OXFORD Brookes University is one of 24 institutions being urged to review its admissions practices after a spike in 'conditional unconditional' offers.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds will write to the university after hitting out at the 'pressure-selling tactics' used to lure students.

A ‘conditional unconditional’ offer informs students that they are guaranteed a place, but only if they put that institution as their first option.

In 2018, Brookes made 2,300 'conditional unconditional' offers - 28.5 per cent of the offers they handed out.

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Mr Hinds wants a review of admissions practices to stop universities 'backing students into a corner' before they take their exams.

He said: “It is simply unacceptable for universities to adopt pressure-selling tactics, which are harming students’ grades in order to fill places.

"It is not what I expect to see from our world-class higher education institutions.

“‘Conditional unconditional’ offers are damaging the reputation of the institutions involved and our world-leading sector as a whole."

Mr Hinds will ask the Office for Students to look at how well current admissions practices serve students, following concerns about some universities' recruitment.

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Last year, 34.4 per cent of 18-year-olds from England, Northern Ireland and Wales received a form of unconditional offer, up from just 1.1 per cent in 2013.

But UCAS (The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) found last year that students who accept a type of unconditional offer are seven per cent more likely to miss their predicted A-levels by two grades than students with conditional offers.

Some universities have stopped using 'conditional unconditional' offers, which could breach laws designed to protect consumers from entering a transaction they otherwise would not have.

Universities minister Chris Skidmore said: “This excessive use of conditional unconditional offers is not in the best interests of students – and it is worrying to see such a major rise in their use across all subjects.

He added: "They must not be used to place students in a position where they are forced to make choices before they know their respective options."

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A Brookes spokesperson revealed the university felt 'conditional unconditional' offers had a positive impact on students, but added the practice was always under review.

They said: "We introduced unconditional offers following a review of our admissions process and entry requirements, as we strongly believed that students would benefit from greater certainty on their academic future, allowing them to focus on their studies and plan with confidence for university.

"We are continuing to keep our use of unconditional offers under review and will respond to the secretary of state in due course."

Oxford Brookes Students' Union declined to comment.