Students apply to university through UCAS (the university and college admissions service). It is an independent charity which handles over 700,000 applications each year.
Students can add up to five options on their application form. Students are welcome to apply for more than one course at the same university (but they can only write one personal statement).
In order for a student’s UCAS application to be submitted, a payment of £34.50 must be made. This payment goes directly to UCAS. Students who are currently receiving free school meals or have received free school meals in the last 6 years do not have to pay.
Any students applying to study Medine, Dentistry or Veterinary Medicine are early applicants with an early submission deadline, alongside students applying for any course at the University of Oxford or Cambridge.
Early applicant personal statement first draft deadline – 13th September 2026
Normal applicant personal statement first draft deadline – 1st November 2026
Students who miss the personal statement draft deadline are not guaranteed to receive any feedback on their personal statements.
Early applicant student submission deadline – 6th October 2026
Normal applicant submission deadline – 1st December 2026
Students who miss the submission deadline are not guaranteed to get their applications sent off by Miss Jones or Miss Wilkinson before the UCAS equal consideration deadline.
During the Autumn term, students are given Tuesday and Thursday tutor times to work on their UCAS applications where their form tutor and the Sixth Form careers mentor will be present to provide support. Students are also encouraged to use at least one hour of directed study each week to continue working on their applications.
A personal statement is a 4000 character essay submitted as part of a student’s UCAS application. It is divided into three structured questions to help assess a student’s suitability for a course.
1. Why do you want to study this course or subject?
2. How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
3. What else have you done to prepare outside of education and why are these experiences useful?
Students must write the drafts of their personal statement on Unifrog and copy and paste it into their UCAS application only once it is finished.
Universities will review the personal statement, achieved and predicted qualifications and the reference. Universities may also ask for an admissions test to be completed, a portfolio to be submitted or invite students to an interview.
The student’s reference is made up of three sections:
– General school context (written by the Head of Sixth Form and the same for every student)
– Information on any extenuating circumstances that have impacted the student’s education achievement (written by the student’s form tutor)
– Specific supportive information about the applicant’s academic performance, potential and suitability (written by the student’s subject teachers and form tutor)
Predicted grades will be confirmed by subject teachers after the summer mock exams. Students will be informed of their predicted grades during their 1:1 progress meetings on Wednesday 24th July 2026.
A firm choice is a student’s top-priority university (first choice), while an insurance choice is a student’s backup (second choice) if they miss the grades for their firm choice on results day. When selecting their firm and insurance choice, a student must decline all other offers they have received.
If a student wishes for their predicted grades to be amended, they should collect a ‘predicted grade change form’ from the office as soon as possible. One form needs completing per subject. The form requires signatures from the relevant subject teachers, the Head of Sixth Form and the Sixth Form careers mentor.
Once a student is happy that their UCAS application is complete and this has been confirmed by their form tutor, students are permitted to submit their application on UCAS. Once submitted, the application will then get checked and approved by Miss Wilkinson and Miss Jones. Once approved, Miss Wilkinson or Miss Jones will send off the application.
UCAS tariff points convert post-16 qualifications into numerical values. Higher grades translate into higher points.
A Level’s
- A*: 56 points
- A: 48 points
- B: 40 points
- C: 32 points
- D: 24 points
- E: 16 points
BTEC Level 3 Extended Certificate
- D* (Distinction*): 56 points
- D (Distinction): 48 points
- M (Merit): 32 points
- P (Pass): 16 points
Not all universities use the tariff points system, with some universities asking for specific grade combinations (e.g. AAB).
UCAS Extra allows students to add an extra university choice if they have used their initial five choices and have no offers (due to rejections or declining any offers they have received).
Clearing is how universities fill any places they still have remaining on their courses. Students can apply to a university course on results day through clearing if they have performed worse or better than expected, would like to change courses or have decided last minute they would like to study at university.
Head of Sixth Form – Miss K. Jones
kjones2@emmanuel.nottingham.sch.uk
Sixth Form Careers Mentor – Miss K. Wilkinson
kwilkinson@emmanuel.nottingham.sch.uk