College Apps Abroad is now a UCAS centre
This week I'm pleased to announce that I have become an approved UCAS centre, which will help facilitate the application process for my students applying to the UK.
What is UCAS?
UCAS stands for the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service, and it's the official portal to apply for universities in the UK.
Think of it as the Common App of the UK; every university there is on it.
There are some significant differences though between the Common App and UCAS, and even though there are also UK universities on the Common App, UCAS is the preferred and most efficient and affordable way to apply--even for international students.
What does this mean?
Students who have signed up for my any of my personalized advising packages will be able to apply to UK universities through my portal, and I'll be able to review and approve their applications before they submit.
This will ensure that applications are complete and accurate.
It will also allow me to track offers and decisions as well as view any conditions that may be included in an offer.
What about my UK reference letter?
If you apply through my center, your referee will send me your recommendation letter.
This has been helpful on many occasions, as I am able to check that it is in the correct UK style, focused on academics, rather than a U.S. style reference letter about the student as a person.
And many times, I've had to tell the referees that they had the wrong student name on it!
How does the UCAS portal work?
When students register for an account on UCAS, they can choose to apply independently or through a centre.
If they choose to apply through a centre, they'll just need to input my unique "buzzword" (basically a passcode) to link their application to my centre.
It's as easy as that!
Are students required to apply through my portal?
Not at all; they can still choose to apply independently, but I won't be able to 'officially' review their applications before they submit.
Applying through my centre does potentially mean, however, that universities can see their applications attached to my centre and understand that they are serious applicants.
What if your school is already a UCAS centre?
That's not a problem; students can apply through their school!
