Undergraduate study - 2025 entry
Edinburgh: Extraordinary futures await.

Criminal records checks

We require criminal records checks for a small number of degrees that lead to professions working with children or vulnerable adults.

Photo of students walking through Princes Street Gardens below Edinburgh Castle.

You will be asked to disclose whether or not you have any criminal convictions on your UCAS application if you have applied for a degree in one of the following subject areas:

  • medicine
  • nursing
  • social work
  • teacher education

All successful applicants for degrees in these subject areas are required to join Disclosure Scotland’s Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme as part of the admissions process. You will receive information about how to join the PVG scheme when you are made an offer.

If you tell us that you have got a criminal conviction, we will not ask for any further information from you until we have considered your application and decided you are eligible for an offer.

It is likely that we will ask you to join the PVG scheme and obtain a Disclosure certificate before we make you an offer. Depending on the information on the certificate, we may ask our Student Disclosure Assessment Panel to consider your case to ensure you would be able to successfully complete the degree. 

More information about the PVG scheme can be found on the Scottish Government website.