UCAS 2015Instructions and information for

current and ex-students

UCAS 2015

►All applications to UK universities are made online through ucas.com

►Applicants are allowed up to 5 choices of college/university

►Applicants to read medicine, dentistry or veterinary science are only allowed 4. They may, however, select an academic course as their fifth choice if they so wish

UCAS 2015► The cost is ₤23 for 2-5 choices or ₤12 if you only choose 1 ► No UCAS application can be sent before mid-September.

Applications sent before 15th January will receive consideration as this is the domestic deadline.

► However, even though it is not guaranteed to be considered, as an overseas applicant you can still submit your application after this date as long as it is before June 30th

► The advice is: the earlier you apply the better► N.B. Oxford and all medicine, dentistry and veterinary

science courses have their own deadline of 15th October. For Cambridge it is even earlier: 20th September. No applications will be entertained after these dates

UCAS 2015

►All current and ex HCI students will apply using the HCI portal

►You gain access to this after registering with UCAS

►To register go to ucas.com and click Apply►Then click on “Register, apply and track

your application” followed by “Apply or track” followed by “Apply for 2015 courses”

►Then click on Register

UCAS 2015

►After registering you will be given your username

►Do not lose this. You will use it every time you log in

►You can lose your password as it can be reset (just email me: chris@hci.edu.sg) but your username cannot be replaced

UCAS 2015

►When you first log in you will asked how you are applying

►Please select the first radio button Through my school/college

►This instruction applies to all ex-students as well

UCAS 2015

►At the next screen you will be asked for the HCI buzzword

►This year’s buzzword is: GoHwaChong

UCAS 2015

►After verifying that HCI is your school/college you will be asked to choose your tutor/application group

►All current students should select their present CT group

►All ex-students (except Humanities) should select Ex-Students

►All Humanities students should select their personal tutor group

UCAS 2015

►The next screen will give you your personal ID (which you must not lose as it needs to be quoted if you need to contact UCAS)

►You will also be asked to verify the email address you have given in the registration process

►After this has been done you will be able to start your application proper

UCAS 2015

►A UCAS application has 8 sections: personal details, student finance, choices, education, employment, statement, view all details, and pay/send

►You have to complete all of these►Your CT will check your application for

errors and then add your reference and predicted grades

►When everything is complete he/she will send your application to UCAS

UCAS 2015► If you are an ex-student you must contact your former

civics tutor (or another teacher if there are good reasons for this) and ask for a reference

► If this referee is a current C2 CT you should write to MrBurge (chris@hci.edu.sg) and he will re-assign you to the appropriate CT group. The teacher concerned will then process your application along with all his/her current students

► If your referee is not a current C2 CT you should ask for your reference to be emailed to Mr Burge and he will then oversee your application and send it off

► N.B. As an ex-student the responsibility for the successful completion of your application process rests firmly with yourself

UCAS 2015

►The UCAS site contains many tutorial videos. Please watch them – they are very short and give you a step-by-step guide to nearly every part of the process

►The following slides simply address information choices and/or details that are pertinent to you as specifically HCI or Singaporean/International applicants

UCAS 2015►But first - ask yourself if you should be

applying at all►If you are a male Singaporean who does not

intend to apply for a PSC scholarship then you shouldn’t apply in this cycle

►You should wait until next year or the year after as UK universities only allow for a 1 year deferral

UCAS 2015►The only question in the first section

(Personal Details) that needs your careful thought is the one regarding student support (i.e. who is going to pay your fees)

►Here all male Singaporeans and all other applicants who will definitely need a scholarship should choose

UCAS 2015

►Everybody else should choose

►At the bottom of this section (all all others) please make sure you check the section completed box and click save. You can undo this at any time, so don’t worry

UCAS 2015

►Section 3: Choices►This section is where you add your choices

of course and university►All of the boxes here can be confidently and

accurately filled in if you click on all the and

UCAS 2015►Your summary screen will display all your

choices and will also inform you of any additional tests or requirements that are necessary as a result of applying for a particular course and/or university

►Please research and comply with these fully. Failure to do so will result in an invalid application

►Here are the main ones as listed by UCAS:

UCAS 2015

UCAS 2015

►Section 4: Education►If you are an HCI IP boy you will need to:►Add HCI►Enter your H1, H2 and H3 subjects►Enter your IP Sec 4 English grade►Enter your other Sec 4 subject grades►If you have an O level (like Chinese) you

should also add it here

UCAS 2015

►If you are an IP girl you will need to:►Add HCI ►Enter your H1, H2 and H3 subjects►Add your secondary school►Enter your IP English Sec 4 grade►Enter your other Sec 4 subject grades►If you have an O level (like Chinese) you

should also add it here

UCAS 2015

►If you are a non-IP student you will need to:

►Add HCI►Enter your H1, H2 and H3 subjects ►Add your secondary school which (as

explained in the video) can be added manually

►Enter your O level subject grades

UCAS 2015► If you are an IP student then you should choose

Singapore – Integrated Programme – Cambridge GCE Advanced Level from the list displayed

► If you are a non-IP student you should choose Singapore – Cambridge GCE Advanced Level (NEW – first award 2006) to enter your H1, H2 and H3 subjects and Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level for you O levels

► If you are an IP student who also has an O level (e.g. Chinese) then you should choose Singapore-Cambridge GCE Ordinary Level to enter it

UCAS 2015

► Enter all your H1, H2 and H3 subjects► Any subject not found in a drop down menu can be

manually entered► The date for Project Work and any other H1 taken last

year is November 2013► The date for all other subjects (including any H3) is

November 2014► The Awarding organisation for all subjects is SEAB-CI► The Grade for all subjects except Project Work or

Mother Tongue (if it has already been taken) is Pending

UCAS 2014►If you are an IP student how do you enter

your Sec 4 grades?►Answer: choose Other (International Non-

EU Qualifications) from your displayed list►You can then manually enter your subjects,

the date (Nov 2012) and your grades►In the Exam box just enter: IP-Sch►Here is an example:

UCAS 2015

UCAS 2015

►IP students must also enter their Sec 4 English Language (or Language Arts) qualification

►To do this select Singapore-Integrated Programme-English-Language-Qualification from the available list and enter the details

►Here is what it should look like:

UCAS 2015

UCAS 2015

►Do not omit any subjects you are currently doing because if you don’t enter a subject no box for a grade prediction in it will appear on your tutor’s reference screen. This has led to problems in the past so please make sure that GP, PW, your 4 H2 subjects and any H3 you are taking are successfully captured

UCAS 2015

►Section 5: Employment►As a student in full-time education you are

not expected to have had any►If you do enter anything make sure that it is

paid employment►Ex-Students may have something to enter

here. Singaporean males (for example) can enter their National Service details

UCAS 2015

►Personal statement:►This is a very important section►There is a How-to video for this►Basically you have to show why offering you

a place to read the subject you’re applying for makes very good sense

►This is because your universities are primarily looking for evidence of your aptitude and interest in your subject choice

UCAS 2015►This could be because of your academic

performance in it and/or your involvement in it beyond the curriculum

►Or your achievements in relevant areas►Or even your character and goals, which can often

be demonstrated by your CCAs as much as by your academic pursuits

►But whatever information you use should be presented clearly and unpretentiously

►Remember – this is the only place where your voice can be heard, so make it a nice one

UCAS 2015►Section 8: Pay/Send►Payment by credit card is preferred►However, if this is not possible, you can get

a bank draft from any local bank (made payable to UCAS with your name, CT and UCAS ID written on the back) for ₤23 or ₤12 as is appropriate

►You should submit this to the HE Unit as soon as you can after your application has been sent to UCAS

UCAS 2015

►UK universities should accept either an English Language O level or an IP English Language qualification as proof of your English proficiency

►However, owing to stricter immigration controls you may be asked to take an IELTS test in order to satisfy this requirement

►If you do then please ask the HE Unit for the latest advice on this issue

UCAS 2015

►A note on Law:►To practise Law in Singapore you need to

graduate from a recognised university►You can find a list of these at:►https://www.mlaw.gov.sg/content/minlaw/e

n/practising-as-a-lawyer/unis/which-are-the-approved-universities.html

UCAS 2015

►A note on Medicine:►To become a doctor in Singapore you need

to have graduated from a recognised course ►You can find a list of these here:►http://www.healthprofessionals.gov.sg/cont

ent/dam/hprof/smc/docs/becoming_registered_doctor/Second%20Schedule%20-%20Registrable%20Basic%20Medical%20Qualifications.pdf

UCAS 2015

►A note on university choice:►There is a potentially bewildering number of

degree awarding institutions in the UK. For nearly all of you, however, there are only 41 that matter. The rest are, for the most part, "upgraded" polytechnics or places that specialise in vocational courses of one type or another. Unless you have specific information about one of these institutions or a particular course that is unavailable elsewhere you are advised NOT to apply to them. There may be exceptions but you are also unlikely to gain a scholarship to go to one of these. The 41 are:

UCAS 2015► ENGLAND & WALES:► Oxford► Cambridge► London► Durham► Bristol► Exeter► York► Birmingham► Warwick► Kent► Nottingham► Leeds► Southampton► Sheffield► Manchester► Liverpool► Lancaster► Sussex► Surrey► Reading► Leicester

► Loughborough► East Anglia► Essex► Aston► Bath► Swansea► Bradford► Cardiff► Aberystwyth► Keele► Hull► Bangor

► SCOTLAND:► Edinburgh► Glasgow► Strathclyde► St Andrews► Stirling► Dundee► Heriot-Watt► Aberdeen

UCAS 2015

►Finally:►You do not need to complete your

application at one go so always save your work in progress

►If you get locked out of your account you will be allowed back in after 24 hours. If you need urgent assistance please email me, Mr Burge: chris@hci.edu.sg

UCAS 2015

GOOD LUCK!