PROTOCOL FOR THE PROCESSING OF UCAS APPLICATIONS

ACADEMIC REGISTRARS OFFICE

2004-05

THE MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY PROTOCOL FOR THE PROCESSING OF UCAS APPLICATIONS Introduction This protocol is intended to ensure that applications are processed swiftly and applicants are kept informed by the University of the progress of their application and of its outcome. It is intended to help achieve target intakes through fostering good relations with applicants; keeping their waiting time to a minimum; assisting them in finding a suitable place and encouraging suitable un-placed applicants to consider alternative choices and/or to re-apply at Clearing. Note: Where arrangements permit, this protocol will also apply to UCAS small systems procedures for NMAS and GTTR applications. Protocol i The Registry will acknowledge applications with a Registry Post Card and forward applications to departments within 48 hours of receipt. ii Departments will: a) within 10 working days of their receipt, consider and decide upon applications and return decision slips for processing to the Registry (decision slips for those being interviewed shall be retuned to the Registry immediately after the outcome of the interview has been determined); inform successful applicants of the outcome of their application by letter sent out within 48 hours of a decision being reached, which may be an invitation to attend an interview, an offer following an interview or an offer and invitation to visit; (letters 1, 2, 3) provide applicants invited for interview with as much helpful information as might be necessary to ensure the interview visit is a positive and beneficial experience for them. They should be encouraged to bring their parents, partner or friend with them, for whom a programme should be provided; encourage applicants to respond to any offer made to them; (letters 4,5) provide applicants with an opportunity to visit the university accompanied by their parents/partner/friend; send applicants who are examination candidates, a good luck letter prior to the start of their examinations; (letter 6) following the publication of examination results, send confirmation letters to successful applicants, taking care to consider confirming those narrowly missing their conditional offer; (letter 7)

b)

c)

d) e) f) g)

iii

The Registry will aim to input decisions to UCAS via the on-line method within 2 working days of their receipt from departments. In peak-periods, this may extend to 4 working days. (Offer letters are generated by UCAS immediately they receive decisions from the University but rejections are bunched to save postage and may be held by UCAS for up to 5 working days).

STAGE

ACTION Application acknowledgement Application sent to Department Application processed by department Applicant notified of Decision: (a) invitation to interview (b) offer

TAKEN BY Registry Registry Registry Department

TIMESCALE within 48 hours of receipt within 48 hours of receipt within 10 working days of receipt within 48 hours of decision being made

COMMUNICATION Registry Reply Postcard

1 2 3 4

letter 1, 2 or 3 as detailed below: letter 1 letter 2 or 3

If Applicant: (a) accepts unconditional offer, confirm place (b) holds conditional offer (as CF) Prior to start of A level examinations Confirmation (A level stage) Department Department Department Department within 48 hours of receiving applicants decision within 48 hours of receiving applicants decision after Easter vacation Immediately following publication of A level results letter 4 letter 5 letter 6 letter 7

6 7

LETTERS TO APPLICANTS

No.1. INVITATION TO INTERVIEW No.2. OFFER FOLLOWING INTERVIEW No.3. OFFER WITH INVITATION TO VISIT No.4. TO APPLICANT ACCEPTING UNCONDITIONAL OFFER (TWO VERSIONS) No.5. TO APPLICANT HOLDING CONDITIONAL OFFER (CF) No.6. APPLICANTS HOLDING A CONDITIONAL FIRM (CF) OFFER DEPENDENT UPON EXAMINATIONS No.7. CONFIRMATION TO APPLICANTS No.8. OVERSEAS APPLICANTS * * To be discussed with International Office

IMPORTANT NOTICE In order for the University to meet its obligations and responsibilities to disabled applicants, Departmental/School/Institute admissions staff must inform the Learning Support Team, Student Services, All Saints, of applicants to whom offers are made who have disclosed a disability either on their application form or by other means. In most cases, the easiest way to do this will be to send a copy of the application form to the Learning Support Team indicating that it is for a disabled applicant to whom an offer has been made.

LETTER No. 1 - INVITATION TO INTERVIEW Dear Further to your application for admission to this University, I am writing to invite you to attend for interview at (place, date, time) so that we may discuss your application. Please complete and return the enclosed reply slip as quickly as possible indicating whether or not you will be able to attend. Should you need an alternative interview date, then please telephone (name) on (number) without delay in order to arrange this. If you have a disability, please let us know of any requirements you might have for your visit and interview. Please arrive in good time for interview and report to (name) at (location), who will be expecting you. I enclose a plan of the campus and a map indicating how you may reach us. You are welcome to bring your parents or a friend with you, who may also wish to see the University. Please indicate this on the reply slip so that we may make arrangements for them. The interview will assist us in selecting suitable applicants and will also help you to find out more about the University and ask questions you may have concerning the course and student life in general. It is very much two-way process and, in order to help you prepare for it, I hope you will read carefully the enclosed interview information notes. I trust you will find this information helpful and we very much look forward to meeting you at interview. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you are unclear on any point. With best wishes. Yours sincerely

Notes (i) (ii) Please check that any relevant information for Visit Days is also sent to applicants invited to interview/visit. Please specify any documents (such as Birth Certificates and Examination Certificates) or other items applicants should bring with them to the interview.

LETTER No. 2 - OFFER FOLLOWING INTERVIEW

Dear I am very pleased to inform you that following your recent interview, we are making you a conditional/unconditional offer of a place on (insert name of programme). You will receive official notification of this offer through UCAS shortly and once you have reviewed and considered decisions on all your applications, you will be asked to notify UCAS of your firm and insurance choices. Please note that at busy periods it may take some time for the University to process your offer. You are asked not to contact UCAS to check on the whereabouts of your official offer letter for at least ten working days following receipt of this letter. Also enclosed is an Accommodation Information Pack which gives details of the wide range of accommodation available, both in University Halls of Residence and in the private sector. It also outlines the range of services offered by our team of professional Accommodation Officers. If you want help with finding accommodation or wish to apply for a place in University accommodation, you should return the application form once you have firmly accepted our offer as UF or CF. Please do not return the form if you are accepting us as your insurance choice. I hope that you will decide to accept our offer as your firm choice, and that we shall be able to welcome you as a student to the University. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely

*Note UCAS advises against institutions informing applicants of their offer details; this will be done via the UCAS offer letter and reduces the possibility of error.

LETTER No. 3 - OFFER WITH INVITATION TO VISIT Dear I am writing to you as Admissions Tutor for the (name of programme) following your application for a place on the course, and am very pleased to inform you that we are making you a conditional/unconditional offer of a place on (insert name of programme). You will receive official notification of this offer through UCAS shortly and once you have reviewed and considered decisions on all your applications, you will be asked to notify UCAS of your form and insurance choices. Please note that at busy periods it may take some time for the University to process your offer. You are asked not to contact UCAS to check on the whereabouts of your official offer letter for at least ten working days following receipt of this letter. I believe it is important to meet all applicants, and that you also should have an opportunity to visit the University. You are therefore invited to a Visit Day, details of which are given in the enclosed information pack. The visit will help you to find out more about the University and to ask any questions you may have about the course and student life in general. It will also give you the opportunity to meet students currently on the course, to walk around the campus and its facilities. You are welcome to bring your parents or a friend with you, who may also wish to see the University. Please indicate this on the reply slip so that we may make arrangements for them. Also enclosed is an Accommodation Information Pack which gives details of the wide range of accommodation available, both in University Halls of Residence and in the private sector. It also outlines the range of services offered by our team of professional Accommodation Officers. If you want help with finding accommodation or wish to apply for a place in University accommodation, you should return the application form once you have firmly accepted our offer as UF or CF. Please do not return the form if you are accepting us as your insurance choice. I hope that you will decide to accept our offer as your firm choice, and that we shall be able to welcome you as a student to the University. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely

*Note UCAS advises against institutions informing applicants of their offer details; this will be done via the UCAS offer letter and reduces the possibility of error.

LETTER No. 4(a) - TO APPLICANT ACCEPTING UNCONDITIONAL OFFER (for Manchester departments)

Dear I am delighted to hear that you have decided to accept our unconditional offer of a place on the (name of programme) as your firm choice, and I confirm that you now have a place on the course commencing . . . . . September. If you wish to apply for a place in University accommodation, or require help with finding accommodation of your own, you should complete and return the application form sent to you previously to the Universitys Accommodation Unit at the address given on the form. I shall be writing to you later with details of the enrolment procedure at the start of the new academic year. Do please feel free to call me on 0161 247 . . . . . if you have any questions regarding this letter. If you need a replacement accommodation form, please call the Accommodation Unit on 0161 247 2958. I look forward to welcoming you to the Department. Yours sincerely

Note Departments may wish to expand this letter to include programme specific information.

LETTER No. 4(b) - TO APPLICANT ACCEPTING UNCONDITIONAL OFFER (for MMU Cheshire programmes)

Dear I am delighted to hear that you have decided to accept our unconditional offer of a place on the (name of programme) as your firm choice, and I confirm that you now have a place on the course commencing . . . . . September I enclose an Accommodation Information Pack which gives details of the Facultys Halls of Residence. A Joining Instruction Pack will be sent to you in July, which contains full details regarding Halls of Residence, Registration and Induction and Course related matters. Do please feel free to call me on 0161 247 . . . . . . if you have any questions regarding this matter. I look forward to welcoming you to the Department. Yours sincerely

Note Departments may wish to expand this letter to include programme specific information.

LETTER No.5 - TO APPLICANT HOLDING CONDITIONAL OFFER (CF)

Dear I am delighted to hear that you have decided to accept our conditional offer of a place on the (insert) as your firm choice and wish you all possible success in your examinations so that we may welcome you to the Manchester Metropolitan University. If you wish to apply for a place in University accommodation, or require help with finding accommodation of your own, you should complete and return the application form sent to you previously to the Universitys Accommodation Unit at the address given on the form. If there is any further information you require about the course, or about life as a student at the Manchester Metropolitan University, please do not hesitate to write or call me on 0161 247 . . . . . . . (amend to include Fax, E-Mail, where appropriate). Yours sincerely

LETTER No.6 - APPLICANTS HOLDING A CONDITIONAL FIRM OFFER (CF) DEPENDENT UPON RESULT The use of this letter is optional Dear Now that you are about to sit your examinations, I am writing to offer you our very best wishes for your success. We will receive direct notification of your examination results and will write to you again at that time.* Your success will enable us to guarantee you a place here. Even if you do not fully satisfy the conditions of our offer, we may still be able to offer you a place. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries or concerns arising out of your application or if you would like to have any further information concerning the University. In the meantime, Good Luck with your examinations and we look forward to seeing you in September. Yours sincerely

*This applies only to candidates whose results are notified to us automatically by UCAS (see 11.3 UCAS Admissions Guide). It also should apply only to CF candidates as we are not supposed to correspond with CIs - they are firmly committed elsewhere.

LETTER No.7 - CONFIRMATION TO APPLICANTS To CF but not CI applicants

Dear I have now been notified of your examination results. Although these do not fully meet the conditions of our offer, I am pleased to advise you that on the strength of your initial application, we wish to make you an unconditional offer of a place on the (name of programme) You will receive an AS12C letter from UCAS in due course asking if you wish to accept or decline this changed course offer. Once you accept this offer, I will send further details of the enrolment procedure at the beginning of term, together with . . . . . Yours sincerely

Note A similar letter could go to CI applicants if a change of course is involved but the final sentence of the first paragraph should be removed. The second paragraph should begin: If your Firm offer is not confirmed and our Insurance offer becomes live I will send further details . . . .etc.

LETTER No.8 - OVERSEAS APPLICANTS Dear As it may take some time for your application to be fully processed. I am writing to provide you with some further information which I hope you will find helpful. Also, as you live outside the United Kingdom and it may be not be possible for you to attend an interview, I would ask you to provide us with some additional information which will assist us in reaching a decision on your application. INSERT specification of what extra information applicant should provide (e.g. it could be an essay or report intended to demonstrate language competence). Enclosed with this letter is a copy of our Guidelines for Overseas Students booklet which I hope you will find useful. For non-EC applicants. The overseas rate of tuition fees for 2004/05 will be xxxx but will be reduced to xxxx if paid in full before you enrol. Fees must either be paid in full by or at the time you enrol or alternatively through the Universitys Direct Debit scheme in fixed instalments. Further information regarding fees will be sent to you once you are offered a place on the course. Also enclosed is an Accommodation Information Pack which gives details of the wide range of accommodation available, both in University Halls of Residence and in the private sector. If, in due course, we offer you a place on your course you may apply to be accommodated in one of our Halls of Residence or other University accommodation. It is a condition of acceptance to the University that applicants must have a sufficient command of the English language to be able to meet the requirements of the course in every respect. We expect those coming from non-English speaking countries to demonstrate their proficiency by holding an acceptable qualification in English. We would accept O level Grade C or above, IELTS at 6.0+ or TOEFL at 550+. Additionally, proficiency may also be demonstrated through a conversation exercise conducted by telephone. We are able to offer special English language tuition, and a number of private courses are also available. Please do not hesitate to let me know of any further information you might require at this stage. I look forward to hearing from you. With every best wish. Yours sincerely