Applying to UK Universities

If you are struggling with 11+ or even nursery applications wait until your children have to apply to Uni! UCAS is the organisation responsible for managing applications to higher education courses in the UK, and their website has all the information parents and students need, but it is quite overwhelming.  

 

Did you know that there are nearly 50,000 possible courses to apply for? The traditional broad courses such as Biology can be broken into 45 different specific courses making the choice for selecting the right one very challenging. Moreover, you can study subjects that did not exist a few years ago: Band, Watersports Studies, Hair and Beauty Management just to name a few. So the first step is to identify the precise course to study and then understand where that course is offered. Each university will require different grades so it is very important to look into each course’s entry requirements. It is possible to apply to up to 5 universities and the same personal statement is submitted to all of them. The personal statement is a sort of CV that needs to show why the student wants to study that particular course and what he or she has done in the past years that is relevant for the choice. The school also submits a reference for the student which is generally confidential and carefully written. Unless the child decides to take a Gap Year, they usually apply with predicted grades that their teachers believe they are going to achieve at the A level or IB. 

Admission officers are looking, in addition to  a good academic level, for students highly motivated and passionate that would be a good fit for that school. Many of them like to interview candidates to have a better idea not only of their knowledge and skills but also of their thinking pattern and personality.

 

Even if your son or daughter does not want you to go with them, you should always accompany them as it is really inspiring to go to open days or interviews and see and feel the vibe of a university campus. For me, as the parent of a boy in a very British, strict and traditional school, it has been a real breath of fresh air to see the independence and freedom that university students have. I was also glad to have an excuse to visit some other UK cities like Newcastle and Manchester and see how different life if there compared to London. During these visits I have been lucky enough to meet many clever and witty professors and students and each time I wish I could go back to Uni!

By Alessandra Gnudi 

Visit the FOCUS website www.focus-info.org