Cardiff Met Performance Sport Offer Policy

1. Context

• 1.1. Cardiff Met is committed to supporting dual career and performance student athletes.
• 1.2. In recognition that applicants who compete at a performance level must balance their studies with sporting commitments, Cardiff Met offers a Performance Sport Offer Policy which offers reduced entry requirements for these students.
• 1.3. Where Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRB) specifically set entrance tariffs, no change will be set below the published PSRB requirements.
• 1.4 The policy applies to main-cycle applications to all undergraduate programmes across all courses and schools.
• 1.5. The policy applies to all sports, with specific criteria for our performance programmes, and a shared criteria for all other sports.

2. Process

• 2.1. Applicants should apply to Cardiff Met through the normal UCAS application process. Until an application has been received, a reduced offer cannot be considered.
• 2.2. Applicants will receive an initial offer through UCAS and then will be considered under the Performance Sport Offer Policy once an application for the scheme has been received.
• 2.3. Applicants wishing to be considered under the Performance Sport Offer Policy should complete the Performance Sport application form, which will be sent to applicants and housed on Cardiff Met’s web pages.
• 2.4. Applications will be reviewed by the relevant staff member from the performance programme and/or Head of Sport Systems.
• 2.5. If eligible for a reduced offer, the initial offer will be updated on UCAS and updated information will be provided from admissions.
• 2.6. Due to the number of applications and overall admission process, if the applicant doesn’t meet the criteria and hasn’t received a reduced offer, they can assume their original UCAS offer will remain.

3. Limitations

• 3.1. An applicant can only have their offer reduced by no more than two grades in total through this policy and other contextual offer policies. This policy can provide a one or two grade reduction. However, if an applicant already has a reduced offer of one grade, they can only have their offer reduced by a further one grade through this policy.
• 3.2. The Contextualisation Policy and the Performance Sport Offer Policy cannot be used accumulatively. Applicants who meet the criteria to have one grade lowered under both policies will receive an offer one grade lower than the standard programme entry requirements.
• 3.3. A reduced offer has no bearing on selection to our performance programmes or other teams.
• 3.4. A reduced offer has no bearing on the sport scholarship awarding process.
• 3.5. Having received a reduced offer, prospective students are still expected to meet the reduced entry requirements and there will be no further adjustment under this policy.
• 3.6. In exceptional circumstances the Head of Sport Systems will have the discretion, after discussion with the School which the course comes under, based on a formal application, to recommend a prospective student for a reduced offer outside of the above parameters and only with support of the Director of Sport.
• 3.7. This policy does not supersede Cardiff Met’s Deferral Policy. Applicants receiving a reduced offer under this policy are still able to request a deferral, where they meet the offer conditions in the year that they are applying, in line with our current deferral policy.
• 3.8 This policy does not cover applications submitted via Clearing​.
  

4. Criteria

• 4.1. If an applicant meets any of the criteria, they will have their offer reduced by one grade. If an applicant meets all the criteria or significantly exceeds the minimum criteria, their offer may be reduced by a maximum of two grades. See 3.1 for maximum overall grade reductions.
• 4.2. To be eligible prospective students must meet the criteria for their sport.
  

  Athletics - Achieved a top 8 finish at England Athletics U20s Championships. In exceptional circumstances we will consider PBs over the last two years in relation to past BUCS Championship final performances.

  Women’s Basketball – Experience at or above one of the following levels:

  • Women’s Elite Academy Basketball League (WEABL)
  • Aspire Regional Pathway level
  • National Team level

  Wheelchair Basketball – Experience of competing in any British Wheelchair Basketball recognised league including Junior National League, National League and Women’s League.

  Men’s Cricket – Experience at or above one of the following levels:
  

  • Selected as part of a first-class county academy in the last 2 years
  • Represented first country 2nd XI or National County 1st XI
  • Alterative international representation will be considered

  Men’s Football Playing experience at one of the following levels;
  

  • Cymru Premier League
  • Step 3 or above in the FA league system

  Women’s Football – Experience at or above one of the following levels:
  

  • U17s Home Nations
  • Tier 1 Welsh team
  • Tier 3 or above English team
  • Existing experience within the senior section of Cardiff Met Women’s FC

  Men’s Hockey – Experience at or above one of the following levels:
  

  • Home Nation (ENG, SCO, WAL) U18-Senior
  • European Nation (GER, NED, BEL, FRA, ESP, AUT, IRL) U18-Senior
  • Rest of World (MAS, IND, RSA, ARG, JPN, KOR, AUS, NZL, CHI, CAN, USA) U16-Senior
  • Great Britain Elite Development Program (EDP)
  • England Hockey League National Premier or Division 1 North / South

  Women’s Hockey – Experience at or above one of the following levels:
  

  • Home Nation (ENG, SCO, WAL) U18-Senior
  • European Nation (GER, NED, BEL, FRA, ESP, AUT, IRL) U18-Senior
  • Rest of World (MAS, IND, RSA, ARG, JPN, KOR, AUS, NZL, CHI, CAN, USA) U16-Senior
  • Great Britain Elite Development Program (EDP)
  • England Hockey League National Premier or Division 1 North / South

  Netball - Experience at or above one of the following levels:
  

  • Home nations U19s or U21s
  • National Premier League U19s or U21s
  • England Netball Premier League 1

  Men’s Rugby Union – Experience at or above one of the following levels:
  

  • Full or part time academy player
  • University Academy Contract
  • International Age Grade
  • U18 Regional or Premiership players or equivalent (excludes AASE schemes).

  Women’s Rugby – Experience at or above one of the following levels:
  

  • Women’s Elite Club Rugby (RFU)
  • Regional Pathway level (WRU)
  • Home nations age-group
  • Part of a WRU Player Development Centre (PDC)

  Triathlon – Achieved two top-40 finishes at British Elite Youth/Junior Super Series events.
  

  All other sports - Applicants should meet one of the following:
  

  • Selected as part of their National Governing Bodies Performance Pathway
  • Have performance levels that demonstrate ability to medal at BUCS National Championships
  • Have represented their country at age-group international level