Applications to UK universities is made through the national online UCAS system simultaneously to 5 British universities. It is done at the beginning of the last (13th) year of study at a British school. Students studying A-level, IB and Pre-U programmes in other countries can follow the same route.

Admission is competitive based on consideration of submitted documents with the subsequent need to confirm the received offer of a place by achieving the final grades required by the university at the school. 

Some universities also conduct mandatory interviews and additional testing at the stage of competitive selection of candidates.

The universities consider the following documents:

– previous grades received by students (for the GCSE course – Year 10 and Year 11 at a British school or results from the foreign country),

– the results predicted by the British school for a two-year course of Year 12 and Year 13.

– reference letter from a British school (confirming if the chosen course corresponds to the potential of the student) 

– student’s personal statement, which is a very serious job. Although one personal statement prepared for all 5 universities, each university will assess the compliance of the candidate’s interests and motivation with its own programme, which is very important to take into account when writing the statement.

In the letter, the students:

– justify their choice of university course (the university expects to feel the student’s thorough interest and enthusiasm for specific aspects of the chosen field and course and they like to see that the choice was made consciously, for example, in the form of conclusions from the specific subject and from work experience related to the chosen course.

– present themselves as interesting candidates for the university, proving their words by achievements in extracurricular activities, analysing contribution that each lesson made to the development of the students, giving examples of their responsible roles and duties and the manifestation of their leadership and team qualities, as well as the qualities necessary for the chosen course.