UCAS evening 2016 – What to expect…
The Application Process
Richard Peel - Head of Sixth Form/Assistant Principal
Unifrog and the Personal Statement
Richard Graham – Year Leader
Competitive Admissions and receiving offers
Sarah Bromley – UCAS and Student Progression
Coordinator
Student Finance
Danielle Sample from Nottingham Trent University
What do I need to do?
July – September/October
The role of UCAS
UCAS operate on behalf of all full-time
higher education (HE) courses at member
institutions
Undergraduate Degree
Foundation Degree
HND / HNC
Certificate/Diploma of Higher Education
The provision of higher education in the UK
▪ Number of institutions
▪ Number of courses
▪ Applicants in 2014
▪ Acceptances in 2014
372
37,000+
677, 400
495,600
Do you enjoy reading and analysing novels,
stories and poetry?
Have you ever wondered how
language works?
Are you interested in knowing more
about the cultural contexts of your
favourite literary texts?
Unistats website
UCAS Connect
Research – Additional sources
▪ Publications
▪ Institution Open Days
▪ Taster Courses
▪ Subject specific events
▪ Career fairs
Key features of the UCAS scheme
Application is online
1 Choice - £13 2-5 Choices - £24
Maximum of 5 choices
Some choice restrictions:
Medicine, Veterinary, Dentistry – max 4
Simultaneous consideration
‘Invisibility’
5 Choices
1 x aspirational choice, 1 or at most 2 grades above your
predicted grades
3 x courses at your predicted grades
1 x course below your predicted grades. An ‘insurance’
choice in case things don’t go to plan.
Entry requirements
2 different ways of asking for grades
1. Points eg 120 UCAS points. This may in some cases
include points gained form AS qualifications.
2. Straight grades eg BBB. Some may additionally request
grades from particular subjects.
Extended
Project
Qualification
GCE & VCE AS
levels
GCE & VCE A
levels
Tariff BTEC (QCF)
Extended
Diploma
BTEC (QCF)
Diploma
BTEC (QCF)
Subsidiary
Diploma
BTEC (QCF)
Certificate
168 D*D*D*
160 D*D*D
152 D*DD
144 DDD
128 DDM
112 DMM D*D*
104 D*D
96 MMM DD
80 MMP DM
64 MPP MM
A* 56 D*
A 48 PPP MP D
B 40
C 32 PP M
A* 28 D*
A D 24 D
B A 20
C B E 16 P M
D C 12
D 10
E 8 P
E 6
New UCAS points tariff
5 choices - things to consider
What grades / UCAS points are needed?
What are your predicted grades?
Are you going to live at home or move away?
The cost of tuition fees
Is there a bursary available?
Where do you want to live?
Do you want a campus based or city University?
Making a UCAS application
Every applicant has five sections to complete:
Personal details
Choices
Education
Employment
Personal statement
Forward to tutor:
Reference
UCAS
Universities / colleges
Personal Statement - the section that has
applicants tearing their hair out!
Key to writing personal statements
It is a process - likely to require several rewrites
Takes time – start early
Short (47 lines or 4000 characters)
– Clarity, concision, precision
– Well written
– Structured
– No errors in punctuation, spelling and grammar
– Strong opening and closing
Write in a word processor then paste into Apply
– Spell check, grammar check
Get others to read and advise
Polish – it needs to be close to flawless
Help for applicants
What to include
Why have you chosen the course?
What is it about the subject you like?
Reading on the subject outside of set texts
Experience relevant to chosen course
What other transferable skills / personal qualities
have been obtained
Extra curricular interests, hobbies and activities
(especially as relevant to course)
Personal achievements
Career plans
Be selective! Ask yourself what value is added by
including something?
Similarity Detection Service
Personal statements are checked against a library of
those already in the system, and from a variety of
websites and paper publications.
Each new statement is added to the library after
processing.
Key dates and deadlines
• Mid June-July – start completing
applications online
• Early September –applications can be
submitted to UCAS
• 15 October – Oxford, Cambridge,
Veterinary, Medicine and Dentistry
courses deadline.
• 9 December- Internal deadline
• 15 January - main UCAS deadline
• 24 March – additional Art and Design
deadline
• 30 June – last date to submit
applications before clearing
01/12
/2016
23
How do Universities make their decisions?
Qualifications
Past, present and future
Predicted grades for ‘pending’ qualifications
Personal statement
Reference
Interview
Piece of written work
Portfolio
Audition
Admissions tests
Decision making by institutions
An admissions tutor may initially make one of three
decisions:
Unconditional offer
Conditional offer
Unsuccessful
Or recommend:
A place on an alternative course
Applicant replies to offers
Once the final decision has been received, a maximum of
two offers may be held
Applicants have a choice of three reply options:
Firm acceptance
Insurance acceptance
Decline the offer
Track
Enables you to follow the progress
of your application (24/7, access
via password)
Quickest way to find out about
new offers
You can reply to offers online
UCAS Extra
Now operates from mid February to the end of June
Course vacancies listed on UCAS website
Allows additional single choices, entered and considered
once at a time via Track
Applicants eligible for Extra:
Used all 5 choices
All choices unsuccessful, cancelled or offers declined
Clearing Operates from mid July to mid September
Course vacancies listed on UCAS website
and with the Telegraph
Allows additional single choices, entered and considered once at a time via Track
You must contact the university to discuss directly
Applicants eligible for Clearing:
Paid full fee (£24)
All choices unsuccessful, cancelled or offers declined
Applied after 30 June (no choices)
Adjustment
For applicants whose place has been confirmed at their FIRM choice, and who have
• MET all conditions of offer and
• EXCEEDED at least one condition
• Paid full fee (£24)
Student Finance -NTU
Any Questions?
If you have any specific questions, please feel free to
speak to a member of the team.
