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Oh dear @KateGreenSU: don’t listen to RG lobbying. They won’t employ more staff. If you knew the teaching conditions in some of those institutions, you would know just how untenable it is. Unfortunately, lifting the cap is not the solution out of the gov’s mess.
For example, Bristol is so over capacity that it has had to rent halls of residences in Newport. Another RG has increased its humanities intake by 43% without employing more permanent staff. They will tell you there’s space because of lack of international students. There isn’t.
There is capacity in the system: plenty of spaces at universities who have not paid a premium to be in the Russell Group political lobby. All degrees in this country have to meet national benchmarks: the idea a degree from a RG is better than a degree from a Non-RG is a myth.
I’ve been involved ŵ Admissions at 4 unis (2 RG). As a general rule of thumb, three offers would be made for every one place. The thinking is, the two other offers would either choose other institutions or not make the grade. It’s impossible to honour all these offers safely.
Many courses were heavily over-subscribed. Still, the rule of thumb was 3 offers for 1 place. When I worked in an Admissions Office, we also had to consider individual degrees: you can’t magic up extra lab space or an additional music room. In a pandemic, capacity more imperative
Honouring all the offers made would place considerable strain on the health & safety policies that universities have taken pains to implement. It’s a horrible, invidious situation, but creative solutions are needed, not putting pressure on over-capacity institutions.
