Applying to uk Universities
UCAS
All applications to British universities go through UCAS, the Universities Central Admissions Service (website: www.ucas.com). International students from most European countries may apply to university on the basis of the school leaving exams taken in their own country. They also need to have a qualification in English such as IELTS or TOEFL.
Students are able to apply to five universities online. Each of the five universities will consider their application. One of the following will then happen:
The student is rejected
or
The student is offered a conditional place on the basis of exam results to be taken later in the academic year i.e. an Italian student may be asked to achieve 85% in the Maturita, a Greek student may be required to achieve 90% in the Apolyterion.
or
The student is offered an unconditional place. This only happens when a student applies to university after they have left school and completed their school leaving exams.
Non European Students
Students from countries outside the European Union may be accepted on the basis of their school leaving qualifications. Others may have to do A Levels, a Pre-University Foundation Course or the IB instead. All WUP students will have their academic records assessed and recommendations will be made where necessary if qualifications do not meet the entrance requirements for leading U.K. universities.
Applying to Oxford, Cambridge or Medical School
Students can only apply to Oxford or Cambridge. The deadline for applications for Oxbridge and Medical Schools is October 15 2011. All other UCAS applications must be submitted by January 15 2011.
Oxford and Cambridge are collegiate universities. Students live in colleges varying in size typically between 250 and 500 undergraduates. Although not strictly necessary, prospective students are advised to select a college at Oxford or Cambridge when they apply. All students attending the WUP course will be given advice about which colleges they should consider. They will also get a chance to attend the Open Days of Oxford and Cambridge which are being held in the first week of the course.
Interviews
Oxford, Cambridge and Medical Schools interview students as part of the application process. Interviews for Oxford or Cambridge take place at the beginning of December. The aim of the WUP (UK) course is to maximise the chances of our students performing at their best in these interviews. All WUP students have regular mock interviews with their Director of Studies and where advisable with other academics or doctors. After each mock interview the student is given feedback on their performance. Students also attend Communication Skills Workshops, participate in debates and give presentations to their fellow students throughout the course. All of these activities help students develop the confidence needed to succeed at interview.
Entrance Exams
Students applying to most Medical Schools many Law faculties and many subjects or colleges at Oxford and Cambridge have to take entrance exams in addition to their A Levels / IB or school leaving examinations. Preparation for these entrance exams is included in the Subject Tuition seminars. The entrance exams include:
Medicine BMAT, UKCAT
Law: LNAT
Mathematics: STEP
Thinking Skills Assessment TSA
Individual University Guidance
Each WUP student is allocated a Director of Studies who oversees the student’s university applications. It is very important that students apply to universities where they have a realistic chance of being made an offer of a place. To give each student the best possible chance of success, students attend regular one to one meetings with their Director of Studies.
Personal Statements
University applicants are required to write a personal statement (maximum 47 lines) in support of their application. All WUP students are given guidance about how to write a good personal statement and there are weekly workshops held in the Computer Room. Directors of Studies also comment regularly on the personal statements as they develop. By the time the students have completed the course, the personal statement should have been completed.
Careers Guidance Assessment
All students do an online careers aptitude assessment, the purpose of which is to determine which subjects they should consider at university and possible careers once they graduate. The tests are produced by the highly regarded organisation Cambridge Occupational Analysts. Following the assessment the students receive a detailed report.
