How to provide a Criminal Record Check

If you have been asked to provide a Criminal Record Check (also known as a Police Check) as part of your offer, you can find some information and actions you need to get this.

Students on our healthcare and teaching degrees are required to provide us with a satisfactory PVG check from Disclosure Scotland during the Induction Activities. Applicants from outside the UK are also required to provide us with a satisfactory police check from their home country. Please note, your offer may be withdrawn if your record check is not acceptable.

For full information on your placement requirements and expected costs, we recommend that you read this additional information for new students who will be undertaking placements: https://www.qmu.ac.uk/current-students/current-students-general-information/induction-for-new-students/additional-information-for-courses-with-required-placements.

Criminal Record Check or Police Check - actions to take

This check is required for all applicants who have lived outside the UK for 3 months or more in a single period, at any time since the age of 16. If you do not meet this criteria and you think that this request does not apply to you please contact the Admissions Team as soon as possible, so we can update your record. Sometimes these documents can take weeks to be provided, so we ask you to take action as soon as you can. You may not be able to participate in placement activities if you do not provide this.

Key points about the check:

Check is required for all applicants who have lived outside the UK for 3 months or more in a single period, at any time since the age of 16
All Criminal Record Checks must be dated within the last 1 year prior to the course start date.
If the certificate is not in English you will need to provide a certified translation.
The check should be emailed to Admissions as a PDF or JPG document no larger than 2MB. You should include the name of your course and your student/application number in the email.

Information on how to obtain a Criminal Record Check from countries outside the UK can be found on the UK Government website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants. If you are/were resident in a country which is not included on the UK Government list, you should obtain a Police Check/Certificate of Good Conduct from the local police authority in the relevant country.

Applicants from Canada can find more information on how to apply for a Police Check on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Royal Canadian Mounted Police https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/types-criminal-background-checks.

Citizens from the Republic of Ireland are advised to visit this site to apply for a Police Certificate: https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/moving_abroad/leaving_ireland/police_certificate.html. Alternatively, you can visit the Garda website: www.garda.ie/en/About-Us/Online-Services/Data-Protection-FOI-Police-Certificates/An-Garda-Siochana-and-Data-Protection.html and complete the Data Access Request form (F20) specifying 'all criminal record data under the Data Protection Act 1988/2003'.

'Protection of Vulnerable Groups' Scheme (PVG)

Due to regulations set by the Scottish Government regarding student placements, it is a requirement of all QMU students to have a satisfactory Disclosure Scotland 'Protection of Vulnerable Groups' (PVG) Scheme Record. For International or European applicants, this is in addition to a comparable police check from your home country.

The application process for applying for a PVG takes place during Induction Week. You do not need to apply for a PVG prior to arrival as this will be completed at or after induction once you start on the course. Details on the PVG scheme application will be sent to you after matriculation (online enrolment) which opens about one month before the start of your course.