Change the Entry Requirements for PhD?

I have been offered a place on a PhD.

Entry requirement 2:1 or above in undergrad - a masters desirable.

I have a 1st at undergrad and currently studying an MRes.

The offer they have given me is conditional, based on the completion of my MRes (no specific grade specified). Me and my current university have questioned this, as a masters is not essential, so therefore I already meet the requirements. This will delay the paperwork and my stipend payment as my final MRes qualification papers will not be ready until 1 week before the start of the PhD.

Can I appeal? Is this even a thing that happens?

That sounds strange.

I applied for PhD while doing a Msc and they gave me an offer based on my Bsc and made no reference to completing the Msc.

I would definitely appeal if I were you. Have you contacted them already? What did they say?

I have been offered a place on a PhD.

Entry requirement 2:1 or above in undergrad - a masters desirable.

I have a 1st at undergrad and currently studying an MRes.

The offer they have given me is conditional, based on the completion of my MRes (no specific grade specified). Me and my current university have questioned this, as a masters is not essential, so therefore I already meet the requirements. This will delay the paperwork and my stipend payment as my final MRes qualification papers will not be ready until 1 week before the start of the PhD.

Can I appeal? Is this even a thing that happens?

Entry requirements and an offer are not the same thing.

Just because you have the entry requirements doesn't mean that a) they will offer you a place b) that they won't ask for something specific- in your case that you complete your MRes

If this is the conditions that stipulated it seems unlikely that yo can appeal.

It might be worth asking them if they can lift the condition as you have nothing to lose.
Assuming you don't think you are going to fail could you get your current university to send some to the new one saying you have passed ( but before the qualification papers are ready)

I have been offered a place on a PhD.

Entry requirement 2:1 or above in undergrad - a masters desirable.

I have a 1st at undergrad and currently studying an MRes.

The offer they have given me is conditional, based on the completion of my MRes (no specific grade specified). Me and my current university have questioned this, as a masters is not essential, so therefore I already meet the requirements. This will delay the paperwork and my stipend payment as my final MRes qualification papers will not be ready until 1 week before the start of the PhD.

Can I appeal? Is this even a thing that happens?

I have been offered a place on a PhD.

Entry requirement 2:1 or above in undergrad - a masters desirable.

I have a 1st at undergrad and currently studying an MRes.

The offer they have given me is conditional, based on the completion of my MRes (no specific grade specified). Me and my current university have questioned this, as a masters is not essential, so therefore I already meet the requirements. This will delay the paperwork and my stipend payment as my final MRes qualification papers will not be ready until 1 week before the start of the PhD.

Can I appeal? Is this even a thing that happens?

Yeah, the PhD university stated they could accept a letter confirming I will have passed the course before my transcript and certificate are ready. My current uni says it is not possible and it wont be known until September which is when the paperwork will be available anyway.

I find it ridiculous, that if I was successful with just a completed undergraduate degree I would have an unconditional offer.

I have been offered a place on a PhD.

Entry requirement 2:1 or above in undergrad - a masters desirable.

I have a 1st at undergrad and currently studying an MRes.

The offer they have given me is conditional, based on the completion of my MRes (no specific grade specified). Me and my current university have questioned this, as a masters is not essential, so therefore I already meet the requirements. This will delay the paperwork and my stipend payment as my final MRes qualification papers will not be ready until 1 week before the start of the PhD.

Can I appeal? Is this even a thing that happens?

This is standard practice, whilst it might seem unfair, remember you may have been looked on more favourably by the scholarship panel or the potential supervisor because of the MRes. Also if you fail to achieve the MRes this sends a different message to the new Uni (if you can't complete a research masters, how can you complete a research doctorate...).

Im sure it will work out fine, but this is to be expected.

This does not make sense though. What would they have done if he hadn't started a MRes and just applied with a good first degree? He got penalised in a sense for showing more foresight!

Not necessarily,
He may have gotten the PhD, but also he may not have, the fact he is on an MRes may have been a decisive factor in awarding him the PhD in the first place, either way they want someone with a proven track record so if a candidate couldn't complete an MRes it would be unlikely they could complete a PhD.

Once you start the MRes the PhD application is fundamentally different, if the applicant had applied and not included the MRes information in his application then it wouldn't have been considered and there wouldn't have been this requirement, but its obvious that a prior research degree would be useful so they included it in their application, and benefitted from this. It is much much harder to get a PhD without a masters so if OP hadn't included this information it is much more likely they have no offer.

So they most likely have benefitted from the MRes, but yes obviously a University is going to expect you to pass the course for you to gain funding, there are many more candidates they could find who would happily take the funding. Entry requirements for PhD's aren't like the taught level, as every research application is fundamentally different, its not like A-level where the target is obvious, its more about demonstrating your ability to the panels so they can have confidence the money isn't being wasted.

This does not make sense though. What would they have done if he hadn't started a MRes and just applied with a good first degree? He got penalised in a sense for showing more foresight!

Not necessarily,
He may have gotten the PhD, but also he may not have, the fact he is on an MRes may have been a decisive factor in awarding him the PhD in the first place, either way they want someone with a proven track record so if a candidate couldn't complete an MRes it would be unlikely they could complete a PhD.

Once you start the MRes the PhD application is fundamentally different, if the applicant had applied and not included the MRes information in his application then it wouldn't have been considered and there wouldn't have been this requirement, but its obvious that a prior research degree would be useful so they included it in their application, and benefitted from this. It is much much harder to get a PhD without a masters so if OP hadn't included this information it is much more likely they have no offer.

So they most likely have benefitted from the MRes, but yes obviously a University is going to expect you to pass the course for you to gain funding, there are many more candidates they could find who would happily take the funding. Entry requirements for PhD's aren't like the taught level, as every research application is fundamentally different, its not like A-level where the target is obvious, its more about demonstrating your ability to the panels so they can have confidence the money isn't being wasted.

You say that it is much harder to get a Ph.D without a Master's. I don't believe that for a moment. Had he applied without doing a MRes there is no evidence that he would have been rejected as a potential doctoral student from a number of universities. What he should have done in hindsight is apply when he had competed his first degree. Then he would find out what the panel were thinking and he may also have been accepted as well. How comes some students are getting into PhD courses with a good first degree only then ? It is best to rationalise one's thoughts at undergraduate level before doing any more studying after graduation!

You say that it is much harder to get a Ph.D without a Master's. I don't believe that for a moment. Had he applied without doing a MRes there is no evidence that he would have been rejected as a potential doctoral student from a number of universities. What he should have done in hindsight is apply when he had competed his first degree. Then he would find out what the panel were thinking and he may also have been accepted as well. How comes some students are getting into PhD courses with a good first degree only then ? It is best to rationalise one's thoughts at undergraduate level before doing any more studying after graduation!

You say that it is much harder to get a Ph.D without a Master's. I don't believe that for a moment. Had he applied without doing a MRes there is no evidence that he would have been rejected as a potential doctoral student from a number of universities. What he should have done in hindsight is apply when he had competed his first degree. Then he would find out what the panel were thinking and he may also have been accepted as well. How comes some students are getting into PhD courses with a good first degree only then ? It is best to rationalise one's thoughts at undergraduate level before doing any more studying after graduation!