3. What’s UCAS?
The University and College
Admissions Service (UCAS) processes
applications for full-time courses at
higher education providers in the UK.
This includes undergraduate degree
courses, apprenticeships, foundation
degrees, traineeships and studying
abroad, for example in Switzerland or
the Netherlands.
4. Why higher education?
Opportunities whilst studying
• Chance to study a subject they are passionate
about.
• Achieve a qualification that will lead to their
chosen career.
• Gain confidence, independence, and important
life skills that will widen their prospects.
• Making lifelong friends.
5. With a degree…
• The opportunity to follow their career path.
• Better job prospects.
• Many employers target graduates.
• Higher earning potential.
6. How we help – all students have
• UCAS Day in June – all pupils sign up to UCAS and
fill in their application details
• Sixth Form team on hand to discuss applications
and career choices
• Support from subject specialists for applications
in those subjects
• Weekly Careers sessions
• One-to-one support with drafting Personal
Statement
• Mock interviews
7. Plus we help with…
• Supporting other applications such as
studying abroad or apprenticeships
• Tests for certain courses can be taken in
school
• Groups, one-to-one sessions and
information days for Oxbridge applicants
• Guidance for additional work such as
essays, tests or portfolios that need
to be submitted
8. Your daughter can use the UCAS search tool
search.ucas.com
Researching courses
9. Other things to consider
• Finance – course fees,
grants, travel and living costs
• Travel – to and from home
• Accommodation
– uni halls or
private
residences?
• Extra curricular
activities
12. Key features of the UCAS
Undergraduate scheme
One application per admissions cycle.
Application fee £24 / £13.
Maximum five choices (some restrictions).
Nominated access option.
Simultaneous consideration.
Universities cannot see the other
choices.
13. IN REAL TIME…
April Apply online for prospectuses and check dates
for open day visits
Mid-June UCAS form completed and Personal
Statement first draft
Draw up a shortlist of courses and universities
(ten maximum) that appeal and are realistic,
given your daughter’s predictions
June-July Attend Open Days (three maximum in school
time)
1 July Submit a draft personal statement to
form tutor
14. SUMMER AND NEXT TERM
Summer holidays Maximise work experience and/or do several
things closely related to your daughter’s
chosen courses.
Finalise university choices
Register and take tests if relevant. Improve
personal statement. If applying for Oxbridge,
write brilliant essays ready to send off.
Mid September Applications can be submitted to UCAS
23 September Deadline for Medicine, veterinary, and
dentistry, Oxford or Cambridge
21 October Deadline for all other UCAS applications
15. What happens next?
From 23 September When she has completed her
application, your daughter will arrange an
interview with Mrs Ross , who then writes
a reference to support the application.
The school checks and sends off UCAS application.
Your daughter will receive an email from UCAS confirming her
application.
Universities will start to contact your daughter with offer
decisions.
Your daughter will have a mock interview
16. UCAS Deadlines
Mid September Applications can be submitted to UCAS
15 October Medicine, veterinary, and dentistry
Oxford or Cambridge
15 January Advisory application deadline
24 March Some art & design courses
(check each course)
30 June Applications held
for Clearing
17. Completing the application
Maximum of five choices
Some choice restrictions:
• Medicine, veterinary, dentistry – max. four
• Oxford or Cambridge
Simple application cost:
• One choice – £13
• Two-five choices – £24
Application is entirely online
Simultaneous consideration
18. The personal statement
• The only section your son or daughter has control over.
• Their only chance to market themselves individually.
• One personal statement for all choices.
Max. 4,000 characters, 47 lines
Min. 1,000 characters
No spelling/grammar check
No formatting
19. How you can help
• Help your daughter think about what makes her stand out in an
exciting and positive way.
• Discuss how she can show enthusiasm for the course she is
applying for and list supporting evidence to back this up.
• Extra curricular activities and relevant work experience.
• Skills she can use on the course – leadership, communication,
team work for example.
• Encourage her to ask you for more ideas.
• Allow plenty of time.
22. Tracking applications
Track will allow your daughter to:
• follow the progress of her application online
• see her choices and personal information
• see her offers
• reply to offers online
23. Decisions and replies
Once all decisions are received, she can hold up to two offers:
• One as her firm choice
• One as her insurance choice (if they want to)
• All other offers are declined
Track will show her reply date.
FIRM = where you
really want to go
INANCE =
Provider decisions:
• Unsuccessful
• Unconditional offer
• Conditional offer – qualifications and achievements
and/or UCAS Tariff points
24. Other options
Extra 24 Feb – 4 July
If all five choices have been used and they have no offers/rejected
all offers.
Clearing from early-July
If there are no offers, or have applied after 30 June deadline.
Adjustment
(from A level results day)
If she has gained better results
than the conditional offer she
holds, she could apply for
a different course or university.
25. What should your daughter be
doing now?
• Research
• Extra curricular
• Work experience
• Go beyond the syllabus
• Focus on this year’s studies
26. How can you support the
application process?
• Use the parents/guardians section of the UCAS website/Parent
Guide publication – www.ucas.com/parents and sign up for the
newsletter.
• Offer to attend open days, you may have a different
perspective.
• Don’t book family holidays at key times.
• Make sure they read everything carefully that is sent to them.
• Support your daughter’s management of her application.
27. Videos for parents
FIRM = where you
really want to goINSURANCE = somewhere
you would be happy to
get into
your FIRM choice
INSURANCE =
you would be happy to
get into
your FIRM choice
UCAS has videos on key topics especially for parents:
• The UCAS process
• Open days
• Student finance
• Clearing
www.ucas.com/parents
28. Considering an apprenticeship?
FIRM = where you
really want to goINSURANCE = somewhere
you would be happy to
get into
your FIRM choice
INSURANCE =
you would be happy to
get into
your FIRM choice
Apprenticeships are a good way to gain the skills and
experience needed to get into many careers. They combine
work, training, and study, letting you 'earn while you learn'.
Companies providing apprenticeships include GSK, IBM,
Transport for London,
Higher/technical (Levels 4 to 7) — can lead to NVQ Level 4 and
above, or a foundation degree
Degree/graduate-level (Levels 5 to 7) — these are new and
enable apprentices to achieve a full bachelor’s or master’s
degree as part of their apprenticeship
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/apprenticeships-uk
29. Entry requirements
FIRM = where you
really want to goINSURANCE = somewhere
you would be happy to
get into
your FIRM choice
INSURANCE =
you would be happy to
get into
your FIRM choice
Degree apprenticeships can require at least five GCSEs grades
A — C, and A levels. Some employers have specific entry
requirements. For example, recent IT degree apprenticeship
adverts have required an A level (or equivalent) grade range of
ABB to CCC.
Higher/technical apprenticeships have similar entry
requirements. Some may ask for previous experience in the
industry.
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/apprenticeships-uk
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsearch
30. What’s an apprenticeship like?
FIRM =
https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=Ka6cjjY0
AQY
where you really want
to go
INSURANCE = somewhere
you would be happy to
get into
your FIRM choice
A short video about IBM’s apprenticeship scheme:
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/apprenticeships-uk
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsearch
31. Student Finance – The Basics
FIRM = where you
really want to goINSURANCE = somewhere
you would be happy to
get into
your FIRM choice
Maintenance loans of up to £8,430 (£11,002
for those studying in London) can be applied
for at the same time, lending money at the
start of each term.
How much your daughter gets depends on
your household income, where she studies,
where she lives and how long for. The
minimum amount is currently £3,821 for
courses outside London and £5,330 within
London. This loan will be paid back in the
same way as a tuition fee loan.
your FIRM choicewww.ucas.com/parents
Course fees vary. Check the individual
course information. Tuition fee loans
are up to £9,250 (or up to £6,165 for
a private course provider), paid
directly to the course provider. Your
daughter won’t have to pay it back
until after the course, when she’s
earning over £21,000 a year.
