internships, placements, and graduate entry schemes where the selection processes will use official grades achieved from high school or secondary education as an important filter. We do not want to disadvantage the employment and progression opportunities for those we admit this year by undermining their opportunity to have their appeal outcomes shown on their official records.

Offer-holders who go on to successfully appeal their grades and meet our entry requirements will be given a guaranteed offer to study, in 2020 if we are able to teach and accommodate them safely. However, the offer will be deferred to September 2021 if we are full, and at present we are at capacity for the overall university intake for 2020 entry.

Offer holders wishing to find out more can contact our Admissions team by emailing admissions@bath.ac.uk.

Where students are holding an offer from another university for 2020 entry (either a Clearing place or from their original Insurance choice) and then are notified by the University of Bath that they have their place at Bath but this is for 2021 entry, the student will then be able to decide which of the options best fits with their future plans. We appreciate that this may be a difficult decision and would encourage them to discuss their choices with family members and their schools or colleges.

Best wishes
Mike Nicholson
Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Outreach