Criminal Conviction Policy

1. Aberystwyth University welcomes applications from all those interested in higher education, who have the ability, potential and the determination to succeed. Having a criminal conviction should not deter someone from applying to study at Aberystwyth as accessing education is an important part of gaining the skills, knowledge and qualifications necessary for professional development.

2. Whilst accepting that it is the role and responsibility of the Criminal Justice Service to determine an individual’s suitability for integration within wider society, the University regards the wellbeing and safety of all its students and staff as paramount, and therefore needs to consider the suitability of an applicant to join and study at the University. This Policy is therefore in place for applicants who apply to study at Aberystwyth University.

Courses which require a DBS Check

3. Some courses require a criminal record background check for entry, known as a DBS Check, and this will be specified under the entry requirements section of the course information on Aberystwyth University’s website. Applicants who are offered a place to study will be invited to complete a DBS Check at the appropriate time during the admissions cycle. Applicants will be informed what level of DBS Check is required as this varies depending on course/placement content.

4. The DBS Check must ideally be completed before enrolment and must always be completed before undertaking any course placements.

5. The outcome of the DBS Check will either be ‘Clear’ or ‘Not Clear’. The University’s Criminal Conviction Panel will consider cases where the DBS Check is ‘Not Clear’, which means that the DBS Check has some information disclosed on the certificate. The Panel, headed by the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Learning, Teaching and Student Experience, or nominee, will undertake a risk assessment to determine whether the applicant’s criminal record will prevent them from enrolling on the course. If the conclusion of the Criminal Conviction Panel is that the applicant cannot enrol on the course, the offer will be withdrawn and/or any subsequent enrolment cancelled in cases where enrolment has already taken place.

Courses that do not require a DBS Check

6. Applicants applying for courses which do not require a DBS Check are asked to inform the University if they have any unspent criminal convictions and/or are bound by restrictions or have probation/licence conditions to fulfil following a conviction. Applicants will be contacted by email after they have been offered a place to study at the University – see Appendix One. Failure to declare any relevant information to the University may be deemed a breach of the University’s Disciplinary Procedures and may prevent the applicant from enrolling on the course, the offer will be withdrawn and/or any subsequent enrolment cancelled if the applicant has already enrolled.

7. Sometimes an applicant could be contacted before an offer is processed if there is any information on the application that refers to an applicant’s previous criminal conviction, for example, mentioned within the reference or the personal statement.

8. Responses from applicants will be checked and any relevant declarations will be risk assessed by the University’s Criminal Conviction Panel who will confirm whether the applicant can take up their place on the course. They may conclude that there are safeguards to consider or put in place first, or, in rare instances, that the applicant’s offer should be withdrawn. An applicant’s offer will be withdrawn if the safeguards, restrictions and/or licence conditions will, in practice, prevent the applicant from successfully completing the course. If the applicant has already enrolled on the course, then any subsequent enrolment would be cancelled, and the student would be excluded from the course.

9. The conclusion of the Criminal Conviction Panel is final and there is no right of appeal unless there is additional information that has not previously been submitted by the applicant for consideration, and there is sufficient time to consider before the course start date. It is therefore important that the applicant provides all the relevant information, when requested, at the earliest opportunity.

10. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact the Head of Admissions Operations at admitdisclose@aber.ac.uk