Urgh bad bad bad Ingrid! This is not a good start… I will try to make up for this by making a more informative post about applying to a school in the United Kingdom.
Universities in the United Kingdom use an online system similar to the CommonApp called UCAS. UCAS provides six general steps to applying to university:
1) Choosing courses: This is basically choosing your possible major. You are not bound to this major once accepted (so don’t freak out! You can change your mind), however, before applying to the UK, you should have a general idea of what interests you. A big part of applying and writing your personal statement (see step 4) lies in the rationale behind your course decision. You should also take note that the strength of your course may vary from uni to uni, so make you do good research about a prospective universities on the general and specific level. I suggest these sites for the beginning of your research:
- http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/single.htm?ipg=6643
- http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/universities/
- http://www.push.co.uk/
2) Personal Information, Education & Employment: This part is pretty simple. Just fill it in. If you do want start in advance, I suggest making a resume a couple months in advance. Remember to keep things in perspective and to not add absolutely everything you have ever done. Remember that you are trying to give the university an idea of who you are and why you should be admitted. *Note* For the Education section, I couldn’t find a section for some of my qualifications. I looked under the ‘O’ section for ‘Other.’
3) Personal Statement: This is absolutely the most important part of the application! So put some thought into it! You have 4,000 characters to explain so be concise. Say everything naturally and as it comes to you. DO NOT do a US style personal statement. This statement should be direct, to the point, and SHOULD NOT include a personal story. The language should be clear and not flowery. I would actually suggest googling sample personal statements to get an idea.
You have two main tasks: to explain your choice of course & to explain why you are suited to this course. Think deeply about why you want to do this particular course. Then think about an awards, achievements, hobbies, interests, work/volunteer experiences that indicate that you are devoted and accomplished in your course. I also included relevant literature that I enjoyed about the subject I wanted to study. This information should also highlight aspects of your personality that make you suited to your course. Finally, as an international student, you should explain why you want to study abroad and why you think you can do it. Remember: this is the most important part of your application so think about it!
4) Your reference: This person should be someone who knows you well, yet can be objective about you. They want you to do it online, but I chose to give send in writing. Just make sure that you indicate under the reference tab that you will send it with the record of your grades.
5) OFFERS!! YAY!
So tell me what you want to know about. I’d be happy to answer any questions so leave them in the comments below!
ingridmathilde
