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Providing feedback on unsuccessful applications
We encourage universities and colleges to provide feedback for unsuccessful applications. Providing feedback helps applicants to understand why they were not offered a place at your institution and what, if anything, they could do to improve.
Methods of providing feedback
You can give a reason for rejection when you send the initial decision, or later over the original rejection, as long as the applicant hasn't replied to any offers. If you choose this method, applicants can then view the feedback in Track. It will be displayed exactly as entered by you.
If an applicant applies after 15 January and they are rejected because the course is full, you cannot transmit a reason for rejection through us, but you can send them feedback direct.
You may also choose to provide feedback on request instead of when entering the rejection. Please make it clear on your website which method you choose.
Advice when providing feedback:
Your Entry Profiles need to state your entry requirements and what you're looking for in your students. Applicants will use these profiles to tailor their applications - if you require specific criteria, make this clear. This makes it easier for you to identify which applicants meet the requirements and provide specific feedback for those who don't.
Make sure everyone at your institution is aware of your policies on feedback and make them accessible to applicants - ideally on your website before the start of the academic year. In your policies, include:
- how you provide feedback, eg in writing, by telephone or both
- when you send feedback, eg with the decision or on request
- who provides the feedback.
Be careful about the wording of feedback and any implications it may have - make sure it doesn't make any promises, particularly about offering a place for the following year.
Think about what you hope to achieve by giving feedback to an unsuccessful applicant and what they'll gain from receiving it.
Attend a training session
We run training sessions to help you with providing useful feedback - go to the training section for more information.