Applying to university

All applications to UK universities for full-time courses are made through UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. While the Complete University Guide is mostly concerned with universities, many colleges of one sort or another also recruit through UCAS and so you will find over 300 institutions listed on the UCAS website. If you are interested in a part-time course you will need to contact universities individually to find out how to apply.

UCAS moved to all electronic applications for entry back in 2006, using its online application procedure Apply. UCAS works closely with schools, colleges, libraries and other agencies to ensure that all applicants have access to this system. Apply is available on the UCAS website alongside details of all the courses available so you can apply from any computer with access to the web. A big advantage of Apply over the old paper application is that it can correct many common errors, such as invalid postcodes or a date of birth that makes you out to be just 7 years old!

Application timetable

• March–September. Research and make choices about universities and courses. Open days, conferences and HE fairs take place between March and September/early October. Make the most of School/College vacations to visit Universities and University Cities/Towns.
• 15 October. Deadline for receipt at UCAS of applications for Cambridge or Oxford or medicine, dentistry or veterinary science/medicine in any university.
• 15 January. Deadline for receipt at UCAS of all other applications from the UK or elsewhere in the EU (except some art and design courses).
• Many schools and colleges will encourage students to apply well before the 15 January deadline for good reason, with late October/early November a common school/college deadline. This allows the school to add things like references, check personal statements and choices and also mindful of the fact that a later application may be less likely to receive an offer for a popular course.
• 24 March. Extended deadline for some art and design courses – visit the UCAS website details of these courses.
• 30 June. If UCAS receive your application by 30 June, they will send it to your chosen universities and colleges. All applications received after this date will be entered into Clearing.
• February–July. UCAS Extra (4 July 2012 is the last day to apply through Extra).
• July – results published for BTEC and IB qualifications. Students taking these qualifications do not have to wait until the August A level Clearing process to confirm their place or check for vacancies. 
• 7 August 2012. SQA results are published and the Scottish Clearing vacancy information service starts.
• 16 August 2012. GCE A level and Advanced Diploma results are published and the full Clearing vacancy information service starts. Adjustment opens for registration.
• 31 August. Adjustment closes on this date.
• 20 September. This is the last date that UCAS will normlly accept applications for courses starting in 2012.
• 22 October. This is normally the last date to add a Clearing choice. It is also the last date a university or college can accept an applicant in Clearing.
• Check for any changes to the detailed UCAS procedures for 2012–13 entry here.

If you follow the UCAS guidance carefully, most of the application process is straight-forward, but here are a few points about some of the more significant sections of the application form.

Next page: Filling in Your Application