Universities in the UK
Study for a UK Degree
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Rising Expectations You'll be encouraged to learn not just what to think, but how to think. Enjoy the learning experience and explore the vast arrays of courses and qualifications offered by colleges and universities across the UK. For more information how to choose your degree and institution in the UK click here for a PDF file. To look for courses and universities visit EducationUK. |
How to apply to study in the UK?
UCAS (Universities & Colleges Admissions Service) is a clearing house for applications for virtually all undergraduate degree programmes at British universities or colleges. To visit the official website for UCAS click the image.
As nearly all British higher education institutions are members of UCAS, nearly all those wishing to study for first degrees in the UK must apply through UCAS. This applies to all categories of applicants - UK residents, residents of the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, European Union citizens, and other international applicants. Applicants submit a single application via UCAS's website with a list of up to six courses for which they are applying,
The application also includes current qualifications, employment and criminal history, a personal statement and a reference (which generally includes predicted grades if the applicant is still in education). The application is then forwarded by UCAS to the institutions applied to, who decide whether to make an offer of a place.
If one's application is submitted by the deadline, one would expect to hear from all 6 choices by 28 March. If candidates find themselves without any offers or have declined all of their offers, they may apply for an additional course that still has sufficient places through the process of UCAS Extra in April. Otherwise, they would go through the UCAS Clearing process.
Offers are either conditional, i.e. dependent on future examination performance, or unconditional. Once the applicant has received responses from all the institutions applied to, they must respond by accepting up to 2 available, one Firm Acceptance (F) and one Insurance Acceptance (I) whereas the remainder are Declined (D). There are only 4 possible offer combinations:
- UF (Unconditional Firm, no Insurance offer)
- CF (Conditional Firm, no Insurance offer)
- CF UI (Conditional Firm Unconditional Insurance)
- CF CI (Conditional Firm Conditional Insurance)
If the applicant has accepted conditional offers then he/she will automatically have a place at that institution if the requirements have been met by 1 September on the year of application, even those for deferred entry (e.g. those that applied for 2005 or 2006 entry in the 2005 cycle must meet the conditions by 1 September 2005).
In addition, many institutions still consider accepting students that narrowly missed their conditional offer provided there are sufficient places for admissions. Otherwise, if the candidates have achieved the conditions for the Insurance offer (or if this offer is unconditional), they will be admitted in the Insurance course.
Final place confirmations are generally made in mid-August, when the results of the A-level and Higher Grade examinations become available.
If candidates miss the conditions on both the Firm and Insurance offers and there are not sufficient places for admissions on either course, The UCAS Clearing system allows candidates to apply for any course that has places at that time.
UCAS imposes a uniform and fairly rigid timetable on the undergraduate applications process: the deadline is normally 15 January. However, applications to Oxbridge and for medicine, dentistry and veterinary science have an earlier deadline, usually 15 October. Additionally, both Oxford and Cambridge require their own application form to be filled in and returned directly to them. Those applying for art and design 'Route B' courses normally have until 15 March to apply. The process through this route is very different. Candidates can accept offers through a combination of routes A and B should they wish.
The system is sophisticated and allows for many different routes. Its advantages for both applicants and institutions are that it eliminates duplication of effort, and provides a fair and consistent framework within which both applicants and institutions can compete.
You can request the UCAS information pack from our offices;
British Council, 192 El Nil Street
Agouza, Cairo, Egypt
T 202 300 1860-1 F 202 344 3076
Ucas.apply@britishcouncil.org.eg
British Council, 11 Mahmoud Abou EL Ela Street
Kafr Abdou, Rushdy, Alexandria, Egypt
T 20 (0) 3 545 6512 F 20 (0) 3 545 6513
