You will need to complete a DBS Check and, where applicable an Overseas Police check, if you are an applicant holding an offer for a professional programme (e.g. Nursing, Midwifery, Initial Teacher Training, Social Work, Healthcare Services) or a Sports programme where placements are an integral part of your course.
For current students on non-professional programmes where a DBS Check is required, you must first complete your eligibility form. Once that has been authorised, you will be invited to complete a DBS Check.
It’s your responsibility to ensure you complete a DBS Check. Please make sure you:
Come along to one of our DBS drop-in sessions on campus (see details below) for the following:
Please be aware that if you come to the drop-in session for any other reason than stated above, unfortunately you will be turned away.
Come to the Sheppard Library at one of the time slots listed below. Pick up a ticket from the ticketing machine by clicking ‘No appointment’, then ‘Other Services’, and then ‘DBS - Checks’.
Whilst we endeavour to see every student as quickly as possible, please be mindful that you may have to wait to be seen by a member of staff. Thank you for your patience.
Week commencing 15/04/2024:
Date | Opening hours |
|---|---|
Monday 15th April 2024 | CLOSED |
Tuesday 16th April 2024 | CLOSED |
Wednesday 17th April 2024 | CLOSED |
Thursday 18th April 2024 | 9.30am - 1pm |
Friday 19th April 2024 | CLOSED |
Week commencing 22/04/2024:
Date | Opening hours |
|---|---|
Monday 22nd April 2024 | CLOSED |
Tuesday 23rd April 2024 | CLOSED |
Wednesday 24th April 2024 | CLOSED |
Thursday 25th April 2024 | 9.30am - 1pm |
Friday 26th April 2024 | CLOSED |
*DBS drop-in sessions will not be available during Bank Holidays, Easter and Christmas Vacations.
*This timetable is subject to change – please check this page on the day prior to attending campus.
Complete our 'Contact Us' form and a member of the MDX DBS & OH Unit will get back to you shortly.
Alternatively, please come along to one of our DBS drop-in sessions.
Got an online DBS, otherwise known as DBS Update Service? For applicants/students who have a DBS Certificate registered on the DBS Update Service, the University is able to undertake a DBS Update Service check for you instead, provided you are still in possession of your original DBS Certificate.
For those applicants/students who are not sure if their DBS Certificate is registered on the DBS Update Service, you will currently be paying £13 a year to be registered to this service.
If this is you, please email scanned copies of the following documents to DBSIDCheck@mdx.ac.uk making sure to include your full name, student ID and programme title within the subject line of your email:
The MDX DBS & OH Unit will be checking to see if you have the correct level of clearance for your programme of study.
If the level of clearance on your DBS Certificate matches your course requirements and the results show that the DBS Certificate is indeed on the DBS Update Service, then you will not need to undertake a new DBS Check. Instead, you will be invited to carry out a DBS Update Service check.
If the level of clearance on your DBS Certificate does not match the level of clearance required for your course or if for any reason your DBS Certificate is not registered on the DBS Update Service, you will be required to undertake a new DBS Check with us.
If DBS clearance is a requirement for your programme of study, but you do not have a DBS Certificate registered on the DBS Update Service or if your DBS Update Service is not acceptable, you will need to undertake a new DBS Check with Middlesex University.
It is important that your ID documentation is valid. If it's not valid, your DBS application will be cancelled and you will have to start the process all over again. Read carefully the checklist below to ensure you have the correct documentation required for the DBS Check.
Find out how to prepare your personal details in our short video.
Double-check. It's very important that you have valid documentation and that all your details are correct.
Here's a short video explaining how to activate your DBS account and how to fill in your details.
You will be sent an email inviting you to activate your DBS account with instructions and your login details. Please check your spam/junk folder as it may end up there.
Not received the email or cannot access your DBS account? Contact the university’s DBS & OH Unit for support.
Once you have logged into your DBS account, check the details pre-entered on the homepage/dashboard are accurate and spelled correctly e.g. your Title, Gender, Name, Date of Birth, and Course of Study.
If everything is correct, you are ready to fill in the application form. Click on ‘Complete Application Now’.
Something’s not right? If any of your details are incorrect, they will need to be corrected before you can progress further. Contact the MDX DBS & OH Unit with the information that needs to be updated.
Once activated, you can access your DBS account by using your username and password and the following link: https://mdx.disclosures.co.uk/ (the original link will be deactivated once you set up a password).
Watch our short video for hints and tips on filling out your application form.
It is essential that you give the time to complete the DBS application properly to avoid making any errors. Once the DBS application has been submitted, you will not be able to make any edits or changes. If any errors are found, your DBS application will be cancelled, you’ll be issued a new DBS invite, and you’ll have to restart the process again from the beginning. So, take your time to fill in all the information correctly and double-check that all details match the documentation selected.
We strongly recommend you read all the guidance and tips on the application form, as well as the information on this webpage so you know what to do and what errors to avoid.
When filling-in your application form, you will need to:
Once you have completed and submitted your DBS application form, you will need to confirm the validity of your ID documents by answering the validation questions and then upload images of your selected ID documents. Without this, your DBS application will not be progressed further so it’s important you do this.
Please make sure you answer the validation questions accurately and truthfully. Any discrepancies where details do not correlate or are inaccurate will be picked up later on in the process. The result will be that you’ll have to start the application process all over again.
It’s important that you upload images correctly. Please follow the guidance on the system carefully on how to upload the images and what format is appropriate. For example, you will need to make sure that the images are not blurry, are not taken from an angle and that the full document can be viewed and is not cropped in any way.
When you fully submit your DBS application form (including images of your ID documents), Atlantic Data (an online DBS processing organisation) will scan the application for any obvious mistakes and any reason why your DBS Check may be unsuccessful. This is referred to as pre-vetting. In the majority of cases, where Atlantic Data identifies any mistakes or issues with your DBS application form, they will unfortunately have to cancel your application and you will need to begin the application process again.
If your DBS application passes the pre-vetting stage, you will be invited to follow the two-step ID check process.
You will be invited via email to book and attend a virtual (online) appointment. Here, Atlantic Data will go through your details, confirm your identity and verify your ID documents.
Please make sure you regularly check your emails including your spam/junk folder.
IMPORTANT: For your appointment, you must have in your possession the ID documents used in your DBS application (originals only; photocopies, photos, printouts from online accounts, etc. are not accepted). Your ID documents must be valid and in date at the time of your DBS Check appointment.
As per the DBS Service guidelines, you must present the original versions of the ID documents you used for your virtual ID Check in person to be authenticated – this is referred to as the Physical Documents Check.
Photocopies, photos, printouts of documents from online accounts, etc. will not be accepted.
You will be invited to do this after Step 1 has been successfully undertaken.
For information about the process after you’ve had an online (virtual) ID check, please see our next steps information sheet. Details on how to track your DBS application, what to do if you do not receive your DBS Certificate in the post and more can be found here.
Please make sure you read this thoroughly and follow each step carefully.
Once the government’s DBS Service has completed processing your DBS Check, your DBS Certificate will be posted to the address that was declared on your DBS application. Only one copy is issued and the University does not get a copy so make sure you keep the certificate safe.
Please monitor the progress of your DBS application by logging into your DBS account. Under the Homepage of your DBS account, there will be a Status History section. If there is a date entered for the 'Result received on' field, this means your DBS Certificate has been issued.
If you have not received your DBS Certificate after 2 weeks from this date, please contact the DBS Service to organise a re-print. If you’ve not done this within 3 months, you will be required to undertake a new DBS Check and you will be charged £55 for this.
Upon receiving your DBS Certificate, you have the option of registering with the DBS Update Service. You have 30 days from the print date of the DBS Certificate to register. The annual cost is currently £13.
Received your DBS Certificate but not presented your original ID documents in person?
In some cases, students/applicants may receive their DBS Certificate before they have had an opportunity to present their ID documents in person. However, as per the DBS Service guidelines, to be fully DBS cleared, they must present their original ID documents in person to be authenticated.
You are not fully DBS cleared until you have presented your original ID documents in person and should not go on placement even if you have already received your DBS Certificate in the post.
If you fail to present your original ID documents in person by the deadline date given to you by the MDX DBS & OH Unit, your DBS Check will be invalidated. You will then need to undertake a new DBS Check at your own cost (£55). This will further delay you in getting your DBS clearance, and this may have repercussions for your programme of study.
An Overseas Police Check (OSPC) is the equivalent of a UK DBS Check undertaken in a foreign country where the applicant currently resides or has resided in the past 5 years. The information displayed on any issued OSPC, along with a DBS Certificate, will establish your suitability for a degree course.
You are required to undertake an OSPC if you fall under one of these categories:
If you are an overseas applicant/ student, you will be required to provide an OSPC in place of doing a DBS Check. You will still be required to undertake a DBS Check once you have resided in the UK for more than 3 months.
Your OSPC will need to be dated within 12 months of the start date of your programme of study.
If you have lived outside of the UK for 6 months or more within the last 5 years (from the age 16 or above), then you will be required to provide an Overseas Police Check for each country you have lived in for this duration. The OSPC cannot be older than 12 months.
If you have a UK Certificate of Naturalisation, you can present this in place of an Overseas Police Check, provided you have not resided outside of the UK since its issue.
If you are a refugee, refugee status documents are accepted in place of an OSPC.
For more information on how to obtain your Overseas Police Check, please refer to the A-Z Country list.
If the authorities do not issue their own OSPC, complete this Overseas Police Check form. You will need to complete Part A of the form and get the appropriate Embassy/High Commission/Consulate/ issuing authority to complete Part B.
If the OSPC is not in English, it must be officially translated into the English language, which you are responsible for arranging. You will need to provide both the original OSPC(s) and the official English translation, for which the University is not liable for any costs incurred.
Use the table below to determine if you require an Overseas Police Check as well as a DBS Check:
Category | Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check | Overseas Police Check (OSPC) |
|---|---|---|
I have always lived in the UK | REQUIRED | NOT REQUIRED |
I have never lived in the UK | REQUIRED* | REQUIRED |
I currently live in the UK but within the last 5 years, I have lived abroad for more than 6 months (when I was 16 years and older) | REQUIRED | REQUIRED |
I currently live in the UK but within the last 5 years I have lived abroad for more than 6 months (when I was 16 years and older) but have received a UK Certificate of Naturalisation | REQUIRED + Provide UK Certificate of Naturalisation | REQUIRED** |
A DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) Check confirms if you have any criminal convictions or cautions in order to decide if it is suitable for you to work in certain environments, particularly where children or vulnerable adults are involved.
There are three levels of DBS Checks: basic, standard and enhanced. Majority of students will be required to undertake an enhanced DBS Check, however, the level of clearance required will depend on what the DBS Check is needed for.
For applicants, a DBS Check is an essential requirement if you are holding an offer on a professional programme (e.g. Nursing, Midwifery, Initial Teacher Training, Social Work, Healthcare Sciences) or a Sports programme where placements are an integral part of your course. Ordinarily, you will not be allowed to start on your course or placement until the full DBS process has been completed.
For current students on non-professional programmes where a DBS Check is required (e.g. for an observation or a dissertation), first complete an Eligibility Form. Your Programme Leader/Tutor will then need to confirm that a DBS Check is required for the purposes specified in the form. A member of the DBS team will then review the information to determine whether a DBS Check is required and at what level of clearance you are eligible for.
For paid or voluntary work it is the responsibility of the organisation in which you are working to process a DBS Check, not the University’s. The University oversees DBS Checks for course-related activity, and not for any paid or volunteer work.
This depends. If you have a DBS Certificate registered to the DBS Update Service, there is a possibility that we may be able to accept it. The clearance level on your DBS Certificate would need to match the course requirements for this to be acceptable and you will need to be in possession of the actual DBS Certificate itself.
If the clearance level does not match or should you no longer be in possession of the DBS Certificate, you will need to undertake a new DBS Check. The reason for this is because DBS Certificates are organisation-specific - you can only use them with the organisation you get them through unless it is registered with the DBS Update Service. The DBS Update Service enables DBS Certification to transfer between organisations because it routinely ensures the check is regularly maintained and kept up-to-date.
If you’ve lost your DBS Certificate you will no longer be DBS cleared and unfortunately you will need to undertake a new DBS Check, costing £55 of which you will need to pay.
Only original documents can be used for a DBS Check. The University are not allowed to accept any documents printed from the Internet, such as bank statements or utility bills, nor can we accept photocopies, scanned copies or photos of documents.
If you do not have any other documents to use for your DBS Check, you are advised to contact your bank or utility provider to ask them to send you your most recent statement/ bill in the post.
If you are still having issues locating your documents, please contact the University’s DBS & OH Unit by clicking on the ‘Contact Us’ link at the top of this webpage.
No. If the document is not in date it will not be accepted. The documents need to be within date for the University to be able to accept them. Please consult the ID documents list (according to your nationality) on this webpage to find out the date range for each document type.
If you fail to declare a conviction, caution, reprimand or final warning and the discrepancy is identified after you have taken up your place, the University reserves the right to withdraw your offer of a place or to terminate your programme of study.
Whilst completing your DBS application form, you will be asked the following question:
'Is your DBS Check for a national of the UK or another country?'
To answer this question, check your current passport as here it will be stated which nationality you legally hold.
In addition, see below:
This would depend. We recommend that you speak with the University’s DBS & OH Unit to discuss the best course of action for you. Please click on the ‘Contact Us’ link at the top of this webpage.
There are two options:
(1) Undertake a DBS Check with your current address even though you will be moving out soon. With this option, you will need to either set up mail redirection with Royal Mail/ the Post Office or have access to the property/owner of the property to ensure you can still collect your mail (or);
(ii) Wait to move, change your documents to your new address and then carry out a DBS Check.
We recommend that you speak with the University's DBS & OH Unit to discuss the best course of action for you. Please click on the 'Contact Us' link at the top of this webpage.
If any details are incorrect on your DBS application form you need to take action. You should not continue with the application process until your details have been updated. Please contact the University’s DBS & OH Unit with the information that needs changing by clicking on the ‘Contact Us’ form at the top of this webpage.
You will be invited via email to book and attend a virtual (online) DBS ID Check appointment with Atlantic Data provided your DBS application passes the pre-vet stage. At the appointment Atlantic Data will go through your details, confirm your identity and verify your ID documents virtually.
What you will require for the Video Call:
Location: Please ensure that you are in a quiet place that is well lit and away from anything that could be disruptive to a video call audio. Please be aware that you may need to provide confidential information during the video call as part of the DBS process so please make sure your surroundings facilitate this.
As per the DBS Service guidelines, you must present the original versions of the ID documents you used for your virtual (DBS) ID Check in person to be authenticated – this is referred to as the Physical Documents Check.
You will be invited to do this after Step 1 has been successfully undertaken.
You will need to present the same documents selected for your DBS application. Originals only; photocopies, photos, printouts from online accounts, etc. will not be accepted. If you do not provide your original ID documents within a certain timeframe, your DBS clearance will be invalidated and you will be required to undertake another DBS Check.
Make sure to complete this final step by the deadline date given
Please be aware, if this step is not carried out within the timeframe given, you will not receive your full DBS clearance and this may have repercussions on any placements you may need to attend. Should you not meet this requirement, you will need to undertake a new DBS Check at your own cost (£55), which will further delay you in getting your full DBS clearance for your programme of study.
Please make sure you either have access to the property or are in contact with the owner of the property to collect your mail or organise mail redirection with Royal Mail/ the Post Office as the DBS Service will not re-send a DBS Certificate to another address.
