Equality Act 2010 Explanatory Notes

Admission to single-sex institutions: paragraph 1
Effect

877.This paragraph allows a single-sex institution to refuse to admit members of the opposite sex. An institution is defined as single-sex if it admits students of one sex only. An institution which exceptionally admits students of the opposite sex, or which admits a comparatively small number of opposite-sex students to particular courses or classes only, is still regarded as single-sex. Limiting those students to particular courses or classes is permitted. However, other forms of sex discrimination by the institution against its opposite-sex students would still be unlawful.

Examples
  • A women’s college which admits only female students is not discriminating unlawfully against men.

  • If the college admits a small number of men to make up the numbers on a particular course of study, it is still regarded as a single-sex college. It is not discriminating unlawfully by refusing to admit men to other courses.

  • A women’s college which admits men to certain courses but refuses to let them use the student cafeteria would be discriminating unlawfully against them.

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