Rejected petition: Do Not Make GCSE or Equivalent a Mandatory Entry Requirement for All Degrees
Rejected on
We call on the Government to reject any policy making GCSE English a mandatory requirement for university entry and to protect universities' ability to admit students based on overall potential, experience, alternative qualifications and individual circumstances.
Many capable students do not hold GCSE English despite succeeding in employment, further education or professional careers. A compulsory GCSE English requirement would create unnecessary barriers to higher education, particularly for mature learners, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, people with disabilities and applicants with overseas or alternative qualifications. Universities should retain the flexibility to assess applicants based on their overall ability, achievement and potential.
Why was this petition rejected?
It’s about something that the UK Government or Parliament is not directly responsible for.
It's up to universities to determine their own admission criteria.
However, if your petition was actually about the possible Government policy to insist on GCSE English for access to student loans (which the Government *is* responsible for) then we *could* accept a petition on that.
We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.