Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application process and support (including Overseas Police Checks (if required))
A student on a Professional course at UEA will be required to have a DBS check and, if applicable, an overseas police check in order to be able to undertake placements and clinical practice on the course of study. A delay in receipt of these checks will normally delay / defer placement attendance.
Students will be contacted by the Disclosure Team when they are required to complete the DBS application process based on the course being applied for. Information is provided directly to us via Admissions, the Learning and Teaching Service (LTS) or the Postgraduate Research Service.
At this stage the Disclosure Team will not be aware if an Overseas Police Check is required as this will be based on information subsequently provided by students. Please check the section below regarding criteria for an Overseas Police Check
Please feel free to email disclosure@uea.ac.uk should you have any queries.
DBS Code of Practice
UEA complies with the DBS Code of Practice
The Code of Practice applies to all Registered Bodies with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) under section 120 of the Police Act 1997 (Registered Bodies) and recipients of Update Service information under section 116A of the Police Act 1997. This includes those Registered Bodies that provide an umbrella function to non registered organisations. The Code refers to any information exchanged between DBS and the Registered Body.
Undergraduate and Postgraduate Taught Courses where DBS Certificate and potentially overseas Police Check are required
• Adult Nursing
• Children and Young People's Nursing
• Mental Health Nursing
• Midwifery
• Operating Department Practice
• Paramedic Science
• PGCE Primary
• PGCE Secondary
• PGCE Schools Direct
• Physical Education
• Education (BA / MA)
• Medicine / with a Gateway Year
• Physician Associate Studies (MSc)
• Pharmacy (Mpharm)
• Dietetics (MSc)
• Occupational Therapy (BSc / MSc)
• Physiotherapy (BSc / MSc)
• Speech and Language Therapy
• Social Work (BA / MA)
Postgraduate Research Courses where DBS Certificate and potentially Overseas Police Check:
Doctorate in Clinical Psychology**
Doctorate in Educational Psychology
**Please note that this is for international Clinical Psychology trainees only. Students who are joining the programme via the NHS-funded route will have their DBS Disclosure raised by the employing NHS trust.
It is also possible that students undertaking other Postgraduate Research programmes may require a DBS Disclosure as part of their research project. In these cases, students will need to contact the Disclosure Service directly to discuss their situation.
Overseas Police Checks
Whilst all students of the relevant courses are required to complete a DBS Check, any student who has resided outside of the UK for any continuous period of 6 months or more within the last 5 years, will also need to apply for an Overseas Police Check for that country.
• If you are an overseas applicant, it is strongly recommended that you acquire a police check before you to travel to the UK.
• If you have lived outside the UK for a continuous 6 month period in the last 5 years it is strongly recommended that you commence applying for an overseas police check as a priority before arriving at University.
Occasionally, overseas police checks are not available in English – and, in that case, a notarised translation must also accompany the police check provided.
The DBS has provided Guidance Notes about how to obtain Overseas Police Checks, which should be an applicant’s first point of reference. These can be found on the government's DBS guidance page.
Cost
The DBS check costs £38 and you will be directed to the UEA Store to pay for this. Please note that your DBS application will not be released for processing until the £38 cost has been paid. There may also be an additional cost at the Post Office for a formal ID check.
There may also be a charge for an Overseas Police Check if you have lived outside the UK in the past 5 years which is payable by the student.
Contact Us
Please feel free to contact us should you have any queries. Our staff all have access to a central email address, where we will aim to answer any queries as quickly as possible.
Email: disclosure@uea.ac.uk
Should you need to send anything to us through the post, then please send it to the following address:
Student Disclosure Service
Student Services
Wherry Building
University of East Anglia
Norwich, Norfolk
NR4 7TJ