Student Guide to Online Applications — UCAS

The following information is designed to help you fill out your UCAS (University and College Admissions Service) application form. Please note that all applications must be completed online at www.ucas.com .

The Guidance and Progression team will be running demonstrations on how to apply online — please go to UCAS Workshops at Adam Smith College for details.

You do not have to fill out the form in one go — you can save and make changes. Remember to save as you go along, as the website may 'time-out.' Please note the following before you begin.

College Buzzword

You must register "Through my school/college" using the Buzzword adamsmith1. This is so your Curriculum Head can access your application and provide a reference. If you have "applied as an individual" you will have to speak to a member of the Guidance team who will arrange with UCAS to move your application to the correct area of the site.

Getting a Reference

When you start your UCAS application you must inform your Curriculum Head that you will require a reference. Your Curriculum Head is the only person who can provide you with a reference, and they will finally send your application to UCAS.

Course Choices

You may apply for up to five courses. The universities you apply to do not know what your other choices are. You can receive the offer of a place for more than one course. UCAS will contact you with details of how to accept or decline a place.

Additional Help with Your Application

Come along to one of the workshops for online demonstrations or a Careers Scotland Personal Statements workshop (jump to Workshops at Adam Smith College for details). Your Curriculum Head, Guidance and Progression Advisers and Careers Scotland Advisers can also see you individually for help with Personal Statements.

Important Dates

Route A

Wednesday 15 October 2008 — The deadline for Oxford, Cambridge and all medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and veterinary science courses.

Wednesday 19 November 2008 — The College guarantees your application will reach UCAS by 15 January if you have completed your part of the form and sent it to your Curriculum Head by 19 November. Your Curriculum Head will complete a reference and send the form online.

Thursday 15 January 2009 — The date all other applications must be sent to UCAS by to be considered 'on time.'

30 June 2009 — The deadline for late applications.

August 2009 — Clearing

Route B (Art and Design)

6 March 2009 — Recommended date applications should reach UCAS

24 March 2009 — Last date for applications to be considered for first round of interviews.

11 June 2009 — Last date for applications.

You may apply for both Route A and Route B. Your Route A application should still reach UCAS by 15 January 2009.

Please speak to your Curriculum Head or Guidance if you require further information on the Route B application system.

Registering Online

Go to www.ucas.com .
Click on Apply.
To create an account, click on Register/Log in to use Apply 2009.
Click on Register.
Read the information on Register: Welcome and click Next.
You must accept the terms and conditions by ticking the box and clicking Next.
Fill out the next sections: Initial Details, Previous Contact with UCAS, Postal Address, Your Postcode, Confirm Address and Personal Details.
At the Security section you will be prompted to enter a password and to answer 4 security questions (It is important to remember this information, so you may wish to write it down).
You will now be given your username, which you should write down and print out as you will need this each time you login to UCAS.
You have now completed the Registration process and you are ready to login.
You will need to fill out the Initial UCAS Questions section. You must apply Through my school/college.
You will be prompted to enter the buzzword: adamsmith.
The system will confirm you are studying at Adam Smith College, Kirkcaldy (please accept this even if you are studying at a different campus)
You will be prompted to enter your tutor/application group — please find this out, as you will need to be moved groups by Guidance staff at a later date if you select the wrong group.
You will now be taken to the Welcome page (please note down your Personal ID as you will need this if you contact UCAS).
You can now complete your UCAS application online.
Mark each section as Finished.
View all and print a copy for yourself.
When you have completed every section the option to Pay and Send will be available.
You will be asked for a credit/debit card payment of £7 (for a single course/institution choice) or £17 (more than one choice.
Once you have made the payment, you can send the form to your referee.

Personal Statement

The Personal Statement may be the most important part of your whole UCAS application. This section will take time and we strongly recommend you start early. This is your chance to stand out from the crowd.

Research the course you want to take — read prospectuses and course leaflets, look at web sites. Try to identify any particular requirements and point out how you could fulfil them. If you are applying to more than one institution, concentrate on the course subject in general.

Admissions tutors are looking for people who can:

Bring together experiences from different parts of their lives.
Give clear reasons for wanting to do a particular course.
Relate it to their plans for the future.

Content

The first thing any institution will want to know is why you want to study the subject. What has led to this interest? Has anything or any person inspired you? Why do you want to study at a higher level?
What skills and attributes do you have which make you suitable for this course? Remember to mention transferable skills you have gained at college. Are there any particular aspects of your course you have enjoyed or excelled in? Have you shown initiative, innovation or worked in a team?
Have you done a work placement on your course, been involved in voluntary work or had a job? Make the most of this information, but make sure it's relevant.
Research employment opportunities to show you are motivated and have an idea of what you would like to do in the future.

Structure

Organise your material — draft and re-draft until you get it the way you want it. Use paragraphs which flow logically. Include only what you could talk about with confidence at an interview.
Don't repeat material already on the application form – avoid listing subjects you are currently studying as this takes up space and does not provide any new information.
Check spelling and grammar — Write the statement in Word, and then copy and paste it into your application. Otherwise you could lose your work when the website times-out.

The UCAS booklet 'How to Apply' suggests that you include points relating to:

Your reasons for choosing the course.
Reasons for your interest in the subject.
Areas of particular interest within your present studies.
Any work experience, placement or voluntary work.
Transferable skills.
Other achievements or awards.
Any subjects you are studying for which there is no exam.
Sponsorships you have gained or applied for.
Your plans for the future.
If you plan to take a year out, your reasons why, and how you intend to use the time.
Your social, sports, or leisure interests.

Ask someone else to read over your Personal Statement. This could be;

A Parent
Your Curriculum Head
A Guidance and Progression Adviser
A Careers Adviser.

What happens once you've sent the form?

When you send your form to UCAS they will process it and send you a welcome letter. The letter contains;

Your personal ID
Your personal details
Your list of courses.

You will also receive the Applicant Welcome Guide which explains;

What happens next
How you will receive notification of the universities' decisions
How to reply to any offers
How to notify UCAS of any changes in your personal circumstances.

UCAS will notify you when they receive a decision from your application choices. The decisions will be:

Unconditional offer (U)

You meet all of the academic entry requirements and the university has accepted you.

Conditional offer (C)

The university or college is offering you a place on certain conditions — usually based on you achieving certain exam results by 31 August, or on you passing your current course.

If you receive a Conditional offer then you must contact the admissions team at the university once you receive your results in order that your offer can be converted. If you do not meet the conditions contact the university to discuss your place.

Unsuccessful application

This means that you have not been offered a place.

If you hold no offers please come and talk to Guidance, as you may be able to apply for further courses through Extra or Clearing.

Open Days 2008/9

University Open Days are an excellent opportunity to find out more about courses, meet department staff and see the facilities available. You could spend the next three or four years studying at your chosen university so it is important to find out as much information as possible before you make a decision. Below are a selected list of Scottish Institutions and their Open Days.

Selected open days 2008/9
Institution	Website	Date	Time	Notes
Edinburgh College of Art	www.eca.ac.uk	31 October 2008
University of Dundee	www.dundee.ac.uk	18 March 2009		Kirkcaldy Campus — for Nursing & Midwifery
University of Dundee	www.dundee.ac.uk	22 October 2008		Ninewells Campus — for Nursing & Midwifery
Duncan of Jordanstone	www.djcad.dundee.ac.uk	3, 4 and 5 November 2008		For Architecture, Design, Fine Art, Media Arts & Imaging
Heriot Watt University	www.hw.ac.uk	25 October 2008	10:00 to 16:00	Information Fair
Napier University	www.napier.ac.uk	1 November 2008	10:00 to 14:00
University of St Andrews	www.st-andrews.ac.uk	22, 29 October and 19 November 2008		There are further dates available for 2009. See website for details.
Glasgow School of Art	www.gsa.ac.uk	27 October 2008	10:00 to 19:00
Whilst these dates are correct at time of print, please confirm with your chosen University if you wish to attend an Open Day.

If you are unable to attend any of the publicised Open Days then contact the University direct, as they are usually more than happy to arrange an alternative date.

For up-to-date information, or for University Open Days not mentioned above, please go to: www.opendays.com .

Useful Links

www.yougofurther.co.uk the student-only website supported by UCAS, is a one-stop shop for people thinking of moving into higher education.

Potential applicants can speak directly to people in the same position who are about to apply, or to students who are already studying within a higher education institution. You can search for people heading for the same course, university or town and get the facts before making one of the biggest decisions of your life.

You can…

chat to other applicants in the forums
search for other students doing their course, at their university or in their town
create a group to share their social activities
discover what is going on at the university or college you are applying to
find out what's going on where you live and where you are thinking of moving to
job search, get information on money matters and student advice
read what other applicants have got to say
get your talent spotted through the Exposure section of the website
get one of the many great student deals that the site has to offer.

UCAS Workshops at Adam Smith College

How to apply — Online Demonstrations with Guidance
Location	Date	Time
St Brycedale Campus — Room BF04	22 October 2008	13:00 to 14:00
Stenton Campus — Room S2.10	20 October 2008	13:00 to 14:00
Mitchelston Campus — Room MG60	21 October 2008	12:00 to 13:00

Personal Statements with Careers Scotland
Location	Date	Time
St Brycedale Campus — Room BS06	27 October 2008	14:00 to 15:00
Mitchelston Campus — Room MG11	28 October 2008	12:00 to 13:00
Stenton Campus — Room S2.10	28 October 2008	14:00 to 15:00
Priory Campus — Room NG02	30 October 2008	13:00 to 14:00