The online UCAS application form
Here’s something that everyone applying to higher education definitely needs to know: when it comes to submitting your application and statement to UCAS, applying online is the only way to go – almost literally. In the last couple of years, UCAS has moved the entire applications procedure online. Although it might sound like this would make the whole process of submitting a UCAS statement and application more complicated, in fact UCAS’ reasons for handling university admissions candidates this way are pretty sound. UCAS handles over two million application forms every year, and the number is going up all the time, so the reduction in paperwork makes logistic sense and will be much better at coping with the increased load in the long term.
None of that is much help, of course, if those of us who are not 100% computer-literate really do have a harder time submitting a UCAS statement and application as a result of the change. Getting into university can be tricky enough as it is, without having to rely on some dodgy electronic form on the UCAS website! Thankfully, by this point UCAS seem to have ironed out most of the wrinkles in the software. The online UCAS application form and statement facility lets you log in and edit your application as much as you like before sending the completed document off, and the UCAS website lets you subsequently track the progress of your application – although you won’t have to track it for long, as UCAS estimates that the electronic application form lets them process applications within twenty-four hours of them being submitted, rather than the three weeks which it might take for them to handle a paper application.
The idea of this electronic system is that it will also result in the university admissions process being fairer and more transparent. But the other advantage of the all-electronic approach is that it’s a lot easier for UCAS to refine their own system without having to reissue reams of paperwork, so there’s an environmental benefit there. UCAS have also got online payment options set up through secure transaction servers, and a round-the-clock support and advice centre ready to answer questions and give advice. So there’s the bottom line: if you get into grief during the admissions process, the number for the UCAS customer service unit is 0870 11 222 11.
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