Pre-requisites for UK admissions

The Ucas gives you the opportunity to apply for over 100, 000 courses across UK. This can be a tad intimidating for a young adult. To help you in making the choice, the Ucas website has informative videos and a helpful section that gives you a low down on all courses, sandwich courses through which you can explore the world of work in the industry you are specializing in, courses with a combination of subjects, and maybe even short term diploma courses.

The shorter undergraduate courses are ideal if you want a quicker qualification. You could opt for a Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE), a two-year a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE),a Higher National Diploma (HND) or a Foundation degree. With these, you will not be accepted directly into a Post graduate programme but into the second or the third year of a full degree.

What to explore?

The career aspirations you cherish can be achieved by exploring the section - Choose your course. Apart from this, Hotcourses.com is also an excellent resource to understand the various course options. Once you have identified the course, learn more about the course content. You can do this by following the link from the options given to you.

The pre requisites for entry

The next thing to understand is the entry requirements or the pre requisites for entry. Most University websites specify the grades required for entry; they mostly specify requirements from the British education perspective. Should you be pursuing an Indian curriculum, an American or Iranian for example, you may need to get in touch with the admissions office to seek clarity if it is not specified on the University website.

What are Tariff points?

In most websites, there is a mention of Tariff points. If you do not follow the British curriculum, it may sound confusing. Not all qualifications attract UCAS Tariff points. The university or college you are interested in may accept your qualifications as an appropriate entry route even if they don’t attract UCAS Tariff points. The UCAS website also states, that not all universities and colleges use the UCAS Tariff. To learn more, visit the Tariff section of UCAS. When in doubt, contact the University Admissions Department directly or seek guidance from UCAS. They are usually prompt about responding. Contact tariffqueries@ucas.ac.uk or the institution you are interested in applying to.

In the British system, apart from the English proficiency test IELTS for international students, some professional programmes require you to sit entrance exams like BMAT, UKCAT, LNAT etc. Furthermore, some course providers like Oxford and Cambridge have their own tests. To understand what they are, visit the UCAS website and seek information in the Entry requirements page. As the October 15th deadline looms large for Medical College aspirants, I have put together information of use that will help you in your quest.

Dealines are crucial

All too often students come to me after the deadline is past to enquire about Medical College admissions in UK. Although it is extremely competitive, you will not even get the change to give it a shot unless you meet the stipulated deadlines. So if Medicine is your dream career, go on, register for the requisite tests and prepare for them right away.

Get a reality check

Most institutions look upon your application favourably if you have demonstrated an interest in your chosen field by taking on an internship in your area of interest or if you have shadowed a person from that discipline. Using your summer or winter break constructively will give you a peek into the profession. I have found sometimes, students have dream concepts based on TV shows they are watching or books they are reading that glamorizes the profession and jazzes it up in their mind. When one works as an intern, the real picture emerges and the student may or may not be as interested as he/she first imagined they would be.

For most 17 year olds, getting an internship opportunity may prove to be a challenge even if it is an unpaid one as per current laws of the land. Some students therefore, go overseas or to their home countries and undertake projects or internships over the summer/winter breaks. It would be both productive and informative for students if the government could give them opportunities to contribute to the community and hone their skills here. Special student permits granting them permission for such internships will ensure that students utilize their time constructively.

Performing arts

If you’re looking for performance based courses in music, dance or drama, you may want to consider studying at a conservatoire. While academic music, dance or drama classes are more theory based, performing arts courses are much more practical.

If you are applying for a career-based course, contact the institution directly and ask for a form, you need not go through UCAS. For HNDs and Foundation degrees, you need to enquire with the institution whether you need to apply through UCAS or directly.

Art, Design and Architecture

Most institutions would need to see your portfolio before they offer you a place in these subject areas. The institution websites have detailed information on what they expect and how the submissions can be made.

Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Sciences and related courses

As 15th October is the deadline for applications, the deadlines for registration for the pre requisite tests the BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) and the UK Clincal Aptitude Test (UKCAT) are also early. The deadline for registration for UKCAT is 20th September. Key dates for BMAT is 1st October, standard entry closing date and 15th October for late entries. Test date, 6th November.

For details, download information on:

http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/App_Media/uploads/pdf/UKCAT_Guide_13_july.pdf

http://www.admissionstestingservice.org/images/126280-bmat-leaflet-2013.pdf

Oxbridge

If Oxford or Cambridge is your dream study destination, be mindful that the deadline for application is 15th October. Depending on the programme you wish to opt for, there may be tests required. Check colleges in the system to learn more. Also remember, deadlines are very important so please do your research well in advance so that you do not have any unpleasant surprises later.

Entrance test details

BMAT

The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) is a subject-specific admissions test for applicants to medicine, veterinary medicine and similar courses at universities where the majority of applicants have followed a predominantly UK-based school science curriculum. The BMAT is a 2-hour, pen-and-paper test divided into three sections:

• Aptitude and Skills.

• Scientific Knowledge and Applications.

• Writing Task.

You need to enter your BMAT candidate number on all exam scripts. Your candidate number can be found on your Statement of Entry, which is provided on the day of the test. Your candidate number begins with a ‘B’ followed by five numbers. BMAT results are only accepted by universities in the year candidates apply for university. A candidate’s score from one year will not affect their chances if re-applying in later years, as each application is considered afresh.

15th October is the deadline for all Medical, veterinary medicine and similar courses. Be mindful of the dates. To understand dates, deadlines and processes, please visit: http://www.admissionstestingservice.org

Source: www.ukbmat.org.uk

UKCAT

The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is used in the selection process by a consortium of UK University Medical and Dental Schools. The test helps universities to make more informed choices from amongst the many highly-qualified applicants who apply for their medical and dental degree programmes. The UKCAT does not contain any curriculum or science content; nor can it be revised for. It focuses on exploring the cognitive powers of candidates and other attributes considered to be valuable for health care professionals. Candidates intending to apply in 2013 for entry to a relevant course in a UKCAT University in 2014 (or for deferred entry in 2015) are required to sit the UKCAT by the 4th October 2013 deadline. The requirement to take the test applies to all UK, EU and the majority of international applicants.

To understand which Universities require this test, visit the ‘Who takes the test’ section of UKCAT website through: www.ukcat.ac.uk Also, their very comprehensive official guide also has sample questions. PLEASE NOTE that the last testing date is 4th October.

Source: www.ukcat.ac.uk

LNAT

LNAT or the National Admissions test for Law was developed by a consortium of UK universities as a fair way to assess a candidate’s potential to study law at undergraduate level, regardless of their education or personal background. The LNAT tests aptitude rather than educational achievement. The skills that candidates need to do well in the LNAT are also the skills that they need to do well in legal education. The test measures the verbal reasoning skills at the heart of legal education

• comprehension

• interpretation

• analysis

• synthesis

• induction

• deduction

If you are applying to Ucas in 2013-14 you must also take the LNAT during the 2013-14 testing cycle. If you take the LNAT in an earlier testing year, your result will not be transmitted to universities and you will have to take the LNAT again. All candidates should register for the LNAT on line and obtain an LNAT ID Number. This can be done only once you have registered on UCAS and have a UCAS ID number. Once you get your test result, they are sent automatically on the basis of information supplied by you. You must enter your UCAS personal identifier number (ten digits) at the time of registration. This allows your result and essay to be transmitted to the universities to which you apply on your UCAS form. You will receive an LNAT result (a score out of 42) and the university will refer to this when processing your university application.

Source: http://www.lnat.ac.uk/lnat-exam.aspx

Post Graduate Courses

To enroll in a post graduate programme, you would need the equivalent of a UK degree in a relevant subject. You may need to take a conversion Masters if direct entry is not

possible. Post graduate applications are usually submitted directly through the university’s website. It is also possible to apply through UKPASS, an online postgraduate application service also facilitated by UCAS. Visit www.ukpass.ac.uk for more information.

If you wish to pursue your interest in a specific subject area, you could opt for a research degree. Here, you would be expected to identify and develop a topic, use the guidance of a Professor or more to research and present your findings. To learn more, visit www.hero.ac.uk or www.newphd.ac.uk A lot of independent and focused work will be necessary to actualize this.

As regards securing a place in an MBA programme, most institutions would want to see professional work experience. Some students opt to undertake an MSc or MA when they do not have the required experience.

With more and more students graduating from local institutions, there is a felt need for Masters level courses. Some of the qualifications on offer include:

MA - Master of Arts/ M Sc. -Master of Science: These courses are usually 12 months long but may also extend to two years. You would need a basic degree in the subject to undertake a post grad qualification. Some institutions offer bridging courses if you are moving from one subject area to another or a related one.

PG Dip – Post Graduate Diploma – Most post graduate diplomas are 9 months in length. PG diplomas offer the same programme as a Masters level qualification but will not require a dissertation.

Conversion Masters These yearlong courses are tailored to suit those students who aspire to pursue a subject at the PG level that they have not specialized in before. They need to be graduates before being accepted for this programme.

MBA – Master of Business Administration – This most sought-after qualification is usually a year long. In most institutions, this would require professional experience. The requirement is specific to each university but most need a Managerial level experience for a period of three to five years. With changing trends, some students are opting for this degree directly after a first degree. However, the more competitive institutions would need the work experience. It is possible to specialize in a specific subject like Finance, HR or Marketing or take up a more generic MBA. The choice is yours. Web link www.mba.org.uk

Ph D – Doctoral programmes are typically four years long and allow the individual to undertake in depth research in any given area. The new Route Ph D offers a mixture of research and taught segments. Professional experience is also considered while assessing applications.

Box

Honours Degrees: Usually three years in duration, with focus on one subject. Some programmes may entail preparation of a desertation as part of the honours requirement.

Combined Honours: Two subjects studied for three to four years.

Sandwich course: A course that includes up to one year of work experience in the industry, usually in the third year. Students return to the Uni to complete the degree in the fourth year.

Foundation degree: These are usually two years in duration and students can progress to full honours degree after further study.

Foundation course: Should a student not have the required English proficiency or marks, he/she can enroll in a foundation course and then progress into a Bachelor’s programme.

The writer is the Director and Founder of Counselling Point Training and Devolopment. a KHDA approved student counselling centre in Dubai