Applicant Complaints and Appeals 

Applicant Complaints and Appeals policy 1  

General Principles 1.1. The Life Evergreen Institute of Career Development (LEICAD) is committed  to the provision of a robust selection process that is fair, transparent, and consistent. Application  decisions are made by a professional admissions team to safeguard applicants’ interests and  provide a high-quality service to all applicants. Information on our admissions policies,  procedures and selection process are available on our website.  

1.2 We recognize, however, that there may be occasions when applicants believe that they have  cause for complaint or appeal. This policy document outlines the procedures that should be  followed in such cases.  

1.3 Applicants who believe they have grounds for appeal or complaint are encouraged to raise  the matter via the informal process in the first instance. If the matter is not satisfactorily resolved,  applicants may invoke the formal process as outlined in this document.  

1.4 All complaints and appeals made to the Institute are handled confidentially in accordance  with the Institute’s Fair Processing Notice, the General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 and  the Data Protection Act 2018. Applicant complaints and appeals may be shared with relevant  Institute staff for the purpose of these procedures.  

1.5 The Institute will not consider complaints or appeals submitted by third parties unless the  applicant has given express consent to the Institute to correspond with a nominated contact  (family member, agent, representative).  

1.6 The Institute does not process anonymous complaints or appeals under these procedures.  Staff respond to such complaints and appeals at their discretion.  

1.7 Applicants submitting a complaint or appeal, will not be discriminated against at any stage of  the admissions process; nor will they be discriminated against in any future applications. Each  case will be dealt with fairly and with due regard to the Institute’s Equality and Diversity policy.  

2 Scope  

2.1 This policy covers complaints and appeals that raise concerns about a procedural error or  irregularity in the admissions process at the Institute. It may concern actions or inaction by the Institute or its staff that are not in accordance with published policies and procedures. 

This policy document is applicable to applications submitted for entry in the academic year  2023/24  

2.2 Students already enrolled on a programme of study with the Institute are not covered by this  policy and should instead refer to the Student Complaints Procedure or the Academic Appeal  Procedure. 

3 Definitions  

3.1 A complaint is defined as an expression of specific concern about action or lack of action by  or on behalf of the Institute, or about the standard of service provided in the implementation of  admissions policies or procedures.  

3.2 An appeal is defined as a request for a formal review of the outcome of an admissions decision  based on grounds of a procedural error being made. Appeals will normally be allowed only where  there is evidence of a material irregularity in the decision-making process.  

4 Grounds for complaint or appeal  

4.1 There are no specific grounds for complaint, but the matter will typically relate to issues or  concerns arising from the policies, procedures or communications that were used within the  Admissions process. The complaint may relate to actions, or the lack of actions, by the Institute or its staff.  

4.2 Applicants may appeal the outcome of an admissions decision, and request that it is reviewed,  where there is evidence of prejudice or bias in the decision-making process, or a procedural  irregularity where the process leading to the admissions decision was not conducted in  accordance with the relevant Admissions Policy. For ease of reference, links to admissions policy  documents are provided here:  

• Undergraduate applicant policies, procedures and regulations 

• Postgraduate applicant policies, procedures and regulations 

4.3 Applicants may not submit a complaint or appeal which seeks to dispute the academic or  professional judgement of admissions staff regarding an individual’s suitability for entry.  

4.4 The Institute will take no further action in cases where it can be shown that decisions and/or  actions have been carried out fairly and appropriately in accordance with published selection  criteria, policies, and procedures.  

5 Complaints & Appeals process 

5.1 Most complaints and appeals are resolved satisfactorily on an informal basis. Applicants are  strongly encouraged to first follow the Informal Stage as outlined in this policy. However, this is  not compulsory, and applicants can choose to initiate the Formal Stage from the outset.  

5.2 If an applicant is dissatisfied with the outcome of the informal review of their complaint or  appeal, they maintain the right to progress to the Formal Stage of this policy. This policy  document is applicable to applications submitted for entry in the academic year 2023/24  

6 Informal Stage 

6.1 In the first instance, we strongly recommend that applicants submit their complaint or appeal  informally by emailing the Admissions Team at: admissions-compliance@leicad.co.uk

6.2 Cases should be raised within 28 days of the issue or concern arising. Where exceptional  circumstances lead to a delay in submission, these circumstances must be outlined within the  email for consideration.  

6.3 Applicants must outline the nature of their complaint or appeal and provide details about the  issue, procedural error or malpractice that is believed to have occurred.  

6.4 Admissions staff will review the information and any supporting evidence provided by the  applicant to determine what further action may be required.  

6.5 The Institute endeavors to acknowledge informal complaints and appeals within five working  days of receipt, and to respond fully within 14 days via email. If the Institute is unable to respond  fully within this time, it will inform the complainant of an alternative timescale.  

6.6 If the complaint/appeal is not satisfactorily resolved, applicants may follow the formal stage  of this complaints and appeals procedure.  

7. Formal Stage  

7.1 If an applicant is dissatisfied or feels that their complaint or appeal has not been satisfactorily  resolved via the informal process, they have the right to submit a case for formal review.  

7.2 Applicants must write to the Institute via submission of our Applicant Complaints and Appeals  form, which will be automatically submitted to the Admissions Compliance Manager for  investigation.  

7.3 Cases should be raised within 28 days of the issue or concern arising or, if applicable, within  28 days of the case being closed via the informal process. Where exceptional circumstances lead  to a delay in submission, these circumstances must be outlined within the case for consideration.  

7.4 Applicants must outline the nature of their case and provide clear details as to where they  believe the issue, procedural error or malpractice occurred. Applicants must also include any  information, correspondence, or documentation that supports their case.  

7.5 The Institute endeavors to acknowledge formal complaints and appeals within five days of  receipt. This communication will be sent by email.  

7.6 The Admissions Compliance Manager will investigate the case to determine whether further  action is required. If necessary, the case will be referred to a higher authority, such as Head of  Admissions, Director of Admissions or the Institute Secretary’s Office.  

7.7 The Institute will endeavor to make a decision on cases submitted for formal review within  28 days of receipt. At certain times of year, and for particularly complex cases, this may take  longer. Where this is the case, an updated timeline will be made known to the applicant, along  with reasons for the delay. 

7.8 Applicants will be made aware of the outcome of their case via email. The resulting decision  will be considered final.  

8 Review Stage  

8.1 Applicants who believe that their case has not been handled fairly in accordance with the  formal procedure, may request a review by the Director of Admissions within 10 working days of  the formal stage outcome. Requests must be sent to admissions-compliance@leicad.co.uk 

8.2 Applicants may submit a case for review where there is evidence of a procedural irregularity  during the formal stage, or where there is doubt that the outcome was reached fairly.  

8.3 The Director of Admissions (or nominee) will review and investigate all details relating to the  case and provide a written response to the applicant, normally within 28 days of receipt of the  review request.  

8.4 The decision reached by the Director of Admissions (or nominee) is final. Once this decision  has been communicated to the applicant, no further consideration of the case will be heard.  

9. Monitoring and Evaluation  

9.1 An annual evaluation is undertaken by the Director of Admissions, to ensure that any  necessary corrective actions and procedural changes are in place. A record of the cases that are  received through this procedure are kept for this purpose.  

9.2 The Institute ensures that all staff involved in the admissions process are aware of the  procedures set out in this document and will undergo regular training to ensure its continued  implementation.  

9.3 This policy was approved by the Student Recruitment Committee in July 2023 and forms part  of the Institute’s overall quality assurance framework.  

9.4 The Applicant Appeals and Complaints Procedure is reviewed annually.  10 Further Advice and Guidance  

10.1 Applicants can contact the Admissions Compliance Team to request additional advice and  guidance on the procedure for making an appeal or complaint, by emailing  admissionscompliance@leicad.co.uk