Top Tips and Advice for Applying to University in the UK 

• Author: Robson Peisley – Ecology and Conservation BSc, School of Applied Sciences 

Applying to university can be a minefield, especially if you’re not sure of the process. I remember it was a struggle for me as I was the first in my family to go to university, and it was all completely new to me.

In this blog post I am going to share what I wish I knew about the UCAS application process, my top tips, the step-by-step process, and common mistakes to avoid. I will also delve into the personal statement and what to include in this, as it is key to making a successful application.

What is the UCAS Application Process? 

UCAS, which stands for the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, is the centralised service for university applications in the UK. It allows students to apply for up to 5 university courses in each main applicant cycle. The process includes sharing your personal details, adding your education and employment history, and writing a personal statement before paying an application fee. 

Choosing the Right Course and University 

Several factors will influence which universities and courses you choose for your application. You may have a target career and will therefore know your target course, for example, if you’re aspiring to become a pharmacist you will apply for pharmacy courses. If you have always wanted to study a particular subject you will likely apply to courses in this subject area, or perhaps you just want to continue studying one of your A-Level subjects, all of these are valid reasons for choosing the right course for you! 

Another factor that may influence your decision is whether you would prefer to live at home and become a commuter, if that’s the case you will want to pick universities which are a commutable distance from your home address. Or perhaps you aspire to live and study in a certain region and will therefore want to pick universities in that area. Deciding on how you would like to experience University can be a great place to start when deciding which one is right for you. 

If you don’t know what course you want to study, then ask yourself these questions: 

• Do you have a particular interest?
  If you have always loved a certain topic then university could be a great time to study this more formally and in more depth. Courses can be wide ranging and very specific, there are over 35,000 different courses according to UCAS. 

• Is there a particular sector you are aspiring to?
  If you know that you want a job in the environmental sector then it is probably best to research environmental degrees, whereas if you want to work in the financial sector then you should consider finance and economics degrees. The UCAS website has a search function where you can filter by subject area. 

• Do you have a particular skill you want to develop?
  For those with more creative interests, university can be a great opportunity to receive training in your craft. There are specialist degrees in a wide range of art and design disciplines such as textiles, animation, and photography. 

Writing a Standout Personal Statement 

Your personal statement is your chance to sell yourself to the universities. On paper there are lots of applicants with similar grades, so what makes you different?

The goal of the personal statement is to make yourself stand out and prove that you are the ideal student for your chosen course, this is done by primarily addressing three questions: 

• Why do you want to study this course or subject?  

• How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?  

• What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences helpful?  

Try to avoid generic statements that lots of people will use; admissions tutors see plenty of phrases like “ever since I can remember I have always had a passion for xyz.” Although true, these statements don’t help you stand out, as most people are applying for a course that they have a passion in.

Try to showcase experiences and the personal development they have driven, for example, if you are applying for a course in nursing maybe this was inspired by volunteering in a nursing home? Perhaps you are applying for politics due to an interest in a specific area you learnt about in a particular book, or biomedical sciences because of an illness in your family?

Try to find what makes you unique, and remember it is important to be genuine! 

Gathering Strong References

My biggest tip for getting strong references is to ensure that you are making a good impression at your school, college or sixth form. For most prospective students, their reference will be a teacher or advisor at their current educational institution. For example, when I was applying for university my Head of Sixth Form handled all the references and would ask each of our subject teachers for their input in this. Friends of mine at different sixth forms had their references filled by their form tutor and some by the teacher which taught their 16-18 subject which was closest to their chosen degree path. 

As you can tell, there is some variation, and it is always best to reach out to your place of study to see what they do. Likewise, if you are applying after some time out of education you will likely choose your reference yourself, which would be someone who knows you professionally.

It is important to note that you may have an internal deadline for your application, as places of education will want some time in between when you submit your application and the UCAS deadline to look over your application and provide a suitable reference. 

Meeting Application Deadlines

Each year there is a main UCAS deadline as well as an early deadline. The early deadline is normally in the middle of October and is for applications to medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine, as well as all applications to the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. 

The standard UCAS deadline is normally towards the end of January and applies to most universities and courses. If you miss this there is no need to panic as there are still options for applying to university, predominantly through clearing.

Preparing for University Interviews

If you’re doing a course with an interview component, such as a healthcare or education course, then it is important to be thoroughly prepared for this. Course pages are the easiest way to see if this is applicable for your application.

Universities and courses which require an interview normally provide tips and advice on the process, and it can be helpful to compile this information into a mental checklist to ensure that you showcase the right attributes. 

Schools and colleges can also be a great support with university interviews, and it can be worth speaking to someone at your school to see if they can provide interview support, feedback, or a mock interview.

Gaining Relevant Experience 

Gaining experience, either through work, volunteering, or extracurricular activities can have a huge impact on what you include in a personal statement, which is an important aspect of the application process. These experiences allow you to showcase why you are interested in your subject area and why you are an ideal candidate. 

For example, if you are applying for an environmental course then relevant volunteering experience would help you make a compelling statement and showcase your commitment to your subject area. Similarly, discussing activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh awards can show a variety of soft skills which can be a boost to a variety of course areas. 

Predicted Grades and What They Mean

All university courses have entry requirements on their course pages. It is important to make note of these when you are making your application choices, as some universities will reject any applications which have expected grades lower than their entry requirements.

A great way to ensure that you receive an offer is to apply for aspirational, realistic, and safe choices. This provides you with an opportunity to get into your dream university, aspirational choice, whilst also applying to universities where you exceed the requirements and are therefore more likely to get in, a safe choice. 

Here at the University of Brighton, we have what is known as a flexible admissions policy. This means we give entry requirements as a guide, but our admissions team aim to look at you as an individual should you not meet the entry requirements. It is important to note that this isn’t a guarantee and may not be possible for all courses or applications. Other options include looking into integrated foundation years, where you complete an extra year prior to your main degree to prepare you. 

Funding University Study

Most home applicants apply for student finance. This is based on where you live prior to starting your degree, for example, a Welsh student studying in England would still apply to Student Finance Wales. There is a tuition fee loan for all students, and a means tested maintenance loan. Other options of financing your studies include grants and scholarships, however these are incredibly competitive. 

Most students, especially those who move away for university, find that their maintenance loan is not enough to fund their living costs. As a result, lots of students engage in part time work throughout their degree. Whilst this may seem daunting, it is a great way to top up your income and build up your CV.

What Happens Next?

Once you submit an application you can track it via the UCAS hub. Once your chosen universities have made a decision on your application, you will be notified to check the UCAS hub via email.

Once you have heard from all your chosen universities on your application, you will be able to accept your firm and insurance choices. If you are awaiting results these will likely be conditional offers which are subject to the required grades being achieved in your 16-18 qualifications. Once you have achieved the requirements your offer will become unconditional. 

Then, once you have accepted an unconditional offer you are set to become a student at your chosen university! At this point, communications will likely come from the university regarding your next steps in the university process. 

For more resources on the application process and for further information about the University of Brighton, you can check out the ‘Applying to Brighton’ page, I wish you the best of luck in your application!