School of Biodiversity One Health and Veterinary Medicine
BVMS Admissions
Consideration of Criminal Convictions
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) requires veterinary surgeons to disclose all criminal convictions, cautions, and adverse findings (including many spent convictions) upon registration or within three months of occurrence.
1. Disclosure of an offence
For entry to the BVMS programme at the University of Glasgow, the following is required to be disclosed: Convictions, cautions, fixed penalty notices (excluding minor traffic offences), reprimands/warnings, ‘spent’ convictions, fine/penalty imposed by a court and any other offences which have been recorded by bodies responsible for public order.
For the purposes of this guidance, all of the above will be identified as ‘offences’
1.2 Disclosure of offences is required or encouraged for entry to BVMS programme at three stages in the admissions cycle:
i. Individual with offence to contact the Admissions Office at least 8 weeks prior to applying to obtain a response on whether the offence will be acceptable for entry to the BVMS programme (encouraged)
ii. All offences are required to be disclosed, including those that are ‘spent’, on the UCAS form. (required)
iii. All applicants who firmly accept an unconditional or conditional offer are required to complete the necessary enhance disclosure check through the appropriate organisation. All relevant information on this process will be sent to the applicant via email. Applicants who have resided in the UK this will be checked through Disclosure Scotland’s Protection of Vulnerable Groups scheme and applicants who have lived outside the UK will be required to submit a police check from their country of residence. (required)
1.3 If an offence takes place after an application has been submitted, this must be made known to the Admissions office immediately. If disclosure does not occur prior to commencing the course, it is likely that this will be considered a fitness to practise issue. Should an offence be held, the applicant is normally required to provide the following documentation to the Admissions office:
i. confirmation from the relevant authorities of the nature and date of the incident
ii. an explanatory letter, including personal reflection
iii. two additional references satisfactorily confirming their suitability for medicine, in light of the conviction, caution or offence (or equivalent, spent or otherwise)
iv. further information from the applicant may be requested by the Admissions Office
1.5 Information on offences provided to the School will have no influence on the consideration of the other information provided in the application form or performance at interview, if applicable.
2. SBOHVM consideration of offences
2.1 All offences will be considered by the BVMS Criminal Convictions panel, normally within twenty working days of receipt of all necessary information. Where this is not possible, the applicant should be informed within the 20-day period and given reason(s) for the delay.
2.1 The panel will be convened by the Recruitment, marketing and Admissions team manager. The membership will vary but will include at least two members of senior academic staff.
2.2 Applicants/enquiries prior to application will be considered on a case-by-case basis, with consideration given to all the documentation collated. Additional areas of consideration or reference may include:
i. the seriousness of the offence (please refer to 2.3)
ii. when the offence occurred
iii. the frequency and/or pattern of any offences
iv. mitigating factors
v. personal reflection/remediation of the offence and their suitability for a career in the medical profession
vi. offence in terms of suitability to be a member of the medical profession
vii. offence in terms of bringing SBOHVM/University into disrepute
2.3 i. Offences that will normally guarantee preclusion of an application include animal abuse/cruelty, violent offences, child abuse/pornography, or any other abuse, sex offences, supplying illegal substances, fraud.
ii. Other convictions, cautions, fixed penalty notices, reprimands/warnings, ‘spent’ convictions, fine/penalty imposed by a court and any other offences which have been recorded by bodies responsible for public order will be considered by SBOHVM in line with procedure, with the documentation provided. The outcome cannot be predicted or guaranteed.
2.4 Consultation with the University Head of Admissions may take place and it may be necessary to obtain specialist advice.
2.5 The decision will be communicated to the applicant or enquirer, normally within ten working days of the decision being determined.
2.6 An applicant/enquirer may appeal the decision under the BVMS Admissions Appeals Procedure, if new evidence is to be presented which may have an impact on the decision, or if standard procedures were not followed.
2.7 For applicants/enquirers whose offence/s will preclude further consideration of the application, it is normal for the School to automatically apply the same decision to any future applications, unless new evidence is presented which may have an impact on the original decision.
2.8 For applicants/enquirers whose offence will not preclude further consideration of the application and who reapply in subsequent admissions cycles will be required to undertake the same process in relation to consideration of offences (refer to 1.1-2.7). Unsuccessful applicants are therefore advised to retain all related documentation from previous application cycles.
3.0 Commencing Study
3.1 It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all checks are completed in time for commencing study. Applicants who have not undertaken satisfactory checks will not be permitted to commence the programme.
3.2 Should an offence take place during a student’s undergraduate career, they must disclose the offence to the Student Experience team within SBOHVM immediately, where appropriate advice will be given.
4.0 Retention of data
4.1 All criminal record certificates are kept for a period of six months from the date of receipt, to allow for the consideration of any disputes or complaints.
4.2 The Admissions office/Student Experience team will securely keep a criminal records check database for registering new students for each year of entry. This will be kept for the duration of study, to enable the required record checks at time of graduation.
4.3 An anonymous database of decisions on offences is kept by Admissions for reference.