Applying to the UK – advanced practitioner tips

Some universities might work on a 'rolling schedule' basis in the period leading up the 15 January application deadline, allocating offers to applicants but holding some places for those applying closer to, or on, 15 January.  

Others might work on a 'gathered field' basis and make offers after the deadline has passed.

Many courses at UK universities remain open to applications after the 15 January deadline, however. On the other hand, the 15 October deadline (for all courses at Oxford, Cambridge, and courses in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine/science) is much stricter.

The BMAT is a tough exam, and if students are advised to sit this too soon, before they have completed at least one year of post-16 study, they are likely to score very low which may impact their confidence.

There is perhaps more value in using the free preparatory material offered by BMAT throughout Year 12.

At least in the UK, recent A level reforms have introduced a much greater literature content to language courses, which has alleviated some of the concerns previously held by admissions tutors about native language qualifications.

However, it’s worth checking on a case-by-case basis, and the most important thing is to achieve the right grades in the specified subjects for the programme applied for.

Generally, highly selective UK courses are looking for academic fit, and whilst there may be some consideration of a student's wider experience, the focus will be on their knowledge and focus on their subject discipline.

This is in contrast to the US Liberal Arts degree, mainly because most UK courses have a primary academic focus in the subject from the outset of the degree.

From UCAS’ perspective, we generally advise for students to select courses based mostly on academic fit. Other concepts such as holistic admissions and test-optional admissions apply far less in the UK.

While many UK universities are more focused on academic fit to the course, it is plausible that extracurricular activities can be relevant to specific courses.

Additionally, some activities will benefit a student's confidence and academic development, helping them indirectly with application processes and progression to university.

The key thing will be if the applicant reflects in their personal statement on how participation in any extracurricular activity has made them more suitable for their chosen degree. Students who just list their achievements without any thought on the value of the skills or experience they have gained are less interesting to an admissions tutor.

This will normally be judged on a case-by-case basis and will depend on the course, the university or college, and even the admissions tutor. The relative strength of the applicant and the rest of the applicant cohort may also be relevant.

The view from our university admissions experts was that it is very important for students to declare any disability on their application.

UK law is clear that if a university discriminates based on an identified disability they are in serious trouble. It also ensures appropriate support is available to the student from the outset of their degree, and any considerations for adjustments to admissions tests or assessments can be made (e.g. the Oxford and Cambridge Admissions assessments).

There’s a lot of detailed information from UKCISA, the international student support charity, on this question which might be of help.

University admissions in the UK do not generally have the same emphasis on 'demonstrated interest' as might be the case in other countries, such as the USA.

UK providers very much welcome prospective students and their families from overseas to attend and participate in open days (all the more accessible now that many are online), but don't normally connect that to the application that follows or weight it in anyway.

Most universities offer virtual open days, please see our information and advice about this.

We don’t analyse the league tables in particular. The main ones for the UK are organised by some of the national newspapers and other education organisations, and refreshed each year. From time to time the metrics used may change.

More recently, the Teaching Excellence Framework was introduced by the government in England. 

There has always been a strong interest in these types of courses for science degrees (e.g. natural sciences at Cambridge, Bath, Durham), but in recent years many UK universities have started offering liberal arts degrees, based on the US undergraduate model. Examples include King's College London, Exeter, Birmingham, and Essex.

In addition, in Scotland there is a strong track record of offering flexibility and choice within a four-year degree and providing joint degrees –history and politics, maths and music, international relations and law.