Important dates for your diary

2009 year of entry

Art and design courses (Route A and Route B) - important dates for your diary.
Universities and colleges will hold interviews for choices in Route B as follows:

About higher education

What exactly is higher education (HE)?
Is HE just for the well-off elite?
Will I have to pay large amounts in tuition fees?
Why bother with HE at all?
If I am under 16, how can I prepare for HE?
How long will I need to study?
What sort of qualifications are higher education institutions looking for?
What kinds of HE courses are available?
What kind of qualifications can I gain?
How should I rate different colleges and universities?

What exactly is higher education (HE)?

HE includes far more than just universities. For 2010 entry, it includes colleges of HE, art and agriculture and over 170 further education colleges; in total, more than 325 institutions.

Is HE just for the well-off elite?

Definitely not. Over 850,000 people in the 18 - 21 age group are currently engaged in HE and the Government is committed to raising this figure even higher. This is the age of mass participation, and colleges and universities are full of students from a wide range of backgrounds, age ranges and ethnic origins.

Will I have to pay large amounts in tuition fees?

It is important to realise that most students only pay a proportion of the £1,125 yearly tuition charge; tuition will continue to be free for students from lower income families. Students who live in Scotland, and who choose to continue studying there, pay no tuition fees, but they may be liable for a graduate endowment later on.

Why bother with HE at all?

Whatever you want to do in life, it is highly likely that your career opportunities will be enhanced by getting a degree or diploma from a university or college. Indeed, some professions (for example, law and medicine) have a specific requirement that all entrants must hold a relevant degree. Although a degree or equivalent qualification does not automatically guarantee landing the job of your choice, statistics show that graduates have a fifty per cent better chance of avoiding unemployment.

If I am under 16, how can I prepare for HE?

However young you may be, it is certainly never too soon to be thinking about your future. An experienced careers officer, who regularly talks to 14 -18 year-olds, says:

"The world we live in exposes younger teenagers to careers and lifestyles in a way that was unheard of 30 to 40 years ago. Whilst no-one would ever advocate trying to map out in detail your future career by early teenhood - that would be ridiculous, given the fast-moving nature of the job market - it makes sense to have a basic idea of what different study and training pathways can do for you."

Whatever your intended direction, you need to choose your school studies very carefully. Some HE courses may require you to have passes in particular pre-16 qualifications, for example in mathematics and English GCSE or (in Scotland) Standard Grade.

How long will I need to study?

Usually between two and four years, depending on the qualification required, but it is increasingly possible to take HE on a part-time basis over a longer period.

What sort of qualifications are higher education institutions looking for?

A wide range of qualifications is acceptable for entry. This includes the Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education, BTEC Nationals, Highers, Advanced Highers or Access Programmes, as well as GCE A/AS Level. In art and design, the Diploma in Foundation Studies (Art and Design) is a popular qualification.

What kinds of HE courses are available?

Britain has the biggest choice of courses in Europe with, at the last count, over 50,000 courses available through UCAS. For some popular subjects, such as business or computing, there are literally hundreds of study options.

What kind of qualifications can I gain?

In terms of qualifications, the main categories are as follows:

• Three-year degree courses - leading to awards such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc)
• Four-year degree courses - including many degree courses in Scotland, sandwich courses involving one year in industry, courses with a year abroad, etc.
• Two-year Higher National Diploma or Diploma of Higher Education courses - these are both popular qualifications in their own right; however, some students choose to 'top up' these qualifications into a degree.

In addition, some universities run special foundation courses, commonly known as Year 0 or Zero programmes, targeted at students who wish to enter specific subject areas (eg science and engineering) but do not possess the relevant entry qualifications. These courses are eligible for student loans in the usual way. In art and design, 'foundation studies' refers to a one-year pre-HE course.

How should I rate different colleges and universities?

This is a far from straightforward question as priorities will vary enormously. As a prospective applicant, you may be particularly interested in whether an institution is in a big city or rural location, whereas another student may be more concerned about the availability of modular degrees or the number of beds in the halls of residence. In all cases, be wary of newspaper rankings of institutions. Their use of information is usually very selective and, as a result, only tells part of the story. Remember, there can never be a definitive 'best of' list, whether of music CD's, cars or universities, but it is certainly true that some UK institutions are better known than others, both in the UK and overseas. What is important is what is best for you.

Making an application

How to get application materials
How to apply
Information about the reference on your application form
When to apply
What happens after you have applied?

How to get application materials

Once you have done your research you will need to fill in a UCAS application form. You will get a UCAS application form from us.

How to apply

With your application form you will receive a leaflet called 'How to Apply'. This will help you to complete your application form. You will also need to look at the information in the online 'UCAS Directory'. Printed copies are available and are priced £6 Tel: +44 (0)870 1122200.

Information about the reference on your application form

Who should write the reference?
The reference on your application form should be completed by someone who knows you well enough to write about you but is not

• a member of your family
• a relative
• a friend

It needs to be a full written reference and to include more than just the name and address of your referee. If you are at school or college, or you have left recently, you should ask your head teacher, principal, teacher or tutor. If you are a mature student ask a responsible person who knows you to be your referee, for example, an employer, careers officer, teacher, or a senior colleague in employment or voluntary work. If you are engaged in military service you may wish to ask your unit commander.

How to write the reference?
Please pass this information to your referee.

Please write in English. If the first language of the applicant is not English, please comment on the applicant's ability to write and speak in English and indicate whether any studies were taught or assessed in English. Please explain any breaks in education and also explain how the student compares with others in his or her class.

Check the applicant has completed the form correctly and has attached the completed and stamped acknowledgement card, international reply coupons (if appropriate) and the correct fee.

Please use black ballpoint pen or type the reference. The type size must be 12 point or larger. Do not separate the two halves of the form. If you are using a wordprocessor, you can order a stick-on version of the reference page from us to use in your printer . Please write as clearly as possible as the application form will be reduced in size during processing.

At the top of the page, in the spaces provided, give your name, how you know the applicant (for example, employee) and the name and address of your school, college, company or organisation.

After the applicant's name, please give the reference. Do not repeat the information that the applicant has given, unless you want to comment on it. To help the universities and colleges, try to comment on the applicant as follows

• academic achievement and potential, including predicted results or performance
• suitability for the courses/subjects applied for
• any factors that could influence, or could have influenced performance
• personal qualities, such as motivation, powers of analysis, communication skills, independence of thought
• career plans
• any health or personal circumstances that affect the application
• other interests or activities

Please check the form carefully before you sign and date it. More detailed information is included in How to Apply.

When to apply

Students from EU countries
If you are a student of any nationality applying from an EU country, we should have received your application form by 15 January, for entry in the year 2004. The closing date for applications to Oxford and Cambridge, and for applications to medicine, dentistry and veterinary science/medicine was 15 October 2003, for entry in the year 2004. Forms received after these dates will be treated as late. Any application forms we receive after 30 June 2004 will go through the Clearing process.

Students from outside the EU
If you are a student of any nationality applying from a non-EU country, we will process your application and send copies to the universities and colleges you have chosen at any time between now and 30 June 2004 for entry in the year 2004. For applications to courses in art and design, please see below.

Most applicants apply well before 30 June and, if you want to increase your chances of getting a place on your chosen course, you should not wait until then to apply. We cannot guarantee that applications for places on popular courses at some universities and colleges will be considered if we receive the application after 15 January 2004. You should check with individual universities and colleges if you are not sure.

If you think that you may be assessed as a 'home' student (UK or EU) for fee purposes, you should have applied by 15 January 2004, exactly the same as if you were applying from an EU country.

If you apply early, this will give you enough time to make immigration, travel and accommodation arrangements. These arrangements may take a lot of time, particularly during the summer when immigration departments are extremely busy. So give yourself the best chance and apply as early as possible.

If you are a student from a non-EU country wishing to apply to one choice only, and you already have the necessary qualifications, you may apply at any time in the applications cycle. However, before completing an application form you should contact UCAS or your chosen university or college for advice.

Any applications that we receive after 30 June 2004 will go through the Clearing process (see below).

Courses in art and design
There are two routes through which you can apply for courses in art and design, Route A (simultaneous) and Route B (sequential). Each has a different timetable.

Route A (simultaneous) - the closing date for Route A applications was 15 January 2004 for entry in the year 2004.

Route B (sequential) - you can apply for Route B courses between 1 January and 24 March 2004 for entry in September or October 2004. We recommend that you apply by 8 March 2004 to avoid the last-minute rush. Any applications that we receive after 12 June 2004 will go through the Clearing process (see below).

Selectors normally interview you and look at your portfolio of work before they decide whether to offer you a place. To find out what arrangements can be made for sending your portfolio and whether or not you will be interviewed, contact the universities and colleges. You should do this before you fill in your application form.

Clearing
We run a special service called Clearing in August and September. This allows students to find a suitable place on courses which are not yet full. We will send you Clearing details straightaway if you need them.

If we receive your application after 30 June (or 12 June for art and design Route B applications), it will go through the Clearing process.

What happens after you have applied?

We take copies of your completed application form and send one to each of the universities and colleges that you list. They will only be sent the details of course(s) that you have applied for at that university or college. We then send you an acknowledgement letter and the booklet, 'Advice for Applicants'. This gives you detailed information on how we process your application and tells you what you need to do at each stage.

The universities and colleges decide whether or not to offer you a place and then send their decisions to us. We will tell you what their decisions are and then ask you to accept or decline the offers you have received. When we have heard from you, we will tell the universities and colleges what you have decided.

When a university or college knows that you have accepted a place, it will contact you and send you all the information you need about coming to the UK and arrangements for your arrival and registration.