A criminal record is not necessarily regarded as an obstacle to studying at Kingston. However, the University must balance its responsibilities towards its placement providers in which the placements are made. In addition, we have to take into account the requirements of various professional bodies that have legal responsibilities to protect special categories of people including vulnerable adults and children.
You should have declared any relevant offences including cautions, reprimands and/or warnings at your interview. You should have included information on any criminal charges/proceedings pending against you. These will appear on your DBS enhanced disclosure.
We reserve the right to refuse to admit applicants where their criminal record makes it inappropriate for them to be admitted, in accordance with DBS filtering guidelines.
Without sight of your enhanced disclosure, we cannot enrol you on your course of study.
If you are charged with, convicted of, or accept a caution for any offence whilst on the course, you must report this to the Head of School immediately.
You will be required to account for any time you have spent out of the UK. If you have been travelling, you will be expected to list all the countries visited and the dates you arrived and departed. However, if you have lived abroad for any length of time at a fixed address, you must also obtain a Certificate of Good Conduct from that country. This is often a lengthy process but you must endeavour to complete this before you enrol. There is often a charge, which varies according to the country, and further information is available here.
For applicants living in the Republic of Ireland, we will need to see an Irish Garda clearance. Please see the Garda website for more information.
If you have lived or worked overseas for a period of more than 3 months in the last 5 years, you should contact us with details of your overseas address(es) and confirm that you have requested a Certificate of Good Conduct from the relevant body.
The University will bear the processing cost for your DBS application. However, you will need to pay a small fee to the Post Office for the verification service.
There is also a cost of £13 per year to the applicant for the Update Service. Refer to the attached Update Service document for more details.
You can view the list of identity documents you need to process your DBS application on the DBS ID checking guidelines government webpage.
Original documents only to be taken to the Post Office for verification.
You must select at least ONE of the following documents for your application:
- Current valid Passport
- Biometric Residence Permit (UK)
- Current UK Photocard Driving Licence, full or provisional
- Birth Certificate (UK and Channel Islands) – issued at time within 12 months of birth
- Adoption Certificate (UK and Channel Islands)
You must select at least TWO of the following proof of current address for your application. If you have recently changed your name, at least one of these documents MUST confirm your current name at your current address.
- Current UK Driving Licence
- Current Non-UK Photo Driving Licence (valid for up to 12 months from the date the applicant entered the UK)
- Birth Certificate (UK and Channel Islands) – issued after the time of birth by a relevant authority
- Marriage/Civil Partnership Certificate (UK and Channel Islands)
- Adoption certificate (UK and Channel Islands)
- HM Forces ID Card (UK) / EU National ID Card / Work permit/Visa (UK) (UK Residence Permit) valid up to expiry date
- Mortgage Statement** (UK or EEA)/ Council Tax Statement** (UK & Channel Islands)
- Utility bill* (UK) (i.e. electricity, gas, water, telephone). NOT Mobile Telephone
- P45/P60 Statement** (UK and Channel Islands) / Benefit Statement* e.g. Child Allowance, Pension
- Bank/Building Society Statement* (UK or EEA) / Credit Card Statement* (UK or EEA)
- Bank/Building Society Account Opening Confirmation Letter (UK)
- Financial Statement** e.g. pension, endowment, ISA (UK)
- Cards carrying PASS accreditation logo (UK and Channel Islands)
- Letter of sponsorship from future employment provider (Non-UK/Non-EEA only – valid only for applicants residing outside the UK at time of application)
- A document from Central/Local Government/Government Agency/Local Authority giving entitlement (UK & Channel Islands)* e.g. from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Employment Service, Customs & Revenue, Job Centre, Job Centre Plus, Social Security.
*Less than 3 months old
** Issued within the past 12 months
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Update Service allows you to keep your DBS certificate up-to-date.
We strongly encourage our health, social care and education students at Kingston University to subscribe to the Update Service for the duration of their studies so that a current online check can be undertaken by the University.
There is an annual charge of £13 which is payable directly to the DBS. By subscribing to the Update Service you will be able to share the information on your DBS certificate with other registered bodies. This will save you time and money. In addition, if you decide to take a break from your studies during your course you will not be required to complete a new DBS form when you return, as long as you return to the course within three years of the date on your original DBS disclosure.
We will receive confirmation from our online provider FADV that your DBS application is complete. Kingston University will NOT receive a copy of your Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. We will receive an electronic notification of the completion of your DBS. You do not need to send us a copy of your DBS unless you are specifically asked to do so.
You can subscribe to the service as soon as you make your online DBS application or within 19 days from the date your certificate is issued. Subscribing online is quick and simple. Just enter your DBS application form number, name, date of birth and address and pay the subscription fee securely from your account. When your subscription is confirmed you then start to see the benefits of this new service.
To coincide with the launch of the Update Service the DBS will no longer automatically issue a copy of your DBS Certificate to Kingston University. Therefore, we ask that you complete the consent slip on the Update Service Data Consent form, giving permission for Kingston University to undertake a check via the Update Service during your studies and return it with a copy of your original DBS to hscapps@sgul.kingston.ac.uk.
