University Applications: Top Tips

Although you might be desperate to go to your first-choice university, it’s a good idea to also have a backup option. In the UK, you can choose up to five courses and your universities won’t see where else you’ve applied until after you reply to any offers. If you wish to, you can even apply to more than one course at the same university. 

Try applying for a range of different universities with varying entry requirements to give yourself a better chance at being accepted into a university, regardless of your grades. Of course, make sure you’d be happy to go to any of these universities before applying.

If your university application asks for letters of recommendation, take some time to consider who you ask to write them. Choose teachers or other professionals who know you well, and who would be able (and willing) to talk about your strengths in detail, giving examples when needed.

The letters of recommendation should give a sense of who you are, rather than just focusing on your academic side, in order to show the university admissions officer that you are a well-rounded individual with a lot to offer the university.

Your personal statement is your chance to tell admissions officers exactly why it is that you want to study your chosen course, and what you’ve done so far to show your interest in the subject.

In your personal statement you should talk about why you’d be a good match for the course; use examples of things you’ve done previously which outline your skills and achievements in order to show admission officers why they should accept you onto the course.

If you’re struggling to write your personal statement, try using QS Leap – a program that gives you a 15 page personalized report to help you build your university application. You can also find out more about writing your personal statement here.

If you have admissions tests as part of your application to university, it’s important to prepare for them in advance to give yourself the best possible chance of success. Become familiar with the style of questions and take a look online to find practice tests.

Most university application tests do not require a lot of extra study, however, as they will be testing skills you should already have. However, practicing the tests beforehand will familiarize yourself with their layout and get you used to the time pressure element of the tests, making you less nervous when it comes to taking them.

If you’re looking to go to university, but are worried about costs, then you may want to apply to a scholarship. For a basic guide on how to apply to a scholarship, click here.

If you’re interested in studying abroad, you can find a list of scholarships available to study around the world here. You can also find out about more general advice on applying to scholarships here.

An incomplete university application can delay a decision and may reduce your chances of being accepted. Make sure you are aware of all deadlines and that you are prepared well ahead of time to ensure that all aspects of your application are complete. 

A good way to do this is to make a note of all your upcoming deadlines, either on a calendar or in a notebook, and look at this frequently.

Find out more about how to meet admissions deadlines here.