7 Points Not To Miss While Making UCAS Application

UCAS Application - Your pathway to undergraduate study in the UK

Hoping to study undergraduate in the UK? Admissions to UK Universities require you to make an application through UCAS to a maximum of 5 Universities at the start of the application process.

Here are some crucial points you must not miss while considering to apply through UCAS: 

1. Register Your Referee: Only once your referee submits the recommendation letter online, will you be able to pay the UCAS application fee to finally submit your application. Thus, if you have not contacted your referee timely enough, it may cause you troubles. You must register your referee as soon as you begin with the UCAS Application. Your referee will receive an email with instructions on how to submit the reference letter online
2. Oxford and Cambridge Applications: 15th October in general is the date by which you must submit your application if you are applying to Oxford University or the University of Cambridge. You can also only apply to ONE of TWO Universities--not both. Any course in medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine/science should arrive at UCAS by this deadline only. Remember, this also means that your referee should submit the recommendation letter before 15th October
3. Personal Statement: Very popularly known as Statement of Purpose (SOP) in the Indian sub-continent, you can only enter up to 4000 characters (including spaces) and 47 lines of text (including blank lines) in the space available. We recommend you write the personal statement offline (in a word processor like Microsoft Word or Apple iWork Pages or Notepad) and ensure that you are within the character and line limit. Later, you could paste the personal statement while doing the online application. Remember--it is not essential to consume all the space while writing the personal statement. Not writing about your selected University is just fine. The same personal statement reaches out to all 5 Universities and writing 'your University' is not helpful
4. Missed out on the UCAS Application Deadline -- Don't Panic: While it is a good lesson to not miss out on deadlines in the future, if you did however miss out on applying timely to UK Universities through UCAS application, you can still submit your application. UCAS will still send your applications to your selected UK Universities but it would mean that the Universities do not have to essentially consider you for the targeted intake. Applications made through UCAS after 30th June in general will directly go in to UCAS Clearing
5. UCAS Application | UCAS Extra | UCAS Clearing: You did not secure admissions at any of your 5 selected UK Universities, you will have an opportunity to select an additional University through UCAS Extra. You still do not secure an offer, you will find UK University websites displaying information on Clearing Courses. This means that there are places still available on the programmes that are displayed in the Clearing. You must contact the University and as they instruct, submit your documents to them for a review. If the University indicates that you will be accepted, then you can use UCAS Clearing to officially apply to that UK University and secure your admission
6. Selecting Firm Choice and Insurance Choice on UCAS: Assuming you have received more than one offer from UK Universities, you must make a wise choice while selecting Firm and Insurance Choice. Once you have chosen, automatically the other University choices cancel out, which means even if you want, you cannot reapply to those Universities. Once you meet the condition of the 'Firm Choice', you will have to only accept it and in the event that you thought you can also go to the 'Insurance Choice' since you meet their academic conditions too, you will not be able to select that again. Select the 'firm choice' and the 'insurance choice' after spending enough time and be realistic about the selection
7. Sending All Documents: Although academic scores play the key role in your admissions to UK Universities especially at the undergraduate level, if you are great at extra-curricular activities, it is wise connecting with Universities and sending out all the documents pointing out key highlights on what you have achieved apart from your academics. Emails are a great way to connect with the Universities

Quick tips and information:

• Do follow the "Key Dates" available on the UCAS website. All deadlines are listed
• Always keep one back up (safe) option of a University while applying through UCAS
• Never miss your deadline on accepting admissions
• Prepare and appear for your English Language Proficiency test (eg. IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic) at least one month in advance to the application deadline. The validity of all these scores is 2 years. Take the test as early as possible
• Keep tracking your applications through UCAS Track. If you go to 'Choices', you will see the updated status on your admission

Good luck!


Did you know?
ILW helps you for free (absolutely no charge for counseling) with your UCAS application right from start to end ie. from shortlisting right set of Universities to helping you with applications, making a timeline, liaising with Universities if required, helping you make the final decision, selecting your firm and insurance choices, visa guidance, connecting you with other students, accommodation booking, flight tickets and forex. Connect with ILW.