So, you’ve done all your research and you have a massive spreadsheet that shows the pros, cons and costs of your university choices and you’re ready to make your application. What next?

Step 1: Join the Uni-Assist Hub webinar programme and attend our next webinar.

Our next webinar, Getting to Grips with the Nuts and Bolts of the UCAS Application Process, is the perfect starting point of your UCAS application. Company founder, Catherine Marx and university expert, Steve Martin will talk you through the application process and be available for a Q&A session at the end! Join Uni-Assist Hub by clicking this link.

(The real) Step 1: Create a UCAS account on the UCAS Hub

Here you’ll not only find loads of resources, but you will also find the magic gateway that allows you to take your first steps on the journey to university application success. Once you have registered and created an account, you’ll be able to being the application process.



*Top Tip* If you’re applying through a school or college, you will have a buzzword that links your application to them. Without it, they can’t see your application or upload your reference.

Step 2: Personal Information

This is a very simple section. Just your name, date of birth, and a few other optional questions.

Step 3: Contact and Residency

Here’s where you give your address, ‘phone numbers and email address. It’s very important that the email address is one you will check every day and isn’t one you’ve had since you were 8 years old. Virtually all the contact you will have from UCAS, and universities will be via this email address. If you are a British passport holder but are temporarily living overseas, then enter your UK address only here if you have one. You can also complete the Nominated Access section which will allow a teacher, parents, or university guidance consultant like me, speak to UCAS on your behalf. This can be particularly useful on results day.

Step 4: Education

This is the part where you include all the qualifications you’ve already completed like GCSES. You will need dates, exam boards and final grades. Next you enter your A Level/IB/BTEC subjects that you haven’t yet completed but select PENDING as the grade. Your school will then add the predicted grades in the reference at the end. Don’t forget that a wide range of other qualifications are useful for university entrance; things like EPQ, music qualifications above Grade 6, British Horse Society qualifications and many more.

Step 5: Employment

Here you have a chance to let the universities know about any paid or voluntary work that you’ve done over the last few years. Just a simple drop-down menu.

Step 6: Nationality

You will need your passport to hand for this one if you are not a UK National. If you have more than one passport and one of them is British, always give your British passport numbers as, regardless of your fee status, it means you won’t need a student visa to attend UK university. If your fee status is complicated, this section is very important, and you really do need to take professional advice from a university guidance consultant.

Step 7: Supporting Information

This section allows you to let the universities know if you have any circumstances that they need to know about so that they can support you when you arrive at university. This includes diagnosed physical and medical health conditions as well as diagnosed additional learning needs. This is categorically NOT about using those conditions to deny you a place. It’s about universities understanding your support needs.

Step 8: Finance and Funding

Here you tell UCAS whether you will be applying for a student loan or whether you will be paying privately.

Step 9: Personal Statement

In this section you have 4000 characters including spaces (about a side of A4) to sell yourself to university admissions tutors. Our next webinar is dedicated entirely to the personal statement which is a vital component of the entire application.

Step 10: Choices

Now you’re ready to enter the 5 choices (4 for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science) that you’ve decided upon after many months of research, support, and advice. You can enter them in any order and each university cannot see where else you have applied.

Step 11: Reference

This part is completed by your school and is the same length as the personal statement. The reference should support and complement everything you’ve said in your personal statement so that the admissions tutors are able to gain a sense of you as a person and a learner.

And that’s it. A simple and quick application process but underpinned by many months of research guidance and support. Good luck!

Our excellent education experts are ready and waiting for your questions and queries.

By booking you First Call today we can find the perfect consultant to help you with the application process if you need further support and advice.

Book your first call by clicking this link.