Overseas Opportunities for Graduates

1. Overseas Opportunities for Graduates Form 6 September 262016

2. Our students: Where did they go? Have a strategy • Plan A Go to one of the Big Three • Plan B Go UK, USA, Canada Australia • Plan C Go Asia or Europe • Plan D Go to another UGC School • Plan E Go to a fee paying degree course • Plan F Do an Associate or Higher Dip. • Plan G Do the DSE again • Plan H Other

3. Where did 2016 SPC guys go….overseas? • UK: 11 • Australia: 4 • USA: 2 • Canada: 2 • Other Overseas:2 Although one fifthwent overseas, over half APPLIED overseas

4. 1. Open your UCAS account on their website: https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/login2. Apply through the College by using the SPC buzzword: spchongkong2017 3. Prepare your 5 choices and course codes according to the areas in which you hope to study. 4. If you plan to apply for medicine or veterinary or Oxford or Cambridge, you must apply by October 15th, one month away. 5. Many Oxford/Cambridge or medical courses require the UKCAT or LNAT.  Be sure that you taken this well in advance. 6. All other university course applications must be completed by 15th January. 7.  Write to the school to ask for your teachers to issue Predicted Grades and a reference for you.  This should be addressed to Mr Yuen, the Principal. Application Process UK

5. 8. Ask Mr Chow in the College Office for a 'Yellow Form' so that all of your activities are included in putting together your recommendation. 9. You must write a Personal Statement of 4000 characters.  Ask your English teacher or Careers Teacher to assist in checking this. 10.  This will have to be edited at least twice, so leave plenty of time for this. • 11.  Check with Mr. Chow after ten days to see if your Predicted Grades and reference are ready.  Check these over carefully. 12.  If there are any problems, see Mr. Ryan in the Careers Masters Room on the 3rd floor or on the 7th floor staff room. 13. Once you have submitted your UCAS application, the College will be notified. Application Process UK

6. 14. The College will enter your Predicted Grades and reference.  You need to check on this, but those parts will be done for you. 15. Once all sections have been completed you can submit your credit card payment, and the school will send the application to UCAS. 16.  You will receive your conditional offers (based on your DSE results) individually from each university that you apply to. 17.  One general rule is to apply to one school that you think that it will be difficult for you to gain admission, three schools in which you have a reasonable chance, and one school that you are quite confident that you can gain admission. 18.  We are here to help you with your UK application, but don't leave it too late.  Start now- before the real rush later. Application Process UK

7. 1. Most universities operate under the Common Application system, so you can apply to many schools with one application. 2. University of California schools do not use the Common App, but have a statewide system so that you can apply to many of the universities (LA, Berkeley, Davis, San Diego) with one application. 3. Most of the other universities require individual applications.  This is time-consuming, but not difficult, as applications tend to have the same or similar question types. 4.  Many (indeed most) US universities require you  to take the SAT exam or the ACT exam.  These exams are held frequently, but there is a long lead time.  Check the Careers Board on the 5th floor or ask Mr. Ryan or Wong or Mr. Yip for details. 5.  For English Language competency, most require some external test such as TOEFL, or SAT or IELTS.  In HK, IELTS is the easiest option as it is the most similar to a DSE style, and it can be done quickly in terms of getting your result. Application Process USA

8. 6.  All applications require a Personal Statement and often a supplementary statement as well. 7.  All of these are read and evaluated, so it is critical that you have your English teacher or Careers Advisor assist you in editing. 8.  As with most other systems, you will need Predicted Grades and a College reference. 9.  Write to Mr Yuen, the Principal, asking for Predicted Grades and a reference.  As each teacher must submit marks please leave adequate time. 10. Early decision applications must be submitted by the end of September, while ordinary submission is generally before Christmas.  You need to look at the individual school website for details. 11.  Some schools have 'rolling admissions', so you can apply at any time.  The general rule is: The earlier, the better.12.  Remember to fill out your 'Yellow Form' from Mr Chow so that your reference can be written. Application Process USA

9. 1.  The Canadian system is quite popular with HK students as many have family and friends who are educated in Canada or live there. 2.  As with the UK and USA, Predicted Grades and a reference are essential.  You must write to Mr. Yuen the Principal, to request these. 3.  In Canada you must apply by province rather than a single system like JUPAS or UCAS or Common App. 4.  Applications are done through each province but you can apply to many schools within one province with a single application. 5.  Each province has their own unique cut-off date, but these are usually from January to April.  You must look up the individual school to be sure. Application Process Canada

10. 6.  Soft copy applications are not permissible, so everything must be sent from SPC.  So, leave plenty of time. 7.  As these done by post or courier, they tend to be slower so applications should be done as early as possible. 8.  The same basic principle applies for Canada as for UK and USA admissions- letter to SPC, Predicted Grade, reference and personal statement or similar.  9.  While most of the SPC students tend to apply to UT or UBC, others have attended the French speaking province of Quebec as well. 10.  Look up the courses, prepare early, and investigate fully. Application Process Canada

11. 1.  The Australian academic calendar is the opposite of the Hong Kong calendar- university starts in Feb and ends in November. 2.  Like the UK, Australia has mainly 3 year courses rather than 4, as in HK, USA and Canada. 3.  Once you have completed your DSE, you can apply to Australian uni courses knowing whether you will be admitted based on the previous intake. 4.  Some students choose Australia and do a Foundation course or a half-semester rather than waiting for the full year (Feb) to commence. 5.  There are fewer regulations for entry, as Australian universities will admit based on the DSE. 6.  Most Australian universities require an  IELTS test prior to admission to an undergraduate course as proof of English competency. Application Process Australia

12. 7.  Application is done according to the state to which you wish to apply (like the Canadian system. 8.  In the Australian system, there is no need for Predicted Grades or reference, as it will be based on your DSE marks alone. 9.  Applications for the following year (i.e Feb 2017 )are available from October 2016. So, many students are able to do forward planning. 10. Applications for accommodation at colleges of the university can be done even earlier, however (July onwards of the previous year). 11.  If you have any questions about the application process, please see Mr Ryan. Application Process Australia

13. All figures are approximate and will vary according to the geographic region within the country, travel and insurance and ancillary costs.