Applying to Higher Education: The UCAS Process

1. Applying to Higher Education: The UCAS Process Michael Smith Professional Development Manager

2. Overview • Latest statistics for 2011 cycle applications • Apply 2012 changes • Current and future developments: • Advisers Toolkit • Admissions Process Review • Qualifications Information Review

3. HE provision in the UK ? • 300+ Universities / Colleges • Including: • 4 Northern Irish HEIs • 21 Scottish HEIs • 261 English HEIs • 18 Welsh HEIs • 38,806 courses • Changing landscape of HE provision: • Less courses over last year • More competition ?

4. Total applicant figures as at 6 June 2011

5. Change in acceptance rate from 2010 More applicants and less acceptances = getting harder to find a place Source: UCAS Statistics

6. Decisions vs choices (not applicants) Total choices 2010 2011 2,584,289 2,709,019 • Approx same number of applicants but more choices • 13% less applicants 2011 applying with only one choice U decision 167,359 153,309 C offers 1,281,395 1,305,588 Rejections 826,127 922,417

7. Pressure of the 15 January deadline • 27,000 applications submitted on 15 Jan 2011 • 56,000 logged onto Apply for the first time on 13 Jan 2011 • 75,000 applications over 14/15 Jan 2011 • Customer Service Calls: • Normal week: 17,000 • w/c 10/01: 38,962 • Last 4 opening hours of 15 Jan 2011 = almost 4,000 calls

8. Why is research important? • 2010 Medicine: • 81,422 choices • 7,947 UF • 10.2 acceptance rate • 2010 Law [Total] • 117,526 choices • 21,913 UF • 5.4 acceptance rate • 2010 Nursing: • 194,214 choices • 27,079 UF • 7.2 acceptance rate Law Law w La Law Law Law Law Law Nursing Nursing ng Nur Nursing Nursi Nursing Nursing Nursing

9. 2012 Apply and Course Search releases • May 2011: Course Search2012 to be published without fee information • W/C 6 June 2011: Apply 2012 goes live for new registrations • July 2011: Course fee information updated onto course search • Sept 2011: Apply 2012 goes live for applications to be submitted

10. Changes to Apply 2012 • Student Finance link • Extended Character Set • Independent Reference messages • Increase in Fee to £22 (£11) • View all details

11. Student Finance Link

12. Extended Character Set • Applicants will be able to enter into certain fields characters from an extended range of character sets • To support the Welsh Language Act (1993) and in doing so, further allow applicants to enter European characters • Fields marked with ‘Æ’: • Name • Address • Personal statement • Reference  é õ

13. Extended Character Set • Some HEIs may not use technology that accepts these characters: • UCAS will substitute European characters with an English version • On entering a European character the applicant will see a warning text to advise them that they will need to check the substituted character version before submitting to UCAS (same with the reference) • Institutions will receive both versions

14. Extended Character Set – Warning messages

15. Personal Statement screen example Extended characters used Substitutions used

16. View all details example Must agree before completing Extended characters used Substitutions used

17. Other Apply changes for 2012 • 14 day rule – now 7 days [Cooling off period] • Substitutions • Cancelling application for a full refund • Changing replies without HEI permission • Admissions tests are now listed under the letter of the individual test • Predicted grades drop down list for Access students • Changes to wording for general & sales information e.g. Must opt in to receive • Contextual data provision

18. Apply changes for 2011 • Passport collection: applicants will be asked for passport and visa details – not mandatory • Highest level of qualification question: The applicant will select from the following: • Honours degree level or above qualifications • Below honours degree level qualifications • I will have no formal qualifications • Referees for Independent applicants have more independence when adding references • Request forwarded by email to referee • Referee provided login details to apply • Submits independently and applicant informed when completed

19. Contextual Data from 2012 What is it? • Data that may be part of or additional to, that on the UCAS application that sets the application in its educational and / or socio economic context • Can be self declared: illness, carer, disability • Other contextual data: interviews, admissions tests, auditions • Helps to support fair admissions

20. Contextual Data – UCAS involvement • Increase in use of contextual data as part of selection process for higher education • Universities and colleges currently obtain information independently from a number of verified sources – spending significant resource • Request to UCAS to provide central source of data collected from verified sources • UCAS does not analyse the data • Institutions must sign up to receive the information

21. Collection of data by UCAS • Data will be supplied to UCAS on condition that institutions use it only for agreed purpose • Will be collected from UK Administrations annually • Matched to UCAS school and college reference data to enable linking to applicants

22. Basket of data for HEIs Educational Background • % of students achieving 5 A* -C GCSE (must inc English/Welsh/Maths) • Average (mean) QCA points best 8 GCSE performance • Average (mean) of QCA points per A Level entry or equivalent • Average (mean) of QCA points per A Level student or equivalent Socio-Economic Background • % of students entitled to free school meals (local authority) • % of students entitled to an EMA and % registered for EMA • Lives in low progression to HE neighbourhood (POLAR 2) Institutions will sign up to receive the information

23. Use of contextual data by institutions • UCAS website will show which institutions are taking the data from UCAS • Institutions are encouraged to publish a policy on their use of contextual data • How data is used is the domain of the institutions • SPA have issued best practice advice www.spa.ac.uk

24. Recent developments @ UCAS • Top 10 queries on landing page • New Question agent • New publication: UCAS Guide • More presence on social networking sites • Youtube web-seminars: • Personal statements • Choosing where to go and what to study • Making the application New landing page = navigation will be easier

25. New Developments • National scholarship programme: • Portal through UCAS.com • Advisers Toolkit: • www.ucas.com/adviserstoolkit • Lesson exercises • Adviser checklist • Email template for parents • Myth buster sheet • In May mailing

26. Ongoing UCAS reviews: • Admissions Process Review: • Completion date - Sept 2011 • Implementation – ready for those applying for 2014 entry • What will change? • Technology refresh • Qualifications Information Review : • Reviewing what information requirements HEIs have regarding qualifications to enable them to make reasonable admissions decisions • June – Interim report expected on Phase 1 findings • www.ucas.com/reviews/qireview/survey

27. Admissions Process Review (APR) • Objectives: • develop a flexible, responsive and cost-effective system that can support a wide range of admissions models • design a system that is tailored to institutional requirements in a way which is efficient for UCAS and its members • support choice, fair access, social mobility and widening participation • http://www.ucas.com/reviews/admissionsprocessreview Under the current process Admissions Offices make on average over 20 transactions to place one applicant

28. Qualifications Information Review (QIR) • Purpose: • Understand requirements for information about qualifications to enable fair, transparent and efficient admissions to HE • Stakeholders include applicants, schools and institutions • Review effectiveness of meeting these needs • To develop and consult on improvements and alternative approaches • Aligned with APR for synergy • http://www.ucas.com/reviews/qireview/ Registered Level 3 qualifications have risen in number from 1,211 (2002) to 3,921 (2010)

29. 2011 UCAS Projects – working titles! Top level focus • My Future • Course Finder • Course Finder Mobile application • Train the Trainer • E-learning zone • Virtual Events

30. Contacts • Qualifications information Review: • Richard Spencer – r.spencer@ucas.ac.uk • Admissions Review: • Tammy Long – t.long@ucas.ac.uk

31. Professional Development Team • We provide training and development to: • Applicants • Advisers – teachers, tutors, careers, • Parents • HEI staff • Can offer: Presentations, Workshops, Conferences, Key note speeches • Topics include: • Topical issues • UCAS applications and processes • Best practice (i.e. Personal statements) • www.ucas.com/training • professionaldevelopment@ucas.ac.uk

32. Questions Michael Smith Professional Development Manager m.smith@ucas.ac.uk