1. Welcome to SRPA UCAS Information Evening
Inaugural evening, University and Colleges Application Service
Seem complex but it is logical
Housekeeping, Fire alarms, exits, mobile phones, questions at end

2. Purpose of the evening
Introduction to the university application process
Guidance on course and university selection
Guidance on personal statements
Advice for Oxbridge and early entry students
How you can support the process
UCAS processes applications for full-time courses at higher education providers in the UK.
There is a wealth of valuable information and supporting services for applicants and their parents, the links for which are in the booklet .

3. The role of UCAS
UCAS processes applications for full-time courses at higher education providers in the UK.
Information and support
UCAS processes applications for full-time courses at higher education providers in the UK.
There is a wealth of valuable information and supporting services for applicants and their parents, the links for which are in the booklet .

4. Choices available Higher education. Apprenticeships and traineeships.
Studying abroad.
Gap year.
Getting a job.
Understand the options available at
Apprenticeships give you the opportunity to work for an employer, earn a salary and gain a qualification at the same time. Traineeships provide essential training to prepare for work and gain skills to help you get an apprenticeship or a job.
Apprenticeships are available at different levels:
Intermediate level apprenticeship – equivalent to five GCSE passes.
Advanced level apprenticeship – equivalent to two A level passes.
Higher apprenticeship – can lead to NVQ level 4 and above, or a foundation degree.
From September 2015, some universities started offering degree apprenticeships – these are new and enable apprentices to achieve a full bachelor's or master's degree as part of their apprenticeship program.
For more information see:

5. Apprenticeship advice service
UCAS have launched an apprenticeships advice service to help students make informed decisions about their post-16 and post-18 opportunities.
Find out about:
the different types of apprenticeships
how to find and apply for apprenticeships
preparing for the application and interview process
With the predicted growth of Higher & Degree Apprenticeships you’ll also find a dedicated degree and professional apprenticeships section on ucas.com which profiles current programmes in more detail – from chartered surveying to broadcast engineering.

6. Why higher education? Opportunities whilst studying With a degree
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.
With a degree
The opportunity to follow their career path.
Better job prospects.
Many employers target graduates.
Higher earning potential.

7. Researching courses
Your son or daughter can use the UCAS search tool search.ucas.com
Can be searched by course type, provider and location to help students narrow down their options

8. Things to consider
There are a number of things for an applicant to consider when applying for higher education, such as:
the subject they enjoy – investing time, money and effort
if it is right for their career path – check with employers
location – city/rural, transport links
the study style that suits them
finances – course fees, travel and living costs
extra-curricular activities
Which modules are the most interesting and relevant to the applicants career aspirations?
How many lectures are there and how much group work will be done in seminars?
What combination of exams, coursework or presentations is the course assessed by?
Who are the tutors and are they experts in areas the applicant wants to learn about?
What subject areas do they specialise in?
Can applicants study abroad or get help with work placements?
Do they have sports facilities or societies to join?
How near home, a city center or the countryside are they?

9. Research – it’s free
Search tool – to look for providers, courses and minimum entry requirements.
Open days and virtual tours – a great way to explore campuses and facilities.
UCAS higher education exhibitions – useful to meet different universities and colleges, and explore options.
Learning from others – student videos, blogs and case studies.
Career options – our career finder tool is ideal for considering the options after education.
Our search tool has over 37,000 courses at over 370 providers in the UK. It includes detailed information about the universities and colleges, including a map showing where they are, and the courses they offer. Course information includes entry requirements, fees, UCAS deadline date for applying, and course start date. You can search by course, university or college, or location. There’s also a subject search for those who want to search by subject categories, as well as an A–Z list to look for individual subjects. Research is the most important part of the journey.
Every year, many applicants are unsuccessful for reasons that could have been avoided if they had undertaken better research. When UCAS interviewed current students in their second year asking them what advice they would give to their 18 year old self, ALL of the students said – ‘do more research!’ Nearly all courses on ucas.com have an Entry Profile that contains detailed information about what the provider is looking for in terms of their applicants – a bit like a job description. The best time to attend open days is before you submit your application – in plenty of time!
Find all the information about open days and virtual tours at
Find out about exhibitions at
Videos and case studies are available at
For career finder tool look at

10. Apply - key facts Application is entirely online.
Maximum of five choices (Aspirational, Expected, Reserve)
Some choice restrictions:
for medicine, veterinary science/medicine and dentistry there is a maximum of four choices
can only apply for either Oxford or Cambridge
Simple application cost (last year’s prices):
one choice – £13
two to five choices – £24
Equal consideration if deadlines are met.
Equal consideration – this means that if you meet the published deadlines then a provider must consider your application. Applications received after the deadlines will still be forwarded to universities and colleges, providing they have vacancies, but they are not obliged to consider them.
We send the application on to each of the chosen universities and colleges at the same time. Each university or college has access to the information about their choice only. They must not ask you to reveal your other choices. This is what we call invisibility. Only much later in the application cycle, when you have received decisions on all your choices and replied to any offers, will each university or college be able to see details of the other choices. This ensures that each university or college decides independently whether to offer a place and what conditions, if any, to attach to an offer. You do not need to rank your choices in order.

11. 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

12. Oxbridge Personal Statements
Less emphasis on personal statement as they interview about 75% of applicants. They may not ask about your personal statement at interview. You have to show depth of knowledge, passion for subject and evidence of deeper learning and critical analysis.
It is an holistic process of assessment where each applicant is treated as an individual.
Mrs Parker will offer support for the Oxbridge and Russell Group applicants
A mock interview is also offered for these and other students from either Mr Davis/Mrs Parker or a member of the relevant teaching team.
Applications received after deadlines will still be forwarded to universities and colleges, providing they have vacancies, but they are not obliged to consider them.

13. UCAS Application
My Role - UCAS Co-ordinator along with Head of Sixth Form
What do I do? – Set up UCAS ready for students and staff to access. Check applications , deal with queries
UCAS Undergraduate application for 2018 entry goes live on 23 May 17
SRPA Student registration will take place on June 15 during Aspire

14. Application Key Dates
6 September 2017: Completed 2018 entry applications can be submitted to UCAS
15 October 2017: Application deadline for Oxbridge and most courses in medicine, veterinary medicine/science and dentistry
17 November 2017: Internal school deadline for UCAS applications
15 January 2018: Deadline for the majority of undergraduate courses
NB There are a few courses that have a later deadline, make sure you know yours!
Evidence shows you are better applying earlier than later

15. Completing UCAS ‘Hints and tips’ booklet Personal statement drafts
GCSE certificates
Queuing system
Application processing
Predicted grades
References
Students will be issued with a ‘hints and tips’ booklet there is also useful information on the UCAS website.
Personal statements, drafts to be checked by form tutor, final version to be checked by Head of Sixth Form before being up loaded onto application.
Have GCSE certificates to hand when completing applications.
When applications have been completed, payment details should be entered, declarations confirmed and then sent. At this point applications will come to school.
Students should Mrs Beaven where the application is then added to a waiting list which is strictly adhered to. Notification on office door of queue position.
Each application can initially take between 30 and 45 minutes to check, plus time thereafter to check through changes.
Predicted grades, students will be provided with a form which is signed and dated by students, staff and parents before being uploaded onto application.
References are completed by form tutors and attached to the application at the time it’s sent. Students should ensure tutors are aware they are applying.

16. The application process

17. UCAS Process Timeline September (Year 13) UCAS opens for applications
15 October (Year 13)
Deadline for Oxbridge, Medicine, Dentistry, Vet Science
15 January (Year 13)
Main UCAS application deadline
24 March (Year 13)
Deadline for some Art & Design courses
25 February (Year 13)
UCAS Extra opens for applications
Jan/Feb (Year 13)
Student Finance England opens for applications
8 June (Year 13)
Deadline for students to make Firm & Insurance choices
Early June (Year 13)
Deadline for Student Finance England to guarantee funding
July/August
Results Day
Clearing
Adjustment

18. University Admission Process
Complete
UCAS Application
Admissions receive
Your application
Offer sent out
Invite to Interview
Offer sent out

19. UCAS Application Four main sections:
Personal details and application choices
Qualifications gained and pending
Personal statement
School/College academic reference
Cost of application:
£13 for one course
£24 for more than one
Remember to nominated a
Additional contact for your application

20. What do Admissions Tutors look for in an application?
Appropriate academic qualifications
A good personal statement
A good academic reference
A well prepared and thought out application- a last minute job will be easily noticed

21. Qualifications, Personal Statement and Academic Reference
Important, enter all your qualifications, grades and predicted grades
Take your time completing your personal statement and sell yourself
Your statement is a tutors first impression of you
Don’t rely on your qualifications alone
Academic reference is a written recommendation of your suitability

22. Getting your reply from the University
Offer
Conditional (Awaiting results)
Unconditional (No results outstanding)
Unsuccessful
Interview
Your chance to meet some of the academics and get any questions you would like to ask answered
Our chance to get to know you better, find out more about what you have written in your person statement and make sure you would be the right fit for the course

23. Replying to the University
Offer
Firm Accept (Your first pick)
Insurance (If you don’t achieve your firm choice)
Decline
Interview
Make sure you can make the date that is offered, if you can’t contact the University to rearrange as soon as possible
Check to see what you will have to bring with you. Sometimes this can be a portfolio or in the case of subjects dance appropriate clothing

24. Other things to consider?
What we will cover
Other things to consider?
UCAS Extra/Clearing
UCAS Extra:
Clearing:
Cancelling/Change your applications
To cancel or change your application after you have made your choice you will need to contact UCAS and the Universities involved separately.
Once UCAS has heard from the student and each of the Universities the change can then be made.
Once your son or daughter has an idea of the type of campus environment they may like to study in, the next step will probably be the one you think about and not them.
Such as how far away?
How do you get there and back?
Do you realise how much it will cost to live there!
No you can’t live in a tent to save costs! Most universities now only offer self-catered accommodation.
Some campuses (University of Manchester for instance approx. 40,000 students) and cities are very big, others small, or smaller. Try to find out what they would be comfortable with. Again what suits one person will not suit the next.
So once a number of institutions have been researched, the next and by far biggest step comes; Visiting on an Open Day.

25. Final thoughts on the application process
Double check all of the details that you put into your application including making sure you have entered all of your grades correctly
Think about and plan your personal statement in advance, one of the main reasons for late applications is the time is takes to write a good personal statement
If you are ever unsure about the entry requirement for a course you are interested in contact the University directly
If you are unsuccessful in an application contact the University to find out why as it may be that you have missed some of your grades out of your application

26. Thanks for listening… Open Days: Contact Us: Friday 7th July
Saturday 8th July
Saturday 23rd September
Saturday 7th October
Saturday 21st October
Saturday 11th November
Saturday 25th November
Wednesday 13th December
Contact Us:
/UniversityofLincoln
@UniLincoln

27. Tracking applications
Track will allow your son or daughter to:
follow the progress of their application online
see their choices and personal information
see their offers
reply to offers online

28. What your son/daughter should be doing now?
Research
Extra curricular
Work experience
Go beyond the syllabus
Focus on this year’s studies

29. Student Finance
Students will receive a talk on student finance and the application process.
Completed with parents as requires personal and financial details.
Means tested support with everyone getting a minimum amount.
Parent meeting once the application process is complete to support students completing their next steps.
Process managed through

30. How can you support them?
Use the parents/guardians section of the UCAS website/Parent Guide publication – 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 son/daughter’s management of their application.