Application Process
Applications to full-time undergraduate programmes at Edge Hill University need to be made online through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) website at www.ucas.ac.uk.
This page will outline the general process, focus on the crucial personal statement which forms part of the application, and look at what happens next.
What does the application process involve?
After registering with UCAS Apply, the online application system, your son or daughter will need to complete their personal details, education, and employment history and submit their personal statement. A maximum of five choices can be made for the programmes they wish to apply for. This can be five different programmes at the same institution or five choices at various institutions, or a mixture of the two.
Students at school or college need to submit the form to a teacher who will add an academic reference before completing the final submission of the application to UCAS. School/college staff can generally provide support with the UCAS application if required. Students who are not attending a school or college can apply directly to UCAS but will need to obtain an academic reference themselves.
Applications with two or more choices cost £22 for academic year 2012/13. A single choice application will cost £11. The deadline for applications from with the UK and EU is 15th January 2012. It is possible to apply after this deadline, up until 30th June, however some of the more popular undergraduate courses may not have any remaining vacancies after the initial 15th January deadline. The best way to check on current vacancies is via the UCAS Course Search.
Please note, if your son or daughter is applying through a school or college an earlier deadline might be set for the submission of their application. This is to allow teachers enough time to write a reference and send the completed form to UCAS before 15th January.
Writing a Personal Statement
The personal statement submitted as part of a UCAS application is an opportunity for your son or daughter to explain why they want to study a particular subject and highlight why they merit the offer of a place or call to interview.
It is vital that the statement is concise, makes a good first impression through accurate spelling and grammar, and does not repeat information included elsewhere in the application.
Your son or daughter should outline their suitability and enthusiasm for their chosen subject(s) and highlight their transferable skills, work experience, career aspirations, motivation for applying to university and significant personal achievements. Parents can help by providing advice, support and encouragement during the process.
Things to avoid include plagiarising example statements, outlining negative experiences, using slang or text speak, providing irrelevant information, and making fabricated or unsubstantiated claims.
Further guidance on writing a personal statement is available in our online guide or applicants can contact the Course Information, Advice and Guidance Team by emailing study@edgehill.ac.uk or calling 01695 657000.
Next Steps
Once an application is submitted to UCAS, your son or daughter will receive an acknowledgement card within 48 hours to confirm receipt.
UCAS Track allows students to login to see the status of their choices at any time. Edge Hill University aims to provide an initial response usually within 10 – 15 working days. These responses include:
- Unconditional Offer - the application has been accepted and the applicant already meets the academic requirements for the course. Please note, unconditional offers may still require the applicant to satisfy non-academic conditions, such as Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check or verification of qualifications etc. Details of these can be found by logging into UCAS Track;
- Conditional Offer - the application has been accepted but the offer of a place is dependent on certain criteria being met. This can include examination results, CRB clearance, receipt of references etc. Details of these can be found by logging into UCAS Track;
- Interview - a number of Edge Hill programmes require attendance at an interview as part of the selection process and for a small number of courses (particularly Performing Arts) there may be an audition. If this is the case, your son or daughter will be sent an e-mail with further details;
- Rejection - the University is not able to offer a place. For most programmes, written feedback will be provided within 10 working days of the decision being transmitted to UCAS.
Once all institutions have completed the decision making process, if your son or daughter has been successful in gaining at least one offer of a place, they must reply to the offer(s). A firm acceptance is the first choice - this is the preferred choice out of all the offers received.
If the applicant has received more than one offer, they may choose another offer to accept as an insurance choice. This is particularly useful if the firm choice is conditional and the applicant is concerned that they may not meet the conditions of the offer.
If no offers are received from all five choices, a system called UCAS Extra allows prospective students to apply for one additional course at a time, subject to availabillity of places.
Results Day and Clearing
On results day, if your son or daughter has a conditional offer, they will have a place on their chosen course confirmed provided they have met the conditions of the offer (i.e. typically gaining the specified points or grades).
At Edge Hill University, if the applicant fails to meet the conditions of their offer, there may still be a chance that they can be accepted. This will be subject to how much the applicant has missed the required criteria by and the availability of places. In most cases, applicants will be able to check to see if they have been successful by logging onto UCAS Track on results day.
If the applicant fails to meet the entry criteria, it may be that they are unsuccessful in their application. If the applicant selected an insurance choice earlier in the process, they will be committed to their insurance choice provided they have achieved the specified grades or tariff points of the insurance offer.
For those students without a confirmed place on results day there is the opportunity to apply for any remaining spaces on courses through a system called Clearing.
Your son or daughter can find advice and guidance on what to do on results day at www.ucas.ac.uk/resultsandnextsteps.
Key Dates
You can view a list of important dates or download a step-by-step guide to the application process from the UCAS website.
You can view further information regarding Edge Hill University's admissions process at www.edgehill.ac.uk/admissions.
