Non-academic requirements: frequently asked questions

A DBS check is a record of any convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings a person holds. It could also include information held by the UK police service that relates to that person’s suitability for a range of roles working with children and/or vulnerable adults (both paid or unpaid).  

You can find more detailed information about DBS checks on the gov.uk website.

Here is the full list of DMU courses that require you to have a DBS check as part of the entry criteria: 

• Diagnostic Radiography BSc (Hons)
• Education Studies with joint subjects BA (Hons)
• Healthcare Science (Audiology) BSc (Hons)
• Midwifery BSc (Hons)
• Nursing (Adult) BSc (Hons)
• Nursing (Child) BSc (Hons)
• Nursing (Learning Disability) BSc (Hons)
• Nursing (Mental Health) BSc (Hons)
• Paramedic Science BSc (Hons)
• Master of Pharmacy
• Physician Associate Studies MSc
• Social Work BA (Hons)/MA
• Speech and Language Therapy BSc (Hons)

If your chosen course is listed above and we’ve made you an offer to study at DMU, you will need to complete a DBS self-declaration form in order to progress onto the programme. 

If you’ve accepted your offer and have also been sent the relevant information request from DMU, you can make the payment via the online form on our website.  

Once the payment has been made we will pass your details onto third-party provider First Advantage – Know Your People. You will then be emailed a link from First Advantage along with further instructions on how to apply.

Once you’ve accepted your offer to study with us, and you’ve been sent the information about how to apply for your DBS, you will be required to pay a £49.50 application fee from 2 December 2024 (this is subject to change dependent on government fees). 

You will only need to complete this process if you are holding a firm place with DMU on UCAS (i.e. we are your first choice) or you have applied for postgraduate study and have accepted your offer. The Admissions team will contact you with further information and next steps. You are required to complete this process within two weeks of receiving initial contact from the Admissions team.  

If you have accepted your offer and have also been sent the relevant information request from DMU, you can make the payment via the online form on our website.

The self-declaration gives you the opportunity to confidentially and honestly declare whether any convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings could appear on your DBS check prior to applying for your certificate. We will not be able to process your DBS until this has been completed so we ask that this is submitted to us as soon as possible.

If you have not already done so, you can submit your DBS self-declaration from our website. If you have already submitted it, you do not need to do so again unless you have something you wish to declare.

We ask that you answer all questions in the self-declaration to the best of your knowledge and as honestly as possible. If you do not declare all the relevant information, that may appear on your DBS certificate (including any pending charges or driving offences), we will be required to investigate and your offer on the programme may be withdrawn. 

Applicants should disclose all spent and unspent criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings which would be displayed on an enhanced criminal record certificate which are not protected and would not therefore be filtered. Please refer to the DBS website for further information.

We will only contact you if we need any further information about a declaration you have made. You will not receive confirmation of receipt unless further information is required regarding your submission. You may be invited to attend a review meeting with the academic team and a third party such as a representative from the placement provider. It is in this meeting that you will be asked to further discuss the information you have declared.

If you have had a change of circumstances since you submitted your self-declaration form, we strongly advise you get in touch with our Admissions team as soon as you can to discuss this by emailing admissions@dmu.ac.uk. You may be required to complete the DBS self-declaration again, including any new information regarding criminal offences committed, court appearances or cautions. 

First Advantage is a highly reputable provider of criminal records checks, used by a number of higher education providers and employers nationwide.

Please refer to their website for more detail, Global Background Checks & Screenings | First Advantage (fadv.com)

The online DBS system will provide you with step-by-step guidance on how to complete your DBS application, as well as how to check notifications on its progress. Once you have completed the online application, you will need to have your identity verified. DMU will not be involved in this process. If you have any questions regarding the online DBS process please contact First Advantage directly.

We aim to provide your activation link within 10 working days of submitting your payment. Your activation link will be sent to the email address provided with your DBS payment to create an account for you on First Advantage. If you have not received your First Advantage email, we advise you to check your spam/junk mail folder before contacting the Admissions team. If you haven’t received the link after 10 working days, please let us know so we can look into it for you.

You are responsible for checking the progress of your DBS application and should regularly log in once your application has been submitted to the DBS. You will need to ensure that your current address is correctly entered, as the DBS disclosure certificate will be sent to this address. DMU will not receive the original or a copy of the disclosure. Please do not send to us in Admissions unless we contact you to request it. You will be required to show your DBS certificate on each placement during your time as a registered student, therefore it is important to keep it in a safe place.

If you need to update your contact details, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing admissions@dmu.ac.uk. We recommend that you use a personal email address that you use regularly rather than a school/college email address. Further, we advise you to check your emails regularly, including your junk and spam folders. If you’ve applied through UCAS and are changing any of your contact details, we advise you to contact UCAS to ensure its systems have also been updated.

You can find further information about accepted forms of identification at DBS ID checking guidelines - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

You can find the DBS ID checking guidelines on the gov.uk website's DBS ID checking guidelines.

If you do not have enough of the eligible documents listed then you may not be suitable for the post-office check and you will be required to select the University verification option. In the first instance please contact First Advantage. You can do this by chatting directly to their agents 8:30-5 UK time by visiting help.fadv.com.

You must have your identity documents validated at a crown post office. Please note this part of the process can only be carried out once you have completed your online DBS application with First Advantage and not before. 

You will be able to select your nearest post office prior to submitting your final application. Shortly after submitting the application, an email will be generated and sent directly to the applicant with instructions on the next step. Attached to this email will be a PDF document including a summary of the applicant details & documents, and a QR scan code. You will then be required to take this QR code to the Post Office.

You will be given your ID back to you after the post office checks. You are not required to send your ID to DMU unless requested.

It will cost £8.22 (including VAT) to verify your identity documents, paid directly to the post office once the verification has been completed (this is subject to change dependent on government fees).

If you meet all the specifications above (please refer to the first section) and have an existing DBS, please contact us to confirm this by emailing declarations@dmu.ac.uk. Do not send your DBS certificate before this. We will then send you a DMU DBS consent form to complete and return to us by email. At this point, alongside the consent form, you will need to provide us with a copy of both sides of all pages of your current DBS certificate. Please email this to us at declarations@dmu.ac.uk. Please do not send a copy of your DBS certificate to the Admissions email address unless specifically requested by the Admissions team.

If the DBS Update Service check is satisfactory, it’s unlikely you’ll to need to complete a new DBS application. However, if the DBS does not meet the above requirements, then you will need to apply for another DBS through DMU and pay the £49.50 application fee (from 2 December 2024 onwards), and the additional fee of £8.22 (this is subject to change dependant on government fees).

The service allows you to keep your DBS certificate up to date for as long as you continue your subscription or until new information is added to your certificate. You can register for the DBS Update Service during the application process or within 30 days of receiving your DBS certificate. You can find out more at gov.uk/dbs-update-service.

We recommend students sign up for the DBS Update service. Although registering with the DBS Update service for an annual fee of £16 (from 2 December 2024 onwards) is optional, it is worth considering you will need your DBS certificate for your entire course and beyond. If you do NOT register to the update service, then you would be required to go through the DBS process and pay for the application each year. Currently this would cost £49.50 per annum from 2 December 2024 onwards (subject to annual government reviews).

If you meet all the specifications above and have an existing DBS, please contact us to confirm this by emailing declarations@dmu.ac.uk. Do not send your DBS certificate before this. We will then send you a DMU DBS consent form to complete and return to us by email. At this point, alongside the consent form, you will need to provide us with a copy of both sides of all pages of your current DBS certificate. Please email this to us at declarations@dmu.ac.uk. Please do not send a copy of your DBS certificate to the Admissions email address.

If the DBS Update Service check is satisfactory, it’s unlikely you’ll to need to complete a new DBS application. However, if the DBS does not meet the above requirements, then you will need to apply for another DBS through DMU and pay the £38 application fee. 

You can apply for the Update Service when you apply for a DBS with DMU. You can register for this during the applicant process or within 30 days of receiving your DBS clearance certificate. You can register at gov.uk.

You must remain on the Update Service for the duration of your studies and keep the original DBS disclosure safe. If you lose or damage any pages of the certificate, you will need to apply for a new DBS certificate whilst still studying on the programme.

We recommend you renew the Update Service subscription each year. This costs £16 per year from 2 December 2024 subject to annual government reviews. .

It is important we are completely aware of any criminal convictions you may have in other countries where you currently or have previously lived in the last 5 years.

If you are 18 or above and lived outside of the UK for more than 12 months, or do not have a five-year address history in the UK, you will be required to complete an overseas-police check as part of your offer conditions. A separate police check will be required for each country you have lived in during the five-year period.

You can find more details about the requirements for each country on the gov.uk website. 

Yes, you will be required to have a clear DBS check in addition to any overseas police checks from your time spent outside the UK. You will need to make the payment of £38 prior to the start of your programme and then complete the DBS application process once you’re based in the UK. You will need the relevant documents from your UK address.

You can find the approved list of identification on the gov.uk website, DBS ID checking guidelines - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). If you do not meet the requirements for the Post Office ID verification then please select the Organisation verification option on First Advantage

Once you’ve arrived in the UK, we recommend setting up a UK bank account as soon as you can. You can then use a letter from your bank with your UK address as proof of address for the DBS check. Once you’ve done this, please inform us by emailing declarations@dmu.ac.uk, so we can add your details onto the First Advantage system. You will be required to complete the DBS process fully within three weeks of registering for your programme.

Occupational health checks are statutory activities being carried out by skilled, experienced and qualified staff in the occupational health department concerned with the prevention and management of work-related health problems and the assessment of functional capacity for roles of the students relevant to the training course.

An occupational health assessment may be needed if:

• Your health condition may limit or prevent you from performing certain tasks within your role (e.g. musculoskeletal conditions that limit ability)
• Your health condition may be made worse by certain tasks within your role
• Your health condition may make certain tasks unsafe for you and for others within your role
• Your health condition may pose a risk to the public or health care recipients (e.g. infection transmitted by healthcare procedures)

Fitness for the course assessment is carried out to advise the University course leads on any necessary reasonable modifications or adjustments to the role as student they may need to consider, to allow the individual to study and train efficiently and safely.

A health check is essential prior to registering and starting the programme in line with the requirements and guidance of the professional regulatory bodies.

The Occupational Health team at the University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) NHS Trust provides the occupational health services for students.

Contact details: email DMUOH@uhl-tr.nhs.uk or direct number 01162585307 or on mobile number 07866 002 295.

Here is the full list of DMU courses that require you to have an occupational health check as part of the entry criteria:

• Diagnostic Radiography BSc (Hons)
• Healthcare Science (Audiology) BSc (Hons)
• Midwifery BSc (Hons)
• Nursing (Adult) BSc (Hons)
• Nursing (Child) BSc (Hons)
• Nursing (Learning Disability) BSc (Hons)
• Nursing (Mental Health) BSc (Hons)
• Paramedic Science BSc (Hons)
• Physicians Associate MSc (Hons)
• Speech and Language Therapy BSc (Hons)
• Pharmacy MPharm (Hons)

There are no additional costs for you to complete the health questionnaire and assessment. However, if you are required to have some additional vaccinations, you may be required to pay for these.

Please contact the Occupational Health team at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust by emailing DMUOH@uhl-tr.nhs.uk or calling the direct number 0116 258 5307 or the mobile number 07866 002 295

Submit the online health questionnaire via MyCority.

You are required to complete this using the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust MyCority online system. 

Completion of this questionnaire and clearance from the Occupational Health team is mandatory before you can register for the programme.

If you are an undergraduate applicant and have a firm place with us, we will add your name and contact information onto the MyCority system.

The system will automatically send an email to you with details, advising you how to log in to MyCority. Once you have your login details, you will be able to access and complete the health check questionnaire.

The email notification could take up to 10 working days to arrive after you have made DMU your firm choice on UCAS, or you have accepted your offer if you have applied for postgraduate study.

Instructions:

Please carefully read the instructions on the MyCority email sent to you.

If you start the questionnaire and do not know the answers to some questions immediately, you can save your form and then log back in at a later date to complete it. Just be sure to remember your PIN and questionnaire number, as the Admissions team will not be able to provide this.

Towards the end of your submission, you are required to complete the declaration page. Please carefully read the declaration and sign in the signature box using your mouse, laptop trackpad or finger if you are using a touchscreen device.

The final step to submit your health form is to click Submit button at the top of the page.

Please use a laptop or PC to complete the form to ensure that you can see the entire questionnaire.

Once submitted, you will not be able to amend your answers. Please make sure you are happy with your form's contents before pressing the Submit button.

Your information will be kept safely and securely.<./p>

We may need to contact you to discuss your medical issues in more detail. Where possible we will contact you via email or telephone but on occasions, we will invite you into the department for a face-to-face assessment with one of our clinical team.

Please remember to regularly check your spam or junk inbox.

We recommend you set some time aside as soon as you can, so that you can answer all of the questions to the best of your knowledge. If you don’t know the answers to some questions immediately, you can save your form and then log back in at a later date to complete it.

You have a duty to provide all relevant, truthful and accurate health information.

If you need to update your contact details, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing admissions@dmu.ac.uk.

If you don’t know your vaccination history, you will need to contact your GP to get the information. We recommend contacting your GP surgery as soon as possible to request this information to avoid any delays submitting your health questionnaire.

You can email the team at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust by emailing ohadmin@uhl-tr.nhs.uk or calling 0116 258 5307.

You must complete the occupational health questionnaire and respond to any queries from the occupational health team before you arrive in the UK. We cannot make you an unconditional offer or process your registration before you are given occupational health clearance. Please follow the same process as detailed above.

Once you have fully completed and submitted the questionnaire, this information will be accessed by the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust Occupational Health team. The information given on this form is strictly confidential and the Admissions team at DMU will not have access to any information you provide.

You may be invited to attend an additional medical assessment, which could be either a telephone or face-to-face appointment.

You have a duty to provide all relevant, truthful and accurate health information during this assessment and attend any appointments, if invited.

Once your health check questionnaire has been cleared by the Occupational Health team at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, our Admissions team will be notified. If you have met all of your conditions, we will be able to progress your application.

Having a health condition, illness or disability will not prevent you from starting the course, provided the relevant adjustments or modifications can be accommodated to achieve the necessary competencies relevant to your chosen course and future employment in a regulated profession. Therefore, to secure any necessary help or adjustments, it is really important you disclose all relevant health information. 

If it is not possible to accommodate any conditions you declare in time for the start of your course, we will speak with the Occupational Health team at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust to determine next steps.

It can sometimes take a few months to gain occupational health clearance if further investigations are required by the Occupational Health team. 

It is important that you complete the health questionnaire via MyCority within two weeks of the initial request. Any delay may result in you not being able to start the course. You will need full clearance before you can fully register for the programme. 

In most cases, you will be cleared following submission of your online health screening questionnaire (HSQ). However, some people will require a follow up phone call and in some cases an appointment with a nurse or doctor will be required. In some circumstances we may need to seek additional medical information from a GP or treating specialist. This can add several weeks to the process, so it is important to ensure all submissions are made in good time.