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After A-Levels : Your Guide To UCAS

Published by SchoolAdvisor | Aug 07, 2018

Your palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy, could Eminem be describing the feeling leading up to getting exam results? As we all know judgment day is soon approaching for those who sat for their A-Levels, the day of reckoning is set to be on 16^th August 2018. The question is, what is your child going to do after they get their results?

For those of you who want to send your child to study in the United Kingdom, you need to sleep, eat and breathe UCAS. What is UCAS you ask? It is the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) portal.

The purpose of UCAS is to streamline all applications and increase the efficiency of the application process. You can apply to multiple universities (or different courses) and get updates on your applications through a single portal, as opposed to receiving 10 different emails from the universities you’ve applied to.  

How do you go about applying for UK universities? Well here is a step by step guide on your child’s next adventure.

• Register for a UCAS account. Once you have registered, you’ll be using your username and password to check in on your applications.
• Fill up the UCAS undergraduate application form online. Click here to begin. The UCAS application form allows you to apply to five different choices. You can apply to five different universities for the same degree course or five different degree courses at the same university. It’s your choice. Quick tip: You’ll have space for only one personal statement. If you have your mind set on one course, then build your personal statement around it!
• Wait for the universities’ response. After you've hit the ‘Submit’ button, the universities you’ve listed down will consider your application. You can check on your application status online using UCAS Track. UCAS will also forward the universities’ responses straight to you.
• Ensure you meet the conditions set by the university. If you receive an offer letter, it will typically be in the form of a conditional offer. This means that you will have to meet certain requirements before they can give you an unconditional offer letter.

Lao Tzu once said ‘’ The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step’’. This could be the step your child takes before embarking on their journey after A-Levels. So, fret not about the results, because you now know what to do after your child gets them.