Applying to UCAS
2017/18
Coláiste Mhuire
Mullingar
Co. Westmeath
Guidance Counselling Dept
Points to consider
 Fees
 £6,000-£9,000 PER YEAR
 Some health courses are subsidised by NHS however it is
imperative you check with each individual university to
check your fee status
 Student Loans – Pay back when you earn £21,000+
 If you qualify for a SUSI grant here in Ireland you may be
entitled to carry that across to UK with you
 Maturity
 Necessity
BREXIT
BREXIT may impact on students studying in the UK.
Please check on current situation at time of
application.
Why choose to study in UK/NI
 Vast choice of courses: Over 50,000
 Some courses may be easier to get into
 Finance
 New Experience
 Family reasons
How to apply to UCAS
 Apply on-line: www.ucas.com
 5 choices (4 if medicine)
 Personal details
 Educational record: Junior Certificate
Leaving Cert predicted grades
Work experience
Personal statement
School reference
Popular courses
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Nursing
Physiotherapy
Occupational Therapy
Medicine
Dentistry
Psychology
Which university should I choose?
 Location- Where is it? Is it close to an airport/ferry
port?
 Cost
 How big is the university?
 What is the accommodation like?
 How good is the level of student support?
 Are there many Irish students studying there?
 Are there opportunities for part time work?
Offers
 College Admissions consider application
 Make one of 3 decisions:
 Unconditional offer
 Conditional offer
 Rejection
 Deferral
Reference
 Your referee should refer to your academic ability and
suitability to third level
(this should be a teacher that knows you and has thought you
preferably over the last 5 years in school)
 The reference is a very important aspect of your
application (please give your referee plenty of time to
complete the reference)
 You need to provide UCAS with their email and school
phone number
Completing the reference
 Complete in MS Word first
 Limited Number of Characters
 Do not mention individual universities that the
candidate has applied to
 Reference should allude to: Existing achievement;
motivation and commitment towards the chosen
course; any relevant skills, achievement accredited
or not; powers of analysis and independent
thought, relevant curriculum enrichment and other
activities, relevant work experience, proposed
career plan etc.
Tariff points
Grade
Tariff Points
H1
36
H2
30
H3
24
H4
18
H5
12
H6
Ordinary Level
Ordinary Level
O1
12
O2
10
O3
8
04
6
Personal Statement
 This is an opportunity to show the university how
much you want this course and how well suited you
will be to the course.
 It is imperative you get across how committed and
enthusiastic you are
 Paragraphs to include:
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Show knowledge of course you are applying for
Skills and achievements
Work experience
Hobbies and interests
Tips for writing your personal
statement
 Explain why you want to apply for the course
 Show knowledge of course you are applying for by
referring to aspects/modules of the particular course
 Ensure your spelling, grammar and punctuation is
correct
 Link interests/hobbies work experience to the course
you are applying for
Personal statement – useful sites
 www.studential.com
 www.thestudentroom.co.uk/personalstatements
How do Universities make their
decisions?
 Each university has different entry requirements. You should check
you meet the course and university entry requirements before you
apply. However, there are other factors university admissions teams
consider when making their decisions.
 What academic and non-academic achievements do you have? Have
you met the required grades for the course, and what is the
likelihood of you achieving the course entry requirements for any
qualifications you haven't yet sat exams for?
 Do you have the experience and skills to succeed at university?
 Do you have a passion for the subject area, and does this
enthusiasm come across in your application?
 Who are your references and what have they said about you?
 Is the course and university you've applied for the right course and
university for you?
 Ultimately, it's the job of the university admissions team to
determine whether you can succeed on the course you have applied
for.
Useful websites
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www.studential.com
www.unistats.direct.gov.uk
www.ucas.tv
http://hpat-ulster.acer.edu.au/
www.ukcat.ac.uk/
www.admissionstests.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/a
dt/bmat
Guidance Dept. Coláiste Mhuire