Tuesday 15th January is the UCAS deadline and believe it or not this is almost upon us, so we’d like to share some top tips to help make it as stress-free as possible. Your entire application, including a reference, must be sent to UCAS by 6pm to be classified as on time so it is best to be prepared early in order to avoid a last minute panic.
To apply on time and be in with the best chance of being accepted onto your preferred degree course at UCFB, please follow these simple tips.
Prepare a fantastic personal statement
Perfecting your Personal Statement is one of the most important stages when applying for higher education as it is the perfect opportunity to sell yourself and your achievements to the Admissions Team.
Here are some of our top tips to make you stand out from the crowd and show everyone why you deserve that all important place:
First impressions – Ensure your opening statement is punchy and interesting to get the reader’s attention
Amaze us – Everyone is special and unique, so tell us something amazing about you
Spelling bee – It might seem obvious, but always check and re-check your spelling and grammar to make sure it’s perfect
Helping hand – Ask for the help and opinion of others as proofreading and advice is invaluable
Sell yourself – Don’t rely on your grades alone, tell us about any work experience and your future career ambitions.
You don’t want to be rushing your personal statement at the last minute and risk missing out vital information. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time before the deadline to draft a version offline, ready to put in your application.
Make sure your reference is complete
When someone misses the deadline it’s often due to confusion about the reference section within the UCAS application. Your referee must complete a reference before your application can be sent, so don’t leave this too close to the deadline. You can check the status by logging in to the UCAS website and checking the message on the home screen.
If you’re applying through your school or college:
After you’ve sent your application to your school or college, you should see a message on the ‘Welcome page’ of the UCAS website. It’ll either say that your application has been sent or that we are waiting for your centre to finish your reference or send your application.
If your centre hasn’t completed a reference or sent your application, then it’s best to check with them that they’ll be able to complete this for you before the deadline.
If you’re applying independently:
Does the reference section have a red tick against it? If so then it’s been completed by your referee and you’ll be able to send us your application once you’ve completed all other sections. If the reference box has three green dots then it means it’s still incomplete. Speak to your referee to make sure they’re happy to provide you with a reference before the deadline.
You’ll need to pay for your UCAS application before it can be sent
As soon as your payment has been processed the ‘Pay/Send’ section within the UCAS website will be marked with a red tick. It’s worth leaving plenty of time to make a payment in case you encounter any problems. Don’t leave this until the last day.
If you’re applying through a centre, then your school or college won’t be able to process your application until you’ve made a payment so please make this sooner rather than later.
If you’re applying independently then the payment will be the last thing you need to do.
Give yourself a few days to make any last minute corrections
Sometimes your centre may return your application if they feel you’ve entered any information incorrectly or missed off important details. You’ll receive an email when this happens but to be sure you can check this when you log in to the UCAS website.
Once you’ve made the necessary changes you need to go through the ‘Pay/Send’ option. If you’ve made a payment already then you won’t be asked to do this again, you’ll only need to send your application back to your centre.
Once UCAS have received your application you’ll get an email from enquiries@ucas.ac.uk within 48 hours to confirm your application has been processed.
Good luck with your application!
Our dedicated Admissions Team are on hand to help you with your UCAS application. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us via email at studentenquiries@ucfb.com or telephone at 03332417333. Good luck with your application!
