This presentation covered the UK university application process through UCAS. It began with an overview of the application timeline and deadlines. Key parts of the application like choosing courses, writing a personal statement, and obtaining a reference letter were discussed in detail. The presentation also addressed UCAS registration, navigating the application, and important application components like IB predicted grades. Overall, the presentation aimed to guide students through completing the UCAS application and understanding the requirements for UK university admission.

1. UK University
Application Night
Thursday, August 24, 2017

2. The Plan for Tonight
• Intro to UCAS
• A Few Basics to Start
• Choosing Courses
• Applying
• Key Parts to the
Application
• Application Advice
• Deadlines
• Decisions
• What happens after
• What should students be
doing now

3. Please Relax Tonight
• This PowerPoint will be
posted on our HS
Counseling Website
• For the most part the
UCAS application is
fairly straightforward
and intuitive
• If you need help filling
out the application
itself, counselors will
be happy to help Everything will eventually get done
that needs to get done in time.

4. Why Study in the UK?
• Long established
tradition of education
excellence
• Respected and widely
recognized
qualification
• A strong reputation for
global employers
• Top teaching and
research
• Multicultural
environment

5. Other Factors
• Three year degree
programs in England
and Wales
• A narrower focus on
your chosen major
• Competitive tuition
costs
• Easy and inexpensive
application process
• No need for SAT or ACT

6. UCAS
•Search for a course
or an institution
•Search for the
relevant entry
requirements
•Complete the online
application
•Track progress
•Accept and reject
offers
Universities and Colleges Application Service

7. British English Glossary
BRITISH ENGLISH AMERICAN ENGLISH
Course Major
Module Class
Joint Honours Double Major
Sandwich Year Year in Industry, Co-op
Bursary Student Loan
Entry Requirements Admissions Requirements
Personal Statement Application Essay
Reference Recommendation Letter
Tutor Academic Advisor
Level 3 Qualifications Typically IBDP
Liberal Arts Course Liberal Arts College
Course Tutor Professor

8. A Few Basics to Start
• The main application window is from September to January
but there are a few exceptions to this
• Applicants can apply for a maximum of five courses with the
same application.
• The Medicine course is the exception - only 4 Medicine
courses and 1 additional course.
• UCAS guarantees invisibility of the application
• The same application is received by all universities at the
same time
• Almost all offers will be conditional until the applicant has
final exam results (not until July)

9. Researching & Composing a List
• Research based on COURSE (i.e., major) FIRST and then
University
• Entry Requirements - typical overall IB score needed to be
competitive
• Additional requirements may be placed on HL courses or specific
subjects
• How to compose your 5 courses and Universities
• Target (3-4) - PGs in line with entry requirements
• Aspirational (0-1) - PGs possibly 1-2 points lower or HL is
1 pt lower than entry requirements
• Insurance (1-2) - PGs are typically 1-3 points below the
entry requirements

10. Additional Testing
• Few courses require this but do your research!
• Oxford & Cambridge (and a handful of other courses)
• November 2 at ISM
• Register by Friday, September 15 with Mr. Daoud
• Medicine & other Healthcare courses
• UKCAT - July 3-October 3 off-site
• BMAT - November 2 at ISM
• LNAT - required for some Law courses (8-10)
• September 1 - January 20 off-site
• IELTS - English language proficiency test
• Used for visa purposes
• off-site
• Can be used to demonstrate English proficiency for application if
the student does not meet the IB English requirements (typically a
‘4’ in IB English A SL or HL or a ‘5’ in IB English B HL)

11. What is Everyone Doing?
What the Student Does
• Fills out the Application
• Input the IB courses he/she
is taking
• Writes a Personal
Statement (and pastes into
the application)
• Additional UK University
aptitude tests such as
UKCAT, BMAT, Thinking
Skills Assessment, Physics
Aptitude Test etc.
• Sends the application to
the counselor to “approve”
What the HS Counselor Does
• Input Predicted IB grades
in the student’s
application
• Input the Teacher’s
Reference (we check the
reference)
• Double check
EVERYTHING
• Either Submit to UCAS or
return to student for
revision
Counselors also work with the student on the actual Personal Statement

12. Step 1 – Choosing Courses

17. A Few Trends in UK Admissions
• Amended Entry Requirements for IB students
• Kings College London: 35 points
• University of Birmingham: 32 points
• Royal Holloway, University of London: 32 points
• The University of Kent: 34 points or 15 at HL
• Leeds University: 35 points
• Entry based on HL Certificates (option for non-IBDP
students)
• The University of Hull (14 points @ HL)
• Nottingham Trent University (14 points @ HL)
• Cardiff Metropolitan University (14 points @ HL)
• Birmingham City University (14 points @ HL)
• Scotland Universities
• Minimum vs. Typical Entry Requirements
• depends on Fee Status

18. A Few Trends in UK Admissions
• Entering Fall 2018
• UK/EU
• Fee Status usually based on Passport AND Residency
• if assessed as UK/EU: £9,000 for England/Wales courses
• £0 for Scots/EU at Scottish universities
• May qualify for tuition bursary (loan) but not
maintenance loan
• International: Varies by course and uni (average ~~£20,000)
• Entering Fall 2019 and later:
• UK & EU passport holders - BREXIT Impact unclear
• Other passport holders - likely to be the same as this year
Fee Status - Every university assesses Fee Status on its own. You may
receive different decisions.

19. Other Resources for Research
• WhichUni
• UniStats
• The Guardian League Tables
• Universities Offering Combined (Joint) Honours Courses

20. UCAS: Setting Up an Account

21. UCAS: Setting Up an Account

22. UCAS: Setting Up an Account

23. UCAS: Registration
Select “Through my school/college”

24. UCAS: Buzzword
ISM UCAS Buzzword: ukbearcats2018

25. UCAS: Welcome Page
• Track
progress in
each section
• … means a
section is In
Progress
• means a
section is
complete

26. UCAS: Personal Details

27. UCAS: Personal Details

28. UCAS: Choices
• These are your 5 Course and Uni Choices
• Use the “see list” and ? to find your choices

29. UCAS: Education

30. UCAS: Education
• Add
each IB
class,
level,
EE, and
TOK
• Grade
should
be
Pending

31. UCAS: Employment

32. UCAS: Personal Statement

33. UCAS: Pay/Send
• A completed application has a next to
each section.
• To get a red checkmark, make sure to click
‘section completed’ and ‘save’ at the end
of each section
• Click Pay/Send
• This will Send your application to your
counselor
• Your counselor reviews your application,
add PGs and the Reference
• If anything needs to be changed, we send
it back to you
• Counselor submits final application
• You will be billed the application fee

34. 3 Key Application Components
1. IB Predicted Grades
2. The Personal Statement
3. The Reference Letter
All the same for all 5 course and
university choices!!!

35. IB Predicted Grades
• The first set of IB
Predicted grades will
come out Friday
October 6 (For any
applications with the
October 15 deadline)
• A second set (updated)
of IB predicted grades
will be Friday
December 1 (Any
students with the
January 15th
deadline)

36. The Personal Statement
• 4,000 characters with
spaces
• 80% about academics
• Include relevant
additional information
• Be formal and specific
• Show, don’t tell
• Supply evidence
• Be specific. Avoid
cliches like the plague.
Each paragraph:
A: Activity - describe
what you’ve done
B: Benefit - how did
this help you?
C: Course - link this
to the course

37. The Personal Statement:
A Few Tips
• Use the course entry profiles:
“The King's BA History degree programme is designed to develop your
critical thinking and independence of thought about the past. The
unrivalled range of modules ensures that you can choose a coherent
programme of study to match your interests whilst studying in central
London.”
• Show examples of work outside of class
• Don’t lie, exaggerate or plagiarise
• Read the course and university websites - they usually
provide tips!
• Durham University
• London School of Economics
• Goldsmiths, University of London
• As does UCAS...UCAS: Writing a Personal Statement

38. Personal Statement Workshop
•Thursday September 7
•3-4pm
•AMR
•Bring a first draft of the Personal
Statement
•An opportunity to work on and get
feedback on what has been completed so
far

39. Personal Statement:
Common First Lines
•From a young age I have been fascinated by...
•For as long as I can remember…
•I am applying for this course because…
•Throughout my life I have always enjoyed…
•Reflecting on my educational experience…
•Academically, I have always been…
•I have always wanted to pursue a career in…
•I have always been passionate about…

40. Personal Statement:
Some First Sentences...
• Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and David Beckham, have undoubtedly
gone down in history. They all had or have a passion, be it war or fighting
against racism. (History)
• As a big kid myself I have been drawn to the teaching profession to work
with people on the same wavelength as myself! Children say the funniest
things and never has a comedian come up with a one man show as
memorable as some children's one liners! (Primary Teaching)
• The word 'literature' conjures up many different things for many different
people – for me the word literature conjures up images of adventure,
escapism, knowledge and relaxation. (Creative Writing)
• I know what you picked up, I know which cup you drank from, and I know
which door you left the room by last. (Forensic Science)

41. The Reference Letter
• Students have already received both a verbal “yes” and a written
yes from their chosen teacher in a related subject
• Students are required to fill out a “Teacher Survey” in Naviance to
help their chosen teachers write this reference
• If the survey is not done yet, it should be done by September 9 for
early Oct 15 applications and September 30 for regular Jan. 15
applications.
• We have upcoming PD for teachers on the UK Teacher Reference
• High School counselors read over, add relevant information, and
check all references before submitting.

42. Deadlines
UCAS Deadline ISM Transcript
Request
Deadline
October 15 Medicine, dentistry, veterinary sci/med and
Oxford applications & Cambridge
applications* (see below note)
Sept 15
January 15 Application deadlines for most courses Nov 10 -
indicate UCAS
application
March 24 Many art and design courses (check each
course for deadline though!)
Nov 10
*Applicants to Cambridge University who would like to be interviewed in Asia
have a September 20 deadline (immediately tell your counselor)
*Applications can still be made after the January 15 deadline but offers are
only made if there are spaces in the course. are not guaranteed an equal
review.

43. UCAS Track

44. UCAS Track
•You can see what is
happening with your
application on Track
•Follow the progress
of your application
24/7
•See your choices and
personal information
•See offer details
•Reply to offers online

45. Decisions
1. Unsuccessful
2. Conditional Offer
3. Unconditional
Offer
•Or they can offer a
place on an
alternative course

46. Replying to Offers
•Once you have
decisions on all your
choices, you can hold
a maximum of two
offers.
•Firm – your first
choice
•Insurance – your
back up
•You decline any
remaining offers

47. Only Halfway There!
•If a student has
received a
conditional offer
from a university
(which is based on
his/her predicted
grades), he/she has
to meet that offer in
July
•Stay Strong / No
Senioritis

48. A few last points

49. Applications …only 10
• Student may apply to 10 applications worldwide
• The 5 UCAS universities count as 1 application!
• Possible to apply to US/Canada (other countries) in
addition to the UK
• Some UK universities accept the Common
Application for international applicants.
• Note: if you are applying with UCAS, you should
not use the Common Application to apply to any
additional Public UK universities!!!
• Certain restrictions are in place based on
passport

50. What students should be doing now?
• Communicating with parents and their counselor frequently
• Stay strong with the IB
• Finalizing their “strategic” 5 UK choices
• Working on their Teacher Survey (for the teacher who is writing
their Reference)
• Survey DEADLINES: September 9 (Oct 15) and September 30 (Jan 15)
• Working on their Personal Statement (sharing with their counselor)
Workshop – Thursday Sept 7
• Transcript Requests DEADLINES: September 15 (Oct 15) November 4
(for the rest)
• Signing up for any required testing - email Mr. Daoud by Sept. 15

51. Questions