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Your UCAS Application

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ucas application Every year the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS) handles over 2 million applications for more than 460,000 applicants from around the world, who wish to study full time at a UK University or College, leading to awards of a Foundation degree, first degree, a Higher National Diploma (HND) and a Diploma or Certificate of Higher Education (DipHE/Cert/HE). We talked to Sue Montague at UCAS about the best way to make a successful application to UCAS and of the recent changes that UCAS has made to its application system to offer students greater opportunity to find their most suitable course.

Is UCAS Application compulsory for attending a UK University or College?

Over 340 UK universities and colleges are members of UCAS. Details are in the UCAS Directory 2003 Entry and on the UCAS website, www.ucas.com. If you want to apply to any of these universities or colleges for places on any of the 52,000 courses listed in the Directory or on the UCAS website, you will need to apply through UCAS.

Any top tips for completing the application form?

Before you fill in your application, find out as much as you can about the universities and colleges that offer the courses you want to apply for. Try to visit a UCAS Education Convention, where many of the universities and colleges have staff and students at exhibition stands who are ready to talk to you about life on campus. Read their prospectuses and look at their websites. Speak to your careers adviser, and if you can, attend open days at your preferred universities and colleges. Talk to friends or family about what you want to do, particularly if they have been to your chosen universities or colleges.

You can apply through UCAS in one of three ways, using:

Apply, a secure, web-based, online application system;
EAS, an electronic application system supplied on a CD; or
A paper application form.

You can use apply or EAS through your school, college or careers centre, or your local British Council office if you live overseas.

Whichever way you choose to apply, it's always best to do it as early as possible to give yourself the best chance. Check out the closing dates for applications in How to Apply and on the UCAS website.

What are the most common mistakes made on a UCAS application form?

To help us process your application as quickly as possible, it's really important that you get everything right when you fill in your form.

If you apply electronically, via EAS or apply, the software will automatically check important details like your date of birth and course codes and it will alert you if they are not valid. EAS and apply also allow you to change your application at any time before you pass it to the teacher or careers adviser who will verify your application and send it to UCAS.

If you are using a paper application form, check that you have filled in all sections of the form and make sure that you have written the correct course codes for your choices in Section 3. Don't forget to sign the declaration on page 3, and attach the correct application fee to your form. Fill in the acknowledgement card and put a postage stamp on it. Last of all, give the form to your referee, together with the application fee and the acknowledgement card.

If you complete a paper application form please use a black ballpoint pen or type, and make sure the ink does not leak through to the back of the page. We need to copy your form and reduce it in size before we send it off to your chosen universities and colleges, so it must be clear.

Remember to use BLOCK CAPITALS on page 1. And don't separate the two halves of the form or attach extra sheets.

It's a good idea to practise first on a photocopy of the form.

What advice would you offer to students who are completing their personal statement for the form?

The personal statement is very important because it gives you the chance to tell your chosen universities and colleges why you are applying. What you say in the personal statement could help persuade an admissions officer to offer you a place.

It's really up to you how you write the statement, but we know from experience that admissions officers are looking for some or all of the following points:

Why you have chosen the courses you have listed;
What interests you about your chosen subject;
Particular interests you have in your current studies;
Any job, work experience, placement or voluntary work you have done, particularly if it is relevant to your subject;
Details of any key (core) skills you have gained through activities such as Young Enterprise or the Duke of Edinburgh Award;
Other achievements, perhaps through the Universities Award and Challenge Awards, which is part of ASDAN (Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network);
Your future plans;
Any subjects you are studying that do not have an exam;
Any sponsorship or placements you have or have applied for;
If you are planning to take a year out, your reasons why;
Your social, sports or leisure interests.

Handy hint - if you are using a paper application form, practise writing out your personal statement before you write the final version on the form.

There have been recent changes made to the UCAS Application system. What are these and how do they benefit the student?

If you have used all six choices and you have no offers or you have turned down all your offers, you will be eligible for a new system called UCAS Extra. Extra will allow you to make a further choice, which means that you will not have to wait until Clearing to find a place. Extra will operate from mid-March to the end of June.

Another change that we have introduced for 2003 entry means that each university and college you have chosen will only receive details of the course or courses that you have applied for at their particular institution. We do not let them know what other choices you have made at other universities and colleges until much later in the application process. They must not ask you for details about your other choices

Please also see the article: Successful UCAS Applications

CourseAdvice

Your UCAS Application

Get Extra!

Is UCAS Application compulsory for attending a UK University or College?

Any top tips for completing the application form?

What are the most common mistakes made on a UCAS application form?

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