Admissions Complaints 

Each Theological Education Institution has its own admissions policy and process and its own admissions complaints procedure. 

Durham University sets minimum entry requirements for admission to academic programmes, which institutions must follow. For a number of programmes, these minimum requirements recognise that professional and ministerial experience can stand in lieu of formal academic qualifications. Institutions can choose to set higher entry requirements that go beyond the entry requirements set by the University if there is a clear rationale for doing so. 

Institutions can ask Durham University for advice about their admissions processes. 

In addition to academic entry requirements, there will also be other elements to each institution’s admissions process, since this process often concerns not only admission to an academic programme but also admission to a particular training pathway. 

You should refer to an institution’s admissions policy for detailed information. 

What is an admissions complaint? 

An admissions complaint is a complaint about a procedural error, irregularity or mal-administration in admissions policies or processes. 

When making admissions decisions, staff in theological education institutions will exercise academic judgement. You cannot appeal or complain about an admissions decision on the basis that you disagree with this academic judgement. 

You can complain if you have evidence: 

• that an institution did not follow its own stated admissions policies and processes correctly 
• that an aspect of an institution’s admissions policies and processes was inherently unfair, unjust or lacking in the transparency required to allow applicants to understand the process 
• that there was an error or omission in the admissions process that materially affected the admissions decision. 

What should you expect from a Theological Education Institution? 

All theological education institutions should: 

• keep a record of the reasons for admissions decisions 
• on request and where possible, give brief feedback on the reasons for an admissions decision 
• try to resolve any concerns raised by applicants informally in the first instance 
• operate fair, effective, and timely procedures to enable applicants to raise admissions complaints if informal resolution is unsuccessful 
• tell applicants that there is an admissions complaints procedure and give clear information about how to submit a complaint 
• give clear information about which member(s) of staff in their institution to contact about an admissions complaint, at each stage of the complaints process. 

Institutions should also make applicants aware of their right to refer admissions complaints to Durham University if the applicant is still dissatisfied after the formal complaint process has been followed. 

Institutions must not discriminate against applicants who make admissions complaints if they go on to submit another application in the future. 

Principles of the admissions complaints procedure 

The principles of the admissions complaints procedure are the same as the principles of the academic complaints procedure, as outlined on this page. You should ask an institution directly for information about how their admissions complaints procedure operates. 

Note that the Office for the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) does not consider admissions complaints. Applicants do not have the option to refer an admissions complaint to the OIA at the end of the complaints procedure.  

As in the academic complaints procedure, applicants should raise a complaint no more than 28 days after the event that the complaint concerns unless there is a good reason for the delay.  

An institution’s admissions complaints procedure must follow the three stages outlined in the academic complaints procedure: (1) Informal Resolution (2) Formal Resolution (3) Referral to Durham University for Review. 

In all cases, the institution, and (where a complaint reaches stage 3) the University, will be examining whether admissions policies and processes were fair, transparent and were followed correctly, without significant errors or omissions. 

What are the possible outcomes? 

If a procedural irregularity is identified at any stage of the complaints process, the theological education institution concerned is expected to review the matter, including looking again at the admissions decision. Whilst the review should address any irregularities it will not necessarily reverse or otherwise change the admissions decision. 

Durham University also asks theological education institutions to consider their admissions processes as a whole in light of any complaints to see whether there are any possible areas for improvement.