FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW THE FIRST TIME YOU LOG ONTO THE SYSTEM   Log onto the Internet and access www.ucas.com. Click on the "Student Login 2017 entry" on the left-hand side of the page The page which appears next will have two sections: “Log in” and “Register” The first time you go to this page click on “register”. (On subsequent occasions, when accessing Apply, you will click on “log in”.) Click on "next". Read the details on the page and then click on “next”. You will now be presented with a page of Terms and Conditions - click on the "accept" box at the bottom of the page and then click on “next”. Fill in your details on this page, using the drop-down menus where appropriate. Click on “next”. Fill in the “Previous contact with UCAS” page. (If you have applied to UCAS before, you will need to enter your ID number. If you have a current UCAS card, you will need to enter the card number.) Click on “next”. “Postal address” page. Click on “U.K.” and then ”next”. “Your postcode” page. Enter details and click on “next”. “Confirm address” page. Check that details are correct. If not, click on “previous” and amend. If okay, click on “next”. “Personal details” page. Enter contact details (e.g. phone number, email) and tick the appropriate box (indicating how you want UCAS to contact you). Click on “next”. “Security” page. Choose a password which should be between 6 and 14 characters and must include at least 1 number and 1 letter. Make a note of your password. It will not be displayed at a later stage.

Refer to Sixth Form Office You will then choose four security questions (from drop down menus) and enter answers to these. You must remember your answers to these questions as you will be asked one or more of them if you lose or forget your password. Make sure you enter answers that cannot easily be guessed by others. “Success” page. Make a note of your username which appears at the top of the page. It will not be displayed at a later stage. Click on “Log in now”. Initial UCAS questions: “How are you applying?”. Click on “through my school/college” and then ”next”. Enter buzzword: Click on “next”. “Which centre?” page. Check that Virgo Fidelis Convent Senior School appears and click on “yes” beside the question “Is this correct?”. Click on “next”. “Tutor group” page. Select your Tutor group from the drop-down menu. Click on “next”. “Welcome” page. Make a note of your Personal ID. You will need to quote this whenever you contact UCAS or any of your university choices. The list on the left-hand side of the page shows the sections which you have to complete. Refer to Sixth Form Office APPLYING TO UNIVERSITY You will now be able to complete/return to your application form whenever you wish. You can access it from any computer that has an Internet connection. Each time, you will need to go to www.ucas.com and click on “Apply” followed by “student login 2017 entry”. You will always need to enter your username and password. Remember to “save” each time you input information and to log out at the end of each session. You can rework and resave details as often as necessary before submitting the final version.

Some useful hints about completing the form Do not enter a previous surname unless you have legally changed this. Do not enter your current surname twice! Nationality: choose from the drop down menu. If you are British choose "UK National". Residential category: choose from the drop down menu but for many students this will probably be UK/EU National. If you have a criminal conviction you MUST tick the box. Failure to make such a declaration would be a criminal offence and could jeopardise the success of your application. Student support - fee code - choose from the drop down menu but for the majority of students this will probably be "02” indicating that you will be applying for a student loan. The code “01” indicates private finance - do not enter this unless you intend to pay all costs yourself. Those applying for nursing may be eligible for a bursary and the relevant code is “05” (but you need to check this with the universities to which you are applying). Examples: Croydon = London Borough of Croydon Brixton = London Borough of Lambeth Dual National Identity - leave this blank unless you have two passports. Click "not applicable" Summer School Attendance - leave blank if you have not attended any. Education: fill in Virgo Fidelis Convent Senior School (14386) and any other secondary schools attended. Use the search facility to find the centre code. If your centre code is not listed then you will need to look on your examination results slip. Click on GCSE and enter all your GCSEs. You will need the exact name of the subject, the grade and the examining board. You will find all this information on your results slip. When entering your current subjects you may include the grades of units/modules taken so far if you wish. The final grade for an exam to be taken at a future date will of course be listed as pending. Employment history refers to any paid employment which you have undertaken in the past or have at present (e.g. Saturday job, holiday work). Personal Statement Firstly, carefully re-read the sheets you have been given about writing personal statements and refer to notes taken during the presentation by Jane Marshall from Imperial College and workshop organised by Elaine Wiltshire. Remember it cannot exceed 4,000 characters. You should prepare a draft of your personal statement in Word. Print off a copy of your statement and discuss this with your Form Tutor during a designated Tutorial. He/she may suggest ways in which the statement could be improved/corrected. Prepare the final draft of your statement and again discuss this with your Form Tutor. Once you are both satisfied that the personal statement is suitable, cut and paste the document into the Personal Statement section of your online application. You must remember to save your work. If you log out without saving, then all your work will be lost!

Completing the Online Application   If you have missed something out from your application then you will be made aware of this as the form will be highlighted in red. Scroll through your form and check it over to see that it is correct and carefully check spellings. Upon completion of the form, you will be presented with a screen which asks you whether you want to "edit", "view" or "send to referee" - DO NOT SEND TO REFEREE.   Click on "view" and check the form over paying attention to course codes, university codes, spelling, punctuation and grammar. Make sure there are no mistakes on it. Click on “view” and print out a copy. Show this to your Form Tutor who will check it and advise you if there need to be any alterations. Only "send to referee" once your Form Tutor has told you to do so. This is VERY IMPORTANT. If you send the form to your referee and there are mistakes, it is very difficult to alter it. There may be significant delays in processing your application if you do not show your form to your Form Tutor and correct errors before you "send to referee". Read the declaration and then click on "I agree". Enter your credit/debit card details in order to pay. Once you have clicked on "send to referee" your Form Tutor, Dr Andreou or Miss Masarati will add the reference. Your application will be checked by Mrs Ramage, who will forward it to UCAS as soon as possible. Please remember that this is a lengthy process. It is essential that you meet the deadlines set and attend school for Registration, Tutorials and Assembly as a great deal of important information will be given out at these times. The school is closed for ten days over half term. It is in your interests to ensure that your application is completed well before half-term.

DEADLINES FOR RECEIPT OF COMPLETED APPLICATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS: UCAS DEADLINES FOR RECEIPT OF COMPLETED APPLICATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS: SCHOOL DEADLINE UCAS DEADLINE   Applications to Oxford/Cambridge 23rd September 2016 15th October 2016 Applications for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science 23rd September 2016 15th October 2016 All other applications 21st October 2016 15th January 2017 Please remember - in order to give yourself the best possible chance of success, you must submit your application early. If you fail to meet the school’s deadline, we cannot guarantee that your application will reach UCAS on time. If you have any questions regarding the UCAS procedure, please speak to Mrs Ramage.

Making your application to UCAS Summary to the registration procedure Register for APPLY and complete your application form according to the instructions given in the following pages and those online. When you think you have finished the form DO NOT click “send to referee”. Print it off and let your Form Tutor read it and check it. Once your Form Tutor has checked it and you both agree that everything is correct on your form, you might click “send to referee” If, during this time, alterations are needed to your form, you will be required to do this as speedily as possible. If you do not attend Registration, Tutorials and Assembly your form may be delayed. This process takes time, especially if your Form Tutor is dealing with several applications. Payment must be made be online by debit/credit card upon completion of the application form by the student. The current fee is £24.00. (Any student applying to just one university would pay £12.00.) All students will benefit by submitting their forms as early as possible

REMEMBER It is your responsibility to check institution codes, course codes and that the applications you make are realistic. Your predicted grades must match those required by the University. You must also ensure that you register for any admissions tests relating to the courses for which you are applying. This applies in particular to students applying to Oxford or Cambridge and those wishing to study Medicine, Veterinary Science, Dentistry and Law. Some of the more demanding universities also require students to sit tests for certain subjects (e.g. Mathematics in the case of Warwick University and Biomedical Science in the case of Imperial College London). It is essential to check the prospectus/website of each of the universities to which you intend to apply. : www.lnat.ac.uk online test for prospective students of Law www.ukcat.ac.uk online test for prospective students of Medicine, Veterinary Science and Dentistry www.bmat.org.uk The ‘bmat’ (taken in school) is mainly for prospective students of Medicine, Veterinary Science, Dentistry and some other related courses. The ‘elat’ (taken in school) is for those intending to read English at Oxford. The ‘step’ (taken in school) is for those intending to read Maths at Cambridge, Warwick and Imperial. The ‘Oxford TSA’ and the ‘Cambridge TSA’ are used to assess the thinking skills of those applying to Oxford or Cambridge and cover a range of courses. Arrangements for these tests vary.