UCAS Undergraduate 2024 Entry

The UCAS Undergraduate Journey, from starting to think about what subject you want to study at university and actually getting there, can seem long and overwhelming. We’ve put together a helpful guide to help break down each step of the UCAS Undergraduate process and let you know what kind of things you should be thinking about during your UCAS Undergraduate application.

UCAS Undergraduate Search

First of all, you need to think about what subject you want to study at university. You can use the UCAS Undergraduate Search to explore options and investigate any initial ideas you may have. When thinking about what you want to do, it may be worth considering what you might want to do after graduation. Is there a particular carer you’d like? If so, ask yourself what skills you would need for this job, and then see which courses will help you develop these.

On the other hand, a good place to start is often simply what subject you like best.

Use the UCAS Undergraduate Search to check out the entry requirements and qualifications you need to be considered for a place, and whether you will need to take any extra admissions tests or interviews. Different universities may have different entry requirements for the same subject, so make sure you fully research which courses you can apply for.

Another great resource is the university’s website. It’s important to research exactly what the course covers so you know what you’re getting yourself into!

University is a great time to explore new areas of academic interest or develop key skills to help support your later career. Choosing a subject may feel like a daunting task, but remember, you need to think about what is best for you!

What do you want to achieve out of your time at university? It is completely okay not to know what you want to do after you graduate, but it can be helpful to have a rough idea. Are there any particular goals you want to reach? Many undergraduate course pages have a section on where graduates go after completing their degree and provided suggested career options. Have a look at these to see if that course aligns with your goals. Some subjects may naturally lend themselves to industry better than others. Do your research.

The majority of university students would emphasise the importance of choosing a subject you actually like. Undergraduate degrees require a lot of hard work and dedication – you need to make sure you are going to study a subject that you’re willing to get out of bed for!

What subject have you loved studying at school?

There are plenty of vocational or applied degrees on offer, and this can be fantastic for some. There is also an incredible range of traditional and non-traditional subjects you can study. Traditional subjects like Geography and History allow students to develop many of the key transferable skills that employers look for. Don’t be scared to study a subject that is not directly linked to a vocation.

To give applicants the best chance of getting into university in the 2024 entry, UCAS allows you to apply for five courses. Whilst you do not have to apply for the same subject at each university, it is best if you do apply for similar subjects, otherwise, your personal statement may not be relevant to all. For example, one university may offer International Relations instead of Politics, but another does offer Politics – it is ok to apply for both as they are similar topics. In contrast, applying for History at one place and then Chemistry at another is not advised.

Your personal statement doesn’t necessarily have to be directed towards one subject, however. Joint honours (where you study two subjects) or combined degrees (where you study at least two) are great opportunities to specialise in multiple areas or disciplines.

Remember, if you are applying to Medicine, Veterinary Medicine or Science, or Dentistry, you can only apply to four courses in these subjects, with your fifth option normally being a related academic subject like Biomedical sciences, for example.

Thinking of applying to Oxford or Cambridge? In most circumstances you can only apply to one – you cannot apply to both Oxford and Cambridge. Exceptions to this rule do exist, however, if you will already have graduated from a degree at the beginning of your course, or you’re applying for graduate medicine (course code A101).

Which undergraduate course is best for me?

The Majority of students tend to study a Bachelor’s degree at university – an undergraduate degree. In Scotland, undergraduate degrees can be called ‘Masters’ but they are not postgraduate degree programmes – this is because most Scottish degrees are longer than English ones.

Bachelor’s degree

Bachelor programmes are usually three or four years of full-time study, and longer if part-time. If you are studying modern languages, your degree programme may be a year longer than your peers to allow for a year aboard. These undergraduate degrees allow you to study a single subject or more as a Joint Honours programme. On the whole, Bachelor courses require students to study certain compulsory modules, before allowing them to specialise in other areas.

Some also integrate postgraduate-level study – this is called an integrated master’s. After completing the normal undergraduate degree, students can continue for another year to gain their master’s.  Not all subjects offer this, however. Indeed, it is mostly Science subjects and Engineering that offer this path. If this sounds appealing, when using the UCAS search tool, make sure you include the term ‘master’s’.

Foundation Years

These are one-year programmes which are designed to build up student’s skills and knowledge before a full undergraduate degree, although some are valued as just one year courses.

Why would you take a Foundation Year? If you didn’t get the right grades or didn’t study the right subjects at school, Foundation Years are great opportunities to get the right qualifications for undergraduate study.

Graduate Level Apprenticeship Degree

These kind, of course, are relatively new. Designed to allow applicants to get a degree qualification as well as practical experience, these are perfect for those considering working in applied vocations. These courses are extremely competitive, however, so if you are thinking about applying to one, make sure you are committed and willing to work hard! It may also be a good idea to apply to traditional undergraduate degree programmes through UCAS to keep your options open.

Think about what kind of teaching style you like. Different courses weight different methods of learning differently. Have a look at how many contact hours you will receive, how many lectures, and if you are applying for a science subject, how much time in labs.

Find out about who the lecturers are and what their specialities are. You can do this by going on faculty staff lists, looking at module coordinators and lecturers, and seeing what tutors are currently working on. If you are particularly passionate about one period in history, you may want to study with a lecturer who specialises in that.

You can also look at university statistics to see how students have rated their courses and universities.

UCAS Undergraduate Application in 2024

Choosing what subject you want to study is the first part of the UCAS Undergraduate application process. Don’t forget that if you are applying for 2022 entry, application fees apply: £20 for one choice or £26 for up to five.

There will be a deadline for your application – check what that deadline is. Final dates vary between courses so double-check soon.

Even though freshers’ week may seem a long way off, some application deadlines are actually in the previous October. Check the application deadlines for your chosen courses so you don’t get caught out.

Does your school have its own internal deadlines? If you are applying from a school or college, your teachers will provide a reference as part of your application. To make sure they have enough time to do so, and read over the rest of your application and personal statement, make sure you complete everything on time.

The deadlines for Conservatoires may vary from other undergraduate programmes, so again, check the deadline date. Be prepared!

The first deadline to bear in mind is the 15th October at 18:00 GMT. This is the closing date for applications to Oxford or Cambridge, and for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science or Medicine. If you didn’t send five applications out by this date, you can add choices later, as long as they do not exceed five in total.

Not sure which deadline applies to you? Check out the course specifications to make sure you don’t miss it. If you have any questions and cannot find the answers on the UCAS website, ring up UCAS, the university, or talk to your teachers and supervisors.

Remember – some courses require applicants to take submit further documents in addition to their UCAS application, or take admissions tests and interviews. Make sure you have thoroughly read all the course information so you don’t miss any of this and jeopardise your chance of getting into your chosen university.

Which university should I apply to?

While finding the right course is crucial, for many the actual location of the university plays an important role too. This is where you will spend the next three or so years of your life, so it is probably a good idea to make sure you like the place before you accept an offer!

Open days provide the perfect opportunity for you to walk around the campus, talk to tutors and lecturers and see if you can picture yourself there. Open days also allow potential students to check out the facilities. If playing rugby is important to you, you may want to make sure that the university has good sports facilities etc.

Given the current restrictions placed to combat COVID-19, many universities are now offering virtual open days – check these out!

If you are still struggling to finalise your choices, you may want to think about getting in touch with students currently studying at your possible universities – see what they really think.