UCAS: Applying to Study in the UK and Northern Ireland

So, are you interested in spreading your wings and studying in the UK or Northern Ireland but unsure as to how to do this? We have you covered!

UCAS is the application system for applying to universities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Since Brexit, Irish students are liable to pay fees in England, Scotland and Wales. However, thanks to the Good Friday Agreement, Irish students are treated as “home-students” in Northern Ireland so are exempt from fees there. This makes applying to Northern Ireland very worthwhile considering it’s just a short train or bus journey for many students in the Republic of Ireland.

The UCAS website is your go-to destination for information on courses and universities. The onus is on you to make sure that you meet the course and college requirements for each course that you apply for. If you come across a course that only shows entry requirements for British A-levels, don’t be afraid to email the university directly and ask them for the entry requirements for students studying the Irish Leaving Certificate.

The UCAS system for applying is a little bit different to the CAO system here in Ireland. First of all, you must write a personal statement. This is 4,000 characters in length and requires you to convince the universities why they should give you a place on their course. This will take a lot of drafting and re-drafting so get it started well ahead of the deadline. We will be posting a future blog on how to write a personal statement so keep reading!

Secondly, you need a reference from a teacher or your school guidance counsellor telling the

universities why you would be a suitable candidate for a place on their course. This should be a person who knows you well—a teacher who may have taught you at Junior Cycle or a teacher who may know you from being involved in extra-curricular activities too. This can take a bit of time for your teachers to complete so make sure you ask them politely to do the reference for you and give them plenty of time to complete it!

You also need a list of predicted grades that your teachers estimate you will achieve in the Leaving Certificate examinations. Like CAO, there is also an application fee. Last year it was £27 to apply but keep an eye on the UCAS website for possible 2024 updates to this fee. It is important to note that you can apply for up to six courses.

For current Sixth-Year students entering university in September 2024, you have a couple of dates to be aware of:

• As of 5th of September, UCAS will start to accept completed applications.

• If you’re applying for Medicine, Veterinary or Dentistry courses or ANY course at Oxford or Cambridge, you need to have your completed application submitted to UCAS by 16th October 2023 at 18.00 (Irish time).

• All other applications must be received by UCAS by 31 st January 2024 at 18.00 (Irish time).

If you would like any further information on how to apply to UCAS or would like any help with the application or advice on writing a personal statement, please get in touch with our Guidance Department here at Educating Éire!