International Teachers' and Advisers' Conference

This session will follow the decision-making process around competitive applications at three universities with differing admissions structures – the University of Bath and Cardiff University, where most decisions are made by specialised admissions staff, and The University of Edinburgh, where the responsibility for admissions sits within academic colleges which are responsible for groups of subject disciplines.

The presenters will consider how admissions requirements are set, what elements of an application carry weight, what contributes to a strong application, and discuss the validity of the personal statement, prior and predicted academic achievement, and the reference, when identifying who will receive an offer. The session will also touch upon the significance of admissions tests, interviews, and other face-to-face assessment methods. We will also try to answer the million dollar question ‘What happens when you get two applications that have equal merit and only one place to offer?’.

This session will be useful for teachers and advisers who are new to their UCAS adviser role, but will also have something for those with experience of supporting applicants, particularly as the focus will fall on highly selective degree schemes.

Learning outcomes

• A clear understanding of how admissions decisions are reached at a range of UK universities.
• Knowledge of the relevant weight placed upon varying components in the admissions process, to better advise potential applicants