Applying for Higher Education
How to apply for Higher Education
To apply for a full-time course at university or college, you need to log on to www.ucas.com and use the online service, called ‘Apply.’ Full instructions on how to use 'Apply' are on the UCAS site.
To get you started, you'll find lots of useful tips in the sections below including
- general tips on applying
- what admissions tutors are looking for
- completing your Personal Statement
- getting a reference.
- what happens next
- important dates
General tips on applying
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The opening date for making applications is 1 September. There is a fee for making an application. For 2009/10 it is £19 to choose a maximum of 5 courses or £9 for a single choice
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To start your application you'll need to obtain a 'buzzword' from your school or college. This buzzword links your application to your school or college so that your referee can write and attach their reference. Check if your school or college have their own deadlines for providing references.
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The key people you need to impress with your application are the admissions tutors at the colleges or universities to which you are applying. They are the members of staff who will look at your application and decide if they want to offer you a place on a course. (See section below for more on admissions tutors.)
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Before you begin your application, read all the instructions in the Apply > How to apply section at www.ucas.com
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Use the Entry Profiles for all the courses you are applying to, to help you write your application. (See section below for more on Entry Profiles)
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Also visit the websites of the colleges or universities to which you're applying. Many have guides to help you with your application and tips on what admissions tutors are looking for.
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Leave yourself plenty of time to make your application, You don't need to complete it all in one go. 'Apply' lets you save your progress and come back later.
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You can apply for up to 5 courses. You don't need to put them in order of preference because 'Apply' will automatically list them in alphabetical order. If you're applying for medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine courses you're allowed a maximum of 4 choices in those subjects. If you're planning to apply for Oxford or Cambridge, you can only choose one of these, not both.
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Admission tutors cannot see the other choices on your UCAS form, although they can see if you've applied for more than one course at their college or university.
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Every application received before the closing date will be considered. However, admissions tutors can select some candidates before the closing date has passed. Therefore, it's a good idea to apply early, especially for popular courses.
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If you have any disabilities, special needs or medical conditions, your chosen college or university may be able to provide you with support to help you apply. Your application will be looked at in exactly the same way as anyone else's and any medical information will be kept confidential. For more information visit www.skill.org.uk
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If you want to apply for deferred entry (for example, if you plan to take a year out) check with your chosen college or university to see if they'll accept deferred entries
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Once you've completed your application, you'll need to send it online to your school or college so that your referee can add a reference. They'll then forward it on to UCAS.
What are admissions tutors looking for?
Admissions tutors are the members of staff who make the decision about whether or not to accept your application.
You can find out what the admissions tutors for your courses will be looking for in an application by looking at the Entry Profile (see below) for the course you are interested in or by contacting admission tutors directly
Entry profiles
Entry Profiles are compiled by staff at the university or college. They detail things that potential candidates will need to be successful on each course (e.g.achievement of particular subjects at certain grades, personal qualities, interests, experiences etc.)
They also describe how the course will be taught and whether you'll need to pass an admissions test in order to be accepted onto the course.
View Entry Profiles for courses you're applying for by visiting www.ucas.com and clicking on 'Course Search.' The symbol 'EP' means the course has an Entry Profile
Admission tests
Check if the courses you're interested in have an admission test — it's usually your responsibility to make sure you are entered for these tests. You should also check the timescale for admission tests — the registration deadlines may be well before the deadline for your UCAS application.
Your personal statement
Your personal statement is the part of the application where you can really sell yourself. It is your opportunity to make your application stand out from the rest.
Here are some tips to help you
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Each university or college that you apply to will see the same personal statement. (You're allowed up to 4,000 characters, including spaces. Choose them wisely!)
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UCAS 'Apply 'does not have an inbuilt spell-check. Type up your statement in a program like Word that will do a spell check – then copy it into 'Apply.'
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Your statement should be true, accurate and all your own work. UCAS have a system in place to check for plagiarism (work that is copied from someone else).
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You will need to explain the reason you have chosen your particular courses or subjects. Make sure that your reasons for applying are realistic and well thought through
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Think how you can make your application stand out (particularly if you're applying for a very popular course.) Emphasise the positive things you've done - but don't be tempted to exaggerate!
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Include details of any employment, work experience or voluntary work, particularly if it's relevant to the course you're applying for.
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Include details of any personal development activities you've been involved in (e.g. summer school, hobbies, sports, schemes like the Duke of Edinburgh Award or Young Enterprise.) Explain what skills and experience you've gained by doing these activities.
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Include examples that show you have the ability to cope with the academic demands of the subject and the course (e.g. if you've completed an Extended Project or your own piece of research.)
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Mention the way you participate in class or group discussions, and activities where you join in with college or school life.
You can find more advice on writing your personal statement at www.ucas.com (go to Apply > How to apply > Your personal statement)
Your reference
Your UCAS application has to be supported by a reference. Your referee (the person who provides the reference) must be someone who knows you well but cannot be a relative or friend. In most cases this will be a teacher or tutor at school or college.
If you're applying through school or college, your reference will be added by the referee after you have completed all the other sections of the application. Your referee will then forward the completed application to UCAS.
Your reference is an important part of your application, so make sure that you give your referee enough time to write it. To find out more about references and referees, visit www.ucas.com and go to Apply > How to apply > Your reference.
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What happens after I've made my application?
When UCAS receive your application they’ll forward your details to your chosen universities or colleges for them to decide if they’re going to invite you to an interview and / or make you an offer of a place on their course. You can follow the progress of your application online using ‘Track’ to see if any colleges or universities have decided to make you an offer.
When you receive an offer it may be ‘unconditional’ (you satisfy the entry conditions of the course and are offered a place whatever your future exam results turn out to be) or ‘conditional’ (you’ll be given a place only if you achieve certain grades or points). If you don’t get any offers by mid-March you can use the ‘Extra’ service to apply to a course with vacancies.
Having received your offers, you must reply to them by the dates shown using ‘Track.’ You’re allowed to accept two conditional offers (so that you have a back-up plan when your exam results come out) or one conditional offer with an unconditional offer as your back-up plan, or one unconditional offer (you cannot have a back-up).
When universities and colleges receive exam results they decide whether to confirm their conditional offers. If you don’t get confirmation of either of your conditional offers, your application goes into ‘Clearing’ so that you can apply for courses with vacancies.
See UCAS in action
If you’d like to watch video guides on applying for Higher Education and understanding your offers, visit www.ucas.tv
Important dates
- 1 September - opening date for UCAS applications
- 15 October - deadline for on-time applications to Oxford or Cambridge and for all medicine, dentistry and veterinary science / medicine applications
- 15 January - deadline for on-time applications for all other courses, except art and design Route B. (NB: Late applications are not guaranteed equal academic consideration)
- 24 March - deadline for art and design Route B
- 31 March - decisions sent by universities and colleges for applications received by 15 January
- 30 June - final deadline for receipt of applications for immediate consideration. (Those received after this date are held for Clearing)
- 14 July - Outstanding decisions on applications received by 30 June
- Third Thursday in August – Results day. Start of Clearing vacancy information service
