Michaela – Unlock helped me to get a better understanding of the legislation surrounding disclosure and I’ve now secured a place at university

Michaela first contacted our helpline in 2020 after a university had withdrawn their offer to study for a Masters in Pharmacy due to the non-disclosure of a criminal record.

Michaela explained that she had received a caution in 2017 after failing to disclose to an insurance company that items she had reported as being stolen in a burglary had been found.

As her caution was considered spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA), Michaela assumed that there was no need to disclose it. However, as part of the application process, the university carried out an enhanced DBS check which disclosed the caution. The university told Michaela:

“Pharmacy professionals are required to be trustworthy and act with honesty and integrity. They are also required to be open and honest when things go wrong. The university has concluded that the nature of the offence and the failure to declare the caution on the self-declaration form did not demonstrate behaviour that is compatible with these standards”.

The helpline advisor explained the different levels of DBS check to Michaela and advised her that her caution would appear on a standard and enhanced DBS certificate until 2023 at which point it would be eligible for filtering. Until then, she would have to disclose it to a university if the course required it.

We assisted Michaela in writing a letter of appeal to the university but sadly they refused to reconsider their decision. Although the decision was disappointing, we encouraged Michaela to apply to other universities and helped her to put together a self-disclosure statement which she could include with her application or use as a prompt if she were disclosing face-to-face.

Michaela has recently contacted us again to let us know that she has just started a Masters in Chemistry at a London university. She said:

“Unlock not only gave me practical information and advice but really encouraged me to follow my dreams of studying for a Masters. The advisor was reassuring, kind and really open-minded.”

Notes about this case

1. This case relates to Unlock’s helpline.
2. We have practical guidance on applying to university.
3. Names and details have been changed to protect the identity of those involved.