The university application
process 2018 cohort
Tonight
• Introduction to UCAS
• What happens next?
• Key dates
• Tariff information
• Application process
•Finance
• Making informed choices • Top tips
What is UCAS?
• Universities and Colleges Admissions
Service
• Centralised application processing service
• On-line system and application form
• Secure site, can be worked on anywhere
UCAS key dates 2017/2018
1st September form processing
begins
Start
of
Year
15 January MAIN UCAS
CLOSING DATE
Christmas
March - majority
of decisions made
by institutions
Easter
June - last day
for late
applications
End of
exams
August - results day
15 October closing date for
Oxbridge,
medicine,
veterinary science
February - UCAS Extra
begins (for late
applicants, those that
have changed their
mind or those who have
no offers)
Hazeley Timeline
Already visited the UCAS fair and attended personal statement workshop
Last week students registered on UCAS
1st Draft personal statement is due 7th July
2nd Draft personal statement is due first week back in September
All applications to be paid and sent by 10th December- guarantee a reference
Making an application
• Over 35,000 courses to choose from
• Only have five choices available on form
• UCAS processes over 2 million
undergraduate applications a year
• Lots of competition – it is important to
have a very strong application
Students making informed choices
• MUST Research the 4 C’s (Course, Career, Campus
and City)
• Be realistic about choices, for example:
- x2 ambitious entry requirements to aim for
- x1 match to your predicted grades
- x2 lower entry requirements to fall back on.
Therefore a student with predicted grades of BBC, might apply to the
following 5 choices
1x BBB
2 X BBC
1x BCC
1x CCC
One of the last two courses above NEEDS to be their insurance, therefore
they MUST be happy to go there.
Applying online
4 critical pieces of information:
Year 12 grades
(exam results)
End of Course
Predicted grades
(subject tutors)
Personal
Statement
(student)
Tutor reference
(form tutor)
What happens next?
• UCAS acknowledges receipt of application form
• Students can track application process online (using UCAS track facility)
• University Admissions Tutors assess each application
• Possible invitation to an interview (not required for most courses)
• Decisions/offers made via UCAS track
• Universities send out offer communications
Types of offer
• Conditional offer
• Unconditional offer
• Alternative course offer
• Unsuccessful
• Offers may be expressed in
either grades or UCAS points.
Examples of typical offers
Law at LSE A*AA
Law at Birmingham AAA
Medicine at Kings London A*AA
Psychology at Warwick AAB
Psychology at Derby 120 UCAS points which is BBB
History at Oxford AAA
UCAS points system A Levels
Grade
A2
AS
A*
56
-
A
48
20
B
40
16
C
32
12
D
24
8
E
16
4
UCAS points system BTEC
Points
Subsidiary Diploma
56
D*
48
D
32
M
16
P
Unifrog
Finance
•Tuition Fee Loan > £9,250
•Maintenance Loans > £ 8,430 (£11k for London)
•Maintenance Grants > £ 3,387 (HI > £25k)
•Special Support Grants (receipt of benefits IS/UC)
• Scholarships & Bursaries
•www.gov.uk/student-finance
•Repayments! (£21K+) RPI+3%
After the offer
Select two choices – firm and insurance
You have now entered into an agreement with these
universities, if you change your mind you will need to be
released by the institutions
UCAS Extra – for late applicants and those who change
their mind
Results day
Clearing & Adjustment
Top tips
• Make informed choices – research
• Read all instructions carefully
• Accuracy
• Be aware of key dates
• Print a finished copy for future
reference
• Don’t be afraid to contact
universities/UCAS with questions
Thank you for attending