APPLYING TO HIGHER EDUCATION COURSES

 

When you have researched your options fully and have finally decided on higher education, it is important to ensure that your applications are completed correctly. You will have to follow the application instructions provided by individual institutions and central application “clearing houses” acting on their behalf.

This note is a guide to help you when applying to Higher Education courses. Before completing your application form you should refer to the prospectuses of all the universities and colleges that you are interested in.

UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES ADMISSIONS SERVICE (UCAS)

 • Application for entry to full-time and sandwich first degree, Diploma of Education and Higher National Diploma courses at universities (except the Open University) and most Colleges of Higher Education in the United Kingdom have to be made through UCAS.

• Details of the application procedure are in the UCAS Directory, which is published annually. It is available, during the summer before the year of entry from schools, colleges, local JobCentres or directly from UCAS – address at end.

• You may apply for up to 5 courses on the UCAS form. These should be listed in the order in which they are printed in the Directory, not in order of preference.

• For Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science/Medicine you may only have four choices and the application must be received by UCAS by 15 October. Two other choices may be made without prejudice to your choices for medicine.


• UCAS does not make decisions on applications. Each institution considers the application. The official decision is communicated to the applicant through UCAS. When you have received replies to all your applications you must decide which 2 offers to hold, one firm choice and an optional insurance. (Insurance offer is not available if firm choice is unconditional.)


• If you fail to secure a place you will be able to enter “Clearing”. Its purpose is to try to match applicants without an offer, to suitable courses where there are vacancies.

• Ensure that you are at home when the examination results are published to deal with the final stages of the process. You must reply to the final confirmed offer within 7 days or your place could be withdrawn. You should be available to sort out any problems.

Clearing

Clearing operates from mid July through to September for those applicants:–

 • who did not receive an offer earlier in the year

 • who declined all offers made to them

 • who held conditional offers, but who did not achieve the required grades

 • whose forms were received in UCAS after 30 June.

Applicants with special needs

Advice and information concerning access and special needs provision in universities and colleges, financial support and personal care are available from Skill National Bureau for Students with Disabilities – address at end. It is important to contact them well in advance of submitting your application through UCAS.
 
UCAS Timetable
 
1 September – UCAS begins accepting applications

15 October – Applications for Oxford or Cambridge must be made by this date

15 October – Applications for choices leading to a professional qualification in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science/medicine must be made by this date

15 January – Closing date, though early application is advised, particularly for popular courses

16 January-30 June – Late applications sent by UCAS to candidates choices, but institutions will consider these at their discretion

1 July onwards – Applications will be processed through the Clearing scheme

APPLYING FOR COURSES IN ART AND DESIGN

UCAS processes applications for Art and Design courses except for a few colleges that have elected to recruit independently.

There are two equal pathways for applicants applying for Art and Design courses: Simultaneous Route A and Sequential Route B. Individuals are free to choose any combination of Route A and Route B courses, with a maximum of three Route B choices. Universities and colleges may recruit by one or both of these routes. The UCAS Directory will identify those courses to be recruited through Route A and Route B respectively.

Details of the application procedure are in ‘How to Apply’ which accompanies the application form.
 
Route A – Simultaneous

 • Applications through Route A should be made between 1 September and 15 January, or if you are applying to the Ruskin School of Fine Art, Oxford by 15 October


 • You are advised to apply by mid-November to enable institutions to make arrangements for portfolio inspection

 • Choices should be listed in UCAS Directory order. The forms will be copied at the same time to each institution

Route B – Sequential

 • Applications through Route B should be made between 1 January and 24 March.

 • Choices should be entered on the application form in UCAS Directory order. You will also have to complete an interview preference form. Both forms should be returned to UCAS at the same time.

• Your application forms will be copied to the institutions in the order indicated on the interview preference form.

Mixture of Route A and Route B

It is possible to make applications through both routes. A total of 6 choices may be made but with a maximum of 3 in Route B.

DIRECT ENTRY

There are a small number of places to which you apply direct. Apart from the Open University, these institutions mainly offer specialist courses eg. music, drama, agriculture or foundation courses in Art and Design.

CENTRAL APPLICATION OFFICE (CAO)

• The CAO accepts applications for admission to undergraduate courses in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the South of Ireland. HEIs consist of Universities, Institutes of Technologies, Colleges of Education (teacher training colleges) and other 3rd level institutions

• A single application form (on-line or paper) allows applicants to choose up to 10 courses from the Degree List and/or up to 10 courses from the Diploma/Certificate List

• Application may also be made for Nursing courses

• It is important to list courses in order of preference

• Closing date for receipt of applications is normally 1 February. Provision does exist for a late application (1 May) but certain specialty courses that require interviews and/or tests may be excluded. A change of mind facility is available up to 1 July

• Decisions on applications are not made until after examination results are known

• It is important in accepting an offer to follow the instructions and return the appropriate part of your Offer Notice to CAO by the specified time, otherwise the offer of a place will lapse.

The CAO Handbook contains details of the application procedure. Copies of the Handbook and application form can be obtained from CAO – address at end.

INITIAL TEACHER TRAINING

• Application to Stranmillis University College must be made through UCAS

• Application to St Mary’s University College must be direct


• Application for most other BEd courses is made through UCAS or CAO.

APPLICATIONS 

UCAS


If you’re at school or FE College there will probably be a Careers Teacher to discuss your form with. You could get help from a Careers Adviser in your local JobCentre, Jobs and Benefits Office or Careers Office.


If you wish to apply for a full-time undergraduate course at university or college, you can use the UCAS secure online application system.


If you are not applying through a school,college or centre, you will still be able to use the UCAS secure online application system. You will be required to answer a few eligibility questions before you can start your applicatio

You could get help from a Careers Adviser in your local JobCentre, Jobs and Benefits Office or Careers Office.



FURTHER READING

The reading material listed below may be available (to consult) from Careers Offices, schools, colleges, or public libraries. You will need to consult a range of them and may wish to buy some.

‘How To Complete Your UCAS Form’ available from Trotman Group, 2 The Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1PL. Tel: 020 8486 1150

‘University & College Entrance: The Official Guide’ available from Sheed and Ward Ltd, 4 Rickett Street, London SW6 1RU. Tel: 020 7610 2722

‘UCAS Directory’ available from UCAS in a paper version £6 and as a free CD Rom – address below

‘CAO/CAS Joint Handbook’ available from the Central Application Office - address below

Applying to College, Raymond Dunne Undergraduate Publications Ltd., Rock Cross, Cavan, Ireland. Tel: 00353 4943 31190



FURTHER INFORMATION

University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), Rosehill, NewBarn Lane, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 3LZ. Tel: 01242 227788. Website: www.ucas.com

The Central Application Office, Tower House.

Skill, National Bureau for Students with Disabilities, Chapter House, 18-20 Crucifix Lane, London 8E1 3JW Tel: 0800 328 5050 Minicom: 0800 068 2422 

St Mary’s University College, 191 Falls Road, Belfast BT12 6FE. Tel: 028 9032 7678
Website: www.stmarys.belfast.ac.uk

Stranmillis University College, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5DY. Tel: 028 9038 1271
Website: www.stran.ac.uk

The Open University Ireland, 40 University Road, Belfast BT7 1SU. Tel: 028 9024 5025.
Website: www.open.ac.uk