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UCAS is an important step in applying to University. UCAS is the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, who process applications on behalf of nearly all Universities and Colleges in the UK.
When you apply for University though UCAS, it’s important to note that your application isn’t sent to your chosen Universities right away, it goes through us first, so we can triple-check your application, and so that we can add your reference.
When we’ve done this, we’ll speak with you, and make sure you’re happy with your application, and with your consent, we’ll submit your application to UCAS.
If you fail to meet Woodkirk UCAS deadlines then we cannot guarantee that you will meet any UCAS deadlines.
UCAS Application Process – Year 12
Download our UCAS Application Process guide for Year 12 students and their parents. This guide is designed to outline the UCAS application process and give an overview of how the process works, the various stages to be completed by students and others involved in the process and actions that can be taken to make the process manageable and as free from stress as possible.
Key Dates
- You should start researching course choices and the options available to you.
Early in Year 12, you will spend time researching course choices and the options available to you in your tutorial sessions, even if you are unsure that you actually do want to study at university. You should undertake as much research as possible so that any choices that you make are well-informed.
- You should start visiting university open days and conducting a detailed exploration of courses.
At this point, you should consider the universities that you might like to attend, and the details of the courses available at your chosen universities. You should be aspirational in your choices – conversations with your parents and teachers can help guide your decisions around your future here.
- Writing your personal statement
You should begin writing your personal statement in March of Year 12, and you should ideally have completed your first draft by the end of Year 12. The personal statement is one of the most important aspects of any UCAS application, and it’s a great opportunity for you to “sell” yourself to universities that you might want to attend.
- Register with UCAS
- Begin completing the application form
Sessions will be run in school with all students attending one session to register with UCAS, and to start the application form. We will be asking students who do not wish to study at university to undertake this registration process too, as we have students who change their minds every year, and this becomes a rush to register and submit applications on time.
- Your subject references will be completed
Staff will complete references for all students, and your form tutor will also complete a reference. These references will then be combined by the Sixth Form team into one complete reference, which is then added to the UCAS form, along with your predicted grades and your personal statement.
- UCAS opens for applications to be submitted
When you submit your UCAS application, it doesn’t go right to UCAS (this is why any school deadlines are so important). Your application is sent to school for checking and completing. You cannot submit your own application to UCAS, so it’s absolutely vital that you have checked and completed your application according to the Woodkirk deadlines.
- School deadline for the submission of applications for early entry courses
- Registration deadline for university admissions tests
Early entry courses include applications to Cambridge and Oxford (Oxbridge), in addition to medical, veterinary and dental courses, as well as many applications to conservatories.
Some universities may require the completion of additional admissions assessments or tests, such as BMAT or LNAT examinations. You need to register for these, and there is no flexibility on deadlines for the registration for these assessments. Some of these assessments may be taken in schools, and others require you to attend specific venues. You must be aware of which exams that you need to take, and when you need to register by. We will help you as much as we can, but we won’t necessarily know the specific exams or tests (or combinations of these) that you need to take.
- UCAS deadline for the submission of early entry courses.
- School deadline for the submission of all applications not included in the early entry list.
- Student Finance applications open
- UCAS Extra opens
Completing your student finance application can seem like a daunting task. Usually, in March of Year 13, applications can be made for student finance. Completing your student finance application early will help you to avoid unnecessary stress nearer to university enrolment dates.
Learn more about the Student Finance application process (opens in a new tab) →
UCAS Extra is a service which allows you to add additional courses to your application if:
- you have been unsuccessful with application to your first five choices
- you have not used all 5 of your initial choices
- you have rejected offers from all of your choices, and wish to apply elsewhere
Guidance on UCAS Extra will be provided in school to students who need it, and you can also find some information on the UCAS Website.
- Offer acceptance deadline
At this point, you should have received replies to all of your offers, and you should have accepted your firm choice (where you would most like to go) and your insurance choice (where you’d like to go if things don’t go to plan). If you haven’t received responses to all of your offers, then you can wait until you have received all of your responses until you make any final decisions.
- UCAS Clearing opens
If universities have spaces left on their courses, then these will be offered to students through clearing. If you have not yet applied to UCAS, then you can access clearing to apply for courses.
Clearing is also how students who do not meet the entry requirements for their firm or insurance choices can apply to other universities and courses after results have been released in August.
- Results are released
- UCAS Adjustment opens
On A-level results day, UCAS Track will automatically be updated for each student (at around 8:00am – you can’t login to Track before this time), to say whether you have been accepted into your first (firm) choice university, your second (insurance) choice university, or whether you’re eligible for Clearing, or Adjustment.
Support will remain available through school on results day (and beyond) to any student who needs assistance with their application.
If you have done better than expected in your results, and you would like to consider universities which had higher entry requirements than your firm choice, then you may be eligible to apply for them using the UCAS Adjustment service.
Learn more about Adjustment (opens in a new tab) →
UCAS Application Tutorials
We have three videos where Mr Ellis will walk you through the UCAS process. If at any point you are unsure of anything, please get in touch with the Sixth Form team, so we can help you.