Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
The DBS is a criminal record background check, required by law due to the area of work in which you wish to train. As your course gives substantial access to young people or vulnerable groups, it is a condition of your offer that you undergo an Enhanced DBS check and that we receive a satisfactory outcome to this.
If you are accepting our offer as your firm choice we need to know as early as possible if you have any criminal record information to declare. Please be aware that you must submit our self-declaration form if this applies to you. Declaring a conviction on your UCAS/DfE Apply application or during your interview is not sufficient and will mean that this information does not get processed appropriately.
Please note that the self-declaration form is not your actual DBS application/DBS check but is a part of our procedures.
It is really important that all applicants read our Self-Disclosure of Criminal Record information page (where you can find the self-declaration form). Even if you do not think that you have anything you need to disclose to us, this is a very complex area, so please read this information page to find out more.
Applying for your DBS check
We will contact you approximately 3 months prior to course start with instructions for starting your DBS application.
DBS application fee
Applicants to a professional Health course that used to be eligible for NHS-funding will not be required to pay the DBS fee.
Please note that BSc (Hons) Paramedic Science, MSc Physiotherapy, MSc Nursing and MSc Midwifery were never NHS-funded, so applicants to these Health programmes will be liable for the DBS fee. Social Work is not a Health Course therefore applicants for these programmes will be liable for the DBS fee. You pay this online at the time of submitting your DBS application.
The fee for 2024/25 entry will be in the region of £58 (subject to confirmation nearer the time).
Update Service
If you already have an Enhanced DBS check from another role and have registered with the DBS Update Service, it may be possible for you to use this check for your course. This is subject to the check meeting the University of Cumbria’s requirements in terms of matching the DBS check criteria for your area of study.
If you know that you have a DBS check registered with the Update Service, you are welcome to contact us now to discuss the potential use of this. If you don't want to contact us at this stage, please do so at the point where you receive an email regarding beginning the DBS application process (approximately 3 months prior to course start).
Please note that the use of the Update Service is not an automatic process and there is action required by you if we are to use an existing DBS check in this way.
Overseas Police Checks
This is a background police or criminal record check from countries other than the UK. As DBS checks can only cover time spent in the UK, applicants who have spent time outside the UK may need to obtain one of these from the country/countries in which you are now living or have lived.
This is the case whether you are a UK or non-UK applicant. Please see our overseas criminal records checks information page for further detail on which applicants this affects and advice on obtaining the relevant document.