Fears Scots pupils will lose out over UCAS university plans

The 1994 Group, an influential body of UK higher education institutions – of which Scotland’s oldest university is a leading member – has raised a number of concerns over plans by the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (Ucas) to make pupils wait for their exam results before applying for a course.

Under the current arrangements, pupils can apply to their university or college of choice based on anticipated exam results.

Universities Scotland, which represents the principals of higher education institutions, said applicants from north of the Border would be put at a “considerable disadvantage” to those elsewhere in the UK as the new timetable for applications would mean students who receive their results in August would not have time to receive adequate advice and guidance before applying.

The Ucas proposals would require Scottish pupils to sit school-leaving exams earlier and finish them before the end of May. They would also cut the marking time from eight to four weeks to release results at the beginning of the summer holidays.

The 1994 Group, which represents 19 institutions, said that if the proposals go ahead, some universities would be left with “little option” but to “opt out” of the admissions process used by the overwhelming majority of prospective students in the UK.

Ucas is expected to publish its recommendations for changes to the system later this week, following consultations with universities across the UK.

The shake-up, scheduled for 2016, is designed to streamline the application process but also to fit in with changes to the academic calendar in England, which will see the dates of exams and results shifted forward.

Yesterday, St Andrews University said it had “serious concerns” about a system which was devised to address problems in England.

A spokeswoman said: “The proposal has been developed with not enough consideration for the academic cycle of students outside England, and obviously in our case Scotland, and even less for students outside the UK.

“Should these changes be imposed on the sector, we will need to re-evaluate very seriously whether the resources we commit to using Ucas secure the appropriate level of service for both applicants and the university.”

In its response to the consultation, the 1994 Group said: “In summary, whilst the principles of equality and widening participation are to be welcomed, in practice the proposals for 2016 will reduce the ability for individuals to make ‘aspirational’ choices and for their applications to be given the due consideration necessary.”

It said universities would be forced to “opt out” or make “informal” conditional offers to applicants, increasing “duplication” and “complication” in the system.

Meanwhile, the Russell Group, which represents the country’s leading universities, including Edinburgh and Glasgow, has warned that proposals to reduce the number of choices an applicant can make from five to two might discourage pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds from applying to the top institutions.

In a statement, the Russell Group added: “It is far from clear that a new post-qualification system would be fairer or improve access to leading universities and we are concerned that the changes could even hamper our efforts to attract students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“Most importantly, these changes would do nothing to tackle the fundamental problem of the attainment gap which restricts access to leading universities.”

The opposition of the country’s leading universities, which fund Ucas through subscriptions, mean some of the proposals are unlikely to be taken forward.