Last minute UCAS application tips for students

If you want to study in the UK, you’ll need to submit a university application via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, more commonly known as UCAS.  

With the Jan 15, 2019 deadline looming, we hope that by now, you’ve completed most of your application – including picking your universities and courses, having the bulk of your personal statement ready, as well as your reference.

But with just under a week left before the deadline, here are some last-minute tips to help you tie up the loose ends of your application before you click ‘Send’.

Check your details

Never make the mistake of failing to go over the details of your UCAS application.

You might want to go over your grades and qualifications, ensuring you’ve included your former schools or colleges, in addition to ensuring your contact information is correct and up-to-date.

Fine-tune your personal statement

Your personal statement should be unique, so ensure you allocate enough time to perfect it. Source: Shutterstock

We know writing a personal statement can be a nerve-racking experience, standing as a crucial part of your application process. However, with just under a week left until the deadline, you still have time to edit your work.

UCAS notes on its website that there’s no definite format you need to follow. However, ensure you’ve met the character and line limit (4,000 characters and 47 lines) and that you’ve described your ambitions, skills and experience to the admissions staff.

Consider getting someone you trust, such as an older family member or a teacher, to read your statement for typos, grammatical errors and to check how well the document reads. A winning personal statement is the result of numerous revisions, so allocate enough time to perfect it.

Quick Tip: For more tips on writing a personal statement, click here.

Ensure you have a reference

Once you’ve checked that your application has the necessary details and information, you’ll want to ensure you have your reference letter to accompany your application.

UCAS notes that your reference should not have more than 4,000 characters or 47 lines of text, and is written in English. This is unless you’re applying to Welsh universities or colleges, and the rest of your application is completed in Welsh. In this case, your reference can be written in Welsh.

Have a second pair of eyes sweep over your application

Ask a parent, teacher or advisor go over your application and ensure you haven’t overlooked any important factors. Source: Shutterstock

Have someone go over your application to ensure you have not overlooked anything in your application, from typos to an achievement you forgot to include.

After all, two pairs of eyes are better than one.

Stay calm and click send

Once you’ve proofread your personal statement, have paid the application fee and are confident that you’ve filled in your application with all the required details and information, don’t be anxious and click that send button!

Avoid worrying too much about your replies for now and remember to be patient – universities may be handling high volumes of applications, so you could find yourself waiting for a few weeks, or longer.

Click here to track your application.

Good luck!

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