There are many students who dream of being able to enter a university in England. But before you can enrol in an institution of this type, one step is now essential : the famous UCAS (University and Colleges Admissions Services) system.
UCAS : a definition
Each country has more or less its own system of entry to university or to the grandes écoles. UCAS is the system in force in the United Kingdom. It allows you to manage all student applications to universities and other specialized colleges. Thanks to this system, which is supposed to simplify the process, students can apply to several institutions directly in one go. However, if the system appears to be simpler, it is still important not to be overwhelmed by the administrative procedures and above all, not to forget the main key dates.
Among the main objectives of UCAS, therefore, to simplify all the procedures as we said above, but also to implement a reduction of inequalities by ensuring that all students, regardless of where they live, can have access to the platform and have a chance to enter the university of their choice. Finally, it is also a question of facilitating communication between students and the universities of their choice.
UCAS can be used for British students, but not only, since students from other countries can also apply on the platform, not to mention people who wish to resume their studies.
How does the UCAS system work?
Several steps are necessary to be able to register on this platform.
It is often compared to what is found in France under the name of Parcoursup.
Students must therefore first create an account on the www.ucas.com website.
This will allow you to fill in the files, and to choose the desired training. It is also via this platform that application follow-ups take place, so it is essential to keep your login details.
Once the application has been completed, students will be able to choose a maximum of five courses. These courses can be found in the same institution or in different universities.
A cover letter is then requested to complete the initial application. Get help with your cover letter !
This letter is often referred to as a "personal statement". It is generally requested that it does not exceed 4000 characters (and not words), so that recruiters have time to read all the applications. A letter that is too long is often prohibitive.
It’s in this letter that students explain why they have choosen a formation or another.
They have to describe their skills and knowledges.
In addition to the cover letter, it is also strongly recommended to provide a so-called letter of recommendation, which will be written by a high school teacher or a member of the teaching team.
An application fee applies, it is about 27 pounds sterling for five choices made. It is possible that this amount may change depending on the year.
There is no point in submitting an incomplete application, as it will be systematically refused. Once the application has been submitted, students receive "offers", which are equivalent to offers of admissions.
Pay attention to key dates !
As we have specified above, UCAS is a very rigorous system, so the dates must be respected.
For applications of the medicine, Oxford or Cambridge type, the deadline is 15 October. January 31 corresponds to all other training.
February 25 is the deadline to add choices.
Between May and July, students receive their answers and the corresponding offers. In August, the clearing procedure began. This is the possibility that is left to students to apply for the remaining places.
Tips
It is important to take the time to choose your training, it is a choice that will condition many things later. You have to look at the opportunities, the possible consequences, and above all choose a course that is of interest to the student. UCAS has a search engine to help students with their decisions.
Some specialized sites can also be an important help in terms of orientation during any hesitations. Depending on the grades obtained in high school and what students are interested in in life, several courses can be offered.
We were talking earlier about the cover letter.
We must not forget to take care of it because it is a very important element that will weigh in the balance in the answers given by the universities. Don't forget to reread it to correct mistakes and take care of the syntax.
UCAS does not tolerate any delays, so be careful to submit your application on time. The cover letter is not written at the last minute, it is preferable to prepare it in advance, as soon as students have an idea of what they want to choose as an orientation.
Among the other tips that can be provided, remember to prepare the tests in advance as well. Indeed, some courses require tests, such as LNAT for the law course or BMAT for medicine. Here too, these are not tests to be prepared in a hurry, there are many candidates and the places are not unlimited.
The different types of "offers"
Universities can make different offers.
The first, "conditional offer", is, as its name suggests, an admission based on certain criteria, most often grades.
An "unconditional offer" is guaranteed.
A "rejection" is a pure and simple rejection.
The student then chooses his first choice and his emergency choice.
Conclusion
UCAS is therefore a gateway of choice for a large number of profiles, under certain conditions. Indeed, candidates must respect a certain number of criteria, such as deadlines, the care taken in the cover letter or even special attention to their choices. Now more than ever, UCAS is a way to facilitate all the procedures related to admission applications and to reduce inequalities between students.
When the system is well understood by all, UCAS increases everyone's chances of getting into a good school.