1.
Introduction
2.
Who Can Complain?
3.
Informal Complaints – STAGE 1
4.
Formal Complaints – STAGE 2
5.
Withdrawing Your Formal Complaint
6.
Anonymity
7.
Confidentiality
8.
Monitoring
1.
Introduction
The London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) is committed to providing a high
quality, fair and open admissions procedure. It is possible however, that there may be
occasions when applicants feel the need to raise issues of concern. This complaints
procedure sets out how to go about making a complaint about an application to LSBF.
Such complaints are treated with all seriousness and dealt with as efficiently and as
quickly as possible.
2.
Who Can Complain?
2.1.
All applicants to LSBF, whether applying for full or part time, undergraduate,
postgraduate or professional course. It applies equally to applicants for distance
learning or campus based study.
2.2.
Your complaint might be about:




The way in which your application to study at LSBF was handled
Not having been offered a place at LSBF
Not being sponsored for Tier 4 CAS by LSBF, or
Fee classification / assessment
2.3.
This policy does not apply directly to the approval and payment of refunds, which is
handled by a different procedure; any persons seeking a refund should go to
http://refunds.lsbf.org.uk/ and follow the on-screen instructions.
2.4.
If your complaint relates to the way in which your application was handled, or about not
having been offered a place at LSBF, you should first raise the matter with the
Admissions Officer, who will be able to provide you with feedback on your application.
2.5.
You may find it useful, if you complaint is about having not been offered a place at
LSBF, to obtain feedback from LSBF on why your application has been refused before
making a complaint. If you were refused a place but have new evidence which might
affect that decision, it may be more appropriate to obtain a decision review.
2.6.
The procedure does not cover strategic decisions relating the overall size and shape of
Schools, or to caps on student numbers in particular courses, whether imposed by an
award validating partner of LSBF, government or professional bodies. Therefore
applicants whose admission is refused for the above reasons cannot expect any change
in the original decision as a result of following this procedure.
2.7.
In cases of collaborative provision, i.e. where a programme is validated by a university
or awarding body, responsibility for admissions decisions may vary according to the
terms of the collaborative arrangement.
2.8.
Applicants cannot complain about not having been offered a place at LSBF if they fail to
meet additional non-academic requirements, for example; any professional
requirements relating to courses offered by external professional bodies.
LSBF Admissions Complaints: Policy and Procedure: May 2016
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3.
Informal Complaints – STAGE 1
3.1.
We aim to resolve complaints as quickly and informally as possible. In the first instance
we expect that complaints will be discussed informally with your education consultant
and/or admissions advisor.
3.2.
If your complaint relates to the way in which your application was handled, or about not
having been offered a place at LSBF, you should first raise the matter with the
Admissions Officer, who will be able to provide you with written feedback on your
application.
4.
Formal Complaints – STAGE 2
4.1.
An applicant who is dissatisfied with the written explanation provided at Stage 1 should
put his or her concerns in writing and forward them to the Student Relations Officer by
emailing [email protected]
4.2.
You should provide the following information in your complaint:
i.
The background to your complaint;
ii.
The informal attempts you have made at resolving the complaints and who you
discussed the matter with at LSBF;
iii.
Why you are not satisfied with the outcomes of your Stage 1 complaint;
iv.
The desired outcome of your formal complaint, although it should be realised that
complaints cannot always produce the outcome you are seeking.
4.3.
The Student Relations Officer will decide whether, on the information available, an
investigation into the matter is warranted.
4.4.
If an investigation is not warranted, because the Student Relations Officer believes you
have not exhausted the informal complaints procedure or because you do not like the
decision, you will be told within 5 working days of receipt of your complaint. However, if
you then go through the informal process as advised and still feel your complaint has
not been dealt with satisfactorily, it will still be possible to submit a formal complaint at a
later date.
4.5.
If formal investigation is warranted, it will be carried out by the Head of Department or
School to which you applied, or the Academic Registrar, within 10 working days of the
date that your complaint is referred to that individual. Once the investigation is
completed you will receive a written report of the findings and conclusions, including if
appropriate, recommendations for action to resolve the complaint. The decision of the
Head of Department or School, or the Academic Registrar is final.
LSBF Admissions Complaints: Policy and Procedure: May 2016
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4.6.
Where the report contains actions for LSBF in resolving the complaint, the member of
staff charged to look at the recommendations will do so within 10 working days of the
receipt of the report and decide whether to follow the recommendations or take other
action to remedy the complaint. You will be sent a letter outlining his/her decision at
which point the matter is closed.
4.7.
Complaints made more than two months after the occurrence will not normally be
considered.
5.
Withdrawing Your Formal Complaint
You may withdraw your formal complaint at any time at which point the matter is
considered to be closed.
6.
Anonymity
LSBF will not accept anonymous complaints as these cannot be investigated properly.
You will not be disadvantaged as a result of making a complaint unless the complaint is
found to be malicious.
7.
Confidentiality
A written complaint will be copied to any person who is the subject of the complaint
and/or to the Head of the Department or School, who will investigate the complaint.
LSBF expects that all documents produced by the complaint and subsequent
investigation will remain confidential to the parties to the complaint.
8.
Monitoring
LSBF will monitor formal complaints made about applications, the result of which may
inform changes to the admissions policy and procedure.
LSBF Admissions Complaints: Policy and Procedure: May 2016
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Document Information Table
Version
1.2
Applicable Institution(s)
LSBF UK Colleges (All divisions)
Finance Business Training (FBT)
Document Scope:
Complaints procedure specifically for LSBF student admissions (not applicable to refunds, which are
subject to LSBF’s published Terms & Conditions)
Document Status:
ACTIVE
Content Owner*
The LSBF/FBT Complaints Committee
*Content owner is responsible for ensuring the regular review and update of the document to reflect changes in both internal
governance and external regulations.
Authorship
Name
Role
Date
Original Author(s)
A. Khan
Quality Assurance Project Manager
DEC ‘11
Original Reviewer(s)
T. Jacobs:
Director of Quality Assurance
DEC ‘11
Student Reviewers
N/A
N/A
Annual /Biannual Review
Date Due
Done
Date Due
Done
1.
12 / 2012
2.
12 / 2013
3.
12 / 2014
4.
01 / 2016
5.
05 / 2016
6.
05 / 2017
Last Reviewed by:
7.
05 / 2018
8.
05 / 2019
The Policy Working Group
May 2016
LSBF Admissions Complaints: Policy and Procedure: May 2016
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Version Control Table
1.0
Version
Created by:
Name
Role
Date
A. Khan
T. Jacobs
Quality Assurance Project Manager
Director of Quality Assurance
DEC ‘11
Original Version
1.1
Version
DEC ‘11
Director of Quality Assurance (T. Jacobs)
Approved by:
Amended by:
Name
Role
Date
N. Cardy
Internal Process Audit: Project Manger
NOV ‘15
General reformatting.
Changes approved by:
1.2
Version
Amended by:
JAN ‘16
Policy Development Group
Name
Role
Date
N. Cardy
Internal Process Audit: Project Manger
MAY ‘16
Factual corrections. General reformatting and pagination.
Changes approved by:
Policy Development Group
Version
Name
Role
Date
Role
Date
Role
Date
Role
Date
Amended by:
Details of amendments:
Changes approved by:
Version
Name
Amended by:
Details of amendments:
Changes approved by:
Version
Name
Amended by:
Details of amendments:
Changes approved by:
Version
Name
Amended by:
Details of amendments:
Changes approved by:
LSBF Admissions Complaints: Policy and Procedure: May 2016
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