Digital Education Service Taught Admissions Policy 2021-22

Please see Coursefinder for the course list, typical entry requirements, and accepted qualifications. 

Undergraduate requirements 

The Digital Education Service, in partnership with FutureLearn, will invite applicants to join the UCR-ODLC programme when they have fulfilled the entry requirements listed below: 

• completed 90% of each of five University of Leeds/FutureLearn courses, 
• scored an average of 70% or above on each of five in-course tests, and 
• purchased five FutureLearn course upgrades leading to Certificates of Achievement. 

Taught postgraduate requirements 

Exceptions to the typical academic requirements may be made when an applicant demonstrates significant relevant experience and their potential for benefiting from the course is clear. These requirements will be discussed with an Enrolment Advisor and considered on a case-by-case basis. 

Documents 

As stated in the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy the Digital Education Service is required to verify the original or certified copies of any documents which support taught postgraduate applications and provide proof that the applicant meets the entry requirement. To facilitate this the Digital Education Service permits applicants to supply their previous institutional records via one of the following methods: 

• Secure online portal: for institutions that provide this option, the applicant should request access instructions to be sent to DESstudents@leeds.ac.uk 
• Registrar’s Office verification: we will accept official electronic documentation when sent to DESstudents@leeds.ac.uk directly via an awarding institution's registrar’s office, or equivalent. 
• Postal verification: applicants should post their original documents, including a covering letter with their return address, to the address provided in in the Useful contacts and resources section at the end of this policy. Documents will be returned using Royal Mail tracked services and the tracking information will be provided to the applicant. 

If applicants arrange access to their documents through a secure online portal or Registrar’s office verification and the Digital Education Service have any concerns about the authenticity of the digital versions we reserve the right to request that the applicant uses the postal verification method. 

COVID-19 policy amendment 

From 2 April 2020 until further notice, applicants for the Digital Education Service Taught Postgraduate programmes will be required to submit the following as part of their application:  

• PDF document, in colour, of all original or institution-certified certificates and transcripts 
• PDF document, in colour, of notarised translations (where required) 
• PDF document, in colour, of any documents required to prove English language proficiency 

Digital Education Service Admissions staff will verify the applicant's qualification based on these submissions alone, and no further documents will normally be required. 

The Digital Education Service reserve the right to request original or institution-certified documents to be submitted for verification using the methods outlined in the above paragraph at any time. 

Identification 

Digital Education Service requires all applicants to provide proof of their identity at point of application. Undergraduate applicants will verify their identity directly with FutureLearn; Taught Postgraduate applicants should submit their ID as part of their application. Accepted forms of ID are: 

• Passport photo page 
• Driving licence 
• National identity card 

References for taught postgraduate applicants 

Please refer to the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy for information on references for Taught Postgraduate applications. 

Taught postgraduate entry 

The Digital Education Service does not accept applications from those who are seeking advanced entry on postgraduate courses. All applications must be made for the full programme of study. 

Accreditation of Prior Learning 

Accredited prior learning (APL) is a process undertaken by the University in order to assess and, as appropriate, recognise prior experiential learning or prior certificated learning for academic purposes.  For further information see the corresponding Advanced Entry section of the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy.

Undergraduate applications

The Digital Education Service, in partnership with FutureLearn, will invite applicants to the UCR-ODLC programme upon completion of the mandatory pre-requisites.

Taught postgraduate applications

All applicants for the taught postgraduate programmes (except for PCR-ODLC) are encouraged to submit a Request for Information form through Coursefinder. Applicants will be contacted by a University of Leeds representative who will arrange a pre-application interview to assess the applicant’s eligibility. If the applicant meets the University’s application criteria they will be invited to send any supporting documentation to the University representative who will prepare an application. The applicant will review and submit the application, and can track its progress using the Applicant Portal.

All applicants for the PCR-ODLC programme will be eligible to apply for the programme upon successful completion of the relevant Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) delivered through one of our partner platforms. Applicants will complete an admissions application form and submit any relevant documentation directly to the Digital Education Service. Initially, students will study one module via the partner platform. If the student wishes to continue their studies, a University of Leeds representative will contact them.

In addition to the information relayed in the corresponding section of the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy, please note the Digital Education Service’s age and safeguarding considerations below:

FutureLearn and Coursera (our partner platforms) allow anyone over the age of 13 to access study materials and the Digital Education Service will be responsible for any risk assessments and safeguarding which may become necessary. Applicants under 18 must provide the Parental Consent form by sending it to DESstudents@leeds.ac.uk. 

The Digital Education Service will consider applications from those who have previously applied to the institution.

The Digital Education Service considers applications from candidates who have previously studied at the institution in line with the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy.

Taught postgraduate deferrals

Applicants who wish to defer an offer of a place to the following academic year should make the request via the Applicant Portal or via their Enrolment Advisor.

Applicants who wish to defer an offer of a place to a later entry point within the same academic year should make the request via the Applicant Portal or via their Enrolment Advisor. Applicants can only receive a maximum of three offers for the same programme within an academic year. This limits the applicant to their original choice of entry point and two subsequent entry points within the same academic year. 

The personal statement of the application form helps us to assess the nature of the applicant’s interest in the academic subject and is an important part of the selection process. It is essential that applicants take this opportunity to demonstrate their enthusiasm and aptitude for the academic subject. We wish to hear about why you have chosen Leeds, what attracted you to the programme, and how it will help you to progress your career. An applicant may be assessed based on the strength of their personal statement relative to others in their cohort, and/or based on criteria set by the academic school. 

Formal interviews do not form part of the Digital Education Service’s standard admissions process however, in some cases, an applicant may be invited for an interview if it will help inform whether or not an offer should be made. Digital Education Service representatives will conduct a pre-application screening call with all prospective applicants for taught postgraduate Masters programmes, but programme specific interviews will only be undertaken when required by the Teaching School. Suitably qualified candidates will be interviewed by telephone or online, and this process will be scripted to ensure equity across all applicants. 

Taught postgraduate assessment methods

Relevant work experience and/or professional qualifications may be taken into account when a taught postgraduate application is assessed.  

Applicants for the UCR-OLC programme will be communicated with directly from the Digital Education Service and FutureLearn.

Applicants for the Taught Postgraduate programmes (except PCR-ODLC) will have regular contact with an Enrolment Advisor and any decisions will be communicated in line with the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy.

Due to the nature of the entry requirements of the UCR-ODLC programme we will not have any unsuccessful applicants for that programme. For Taught Postgraduate programmes, unsuccessful applicants who wish to request feedback on the reason for the outcome of their application should do so in line with the Feedback section of the above policy, using the relevant email address contact in the Useful contacts and resources section at the bottom of this page or contact their Enrolment Advisor directly for further information. Generally, where applicants request feedback on why they have not been admitted, feedback will be given. 

As per the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy, applicants who have sought feedback and wish to challenge the decision made on their application should contact the Digital Education Service Admissions Manager, whose details can be found in the Useful contacts and resources section below.