Top universities could lower offers in anticipation of deferrals because of coronavirus

The country’s top universities could lower their offers in a bid to fill places as they anticipate of a spike of deferrals this autumn. 

Vice-Chancellors have expressed concern that virtual freshers’ weeks and online lectures because of the coronavirus pandemic will put students off starting university this year. 

Russell Group universities are hoping to fill the gaps left by lowering the bar on entry requirements, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Insititute, said: ‘There is a smaller number of 18-year-olds this year so it was always going to be a buyers’ market.

‘If I were a young person this year getting my A-level results and I didn’t quite get what I needed for a top university, I would be on the phone to them immediately to say ‘Will you give me a place anyway?’ and they probably will.’

University leaders are coming up with new ways to bolster numbers, especially because the anticipated fall in international student numbers, who pay higher fees than UK students, could leave institutions struggling to plug shortfalls.

One leading Vice-Chancellor told The Daily Telegraph. ‘At the top of the sector, universities have a lot of applicants per place, so you and I might defer our places but another two will accept theirs.

‘Before they may not have got the grades and not got in, then gone to a university in the next tier. It is like the knock on effect. 

‘The institutions that require the highest grades will fill their places. If we do not fill all our places with AAA students, we may need to go to AAB.’

Last month the government announced it would bring back a cap on student numbers amid concerns the best universities would hoover up students.

Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, said: ‘I want to avoid at all costs an unseemly scramble for the domestic students who are looking to take up places in September.

‘We must ensure that courses and providers aren’t oversubscribed, as this could result in there being standing room only in some lecture halls and tumbleweed in others.’  

Mr Hillman described the cap as ‘very lax’, and says it ‘does allow quite a lot of room for manoeuvre’, The Daily Telegraph reported.  

‘The situation will still be used to the advantage of the top universities and will come at the expense of the less prestigious universities,’ he added.  

The Office for Students is drawing up new rules to ban universities from using entry criteria that is ‘not consistent with the normal academic requirements of the course’. 

A spokesman said: ‘We are currently consulting on a new condition of registration. Universities will want to consider carefully whether significant changes in recruitment practice could constitute activities that undermine the stability and integrity of the English higher education sector’.

In May Cambridge University announced all lectures over the next academic year would be moved online – the first institution in the country to make such a pledge. 

A statement issued at the time said: ‘The university is constantly adapting to changing advice as it emerges during this pandemic.

‘Given that it is likely that social distancing will continue to be required, the university has decided there will be no face-to-face lectures during the next academic year.

‘Lectures will continue to be made available online and it may be possible to host smaller teaching groups in person, as long as this conforms to social distancing requirements.

‘This decision has been taken now to facilitate planning, but as ever, will be reviewed should there be changes to official advice on coronavirus.’