1. Ucas 2017
AN OVERVIEW OF THE ON-LINE APPLICATION AND TRACK PROCESS FOR STUDENTS ON THE INTERNATIONAL ART, DESIGN AND MEDIA COURSES

2. THE ucas APPLY PROCESS
This presentation is designed as a quick reference guide for the UCAS APPLY AND TRACK process
APPLY is an on-line application process for full-time undergraduate courses at universities/colleges
You will need to register with UCAS to make an application
To register, or link an application to AUB from another institution, the Buzzword is PREPHE2017
More detailed information can be found at the UCAS website:
If you experience any problems with your application, please check the UCAS website first
You can also speak to your Tutor or the Foundation Administration Office

3. THE APPLY PROCESS
Ensure that you keep a note of your UCAS Username and Password and Personal ID No.
Remember to use your AUB account, as some personal addresses may have inappropriate content that could reflect badly on your application!
Take time over your application so you have breathing space to make any amendments before our internal deadline for submission of FRIDAY 17 MARCH 2017
Please ensure that you adhere to the above deadline, as this will allow us time to process the applications and complete references. Failure to do so will mean that your application may not be sent to UCAS in time for their submission deadline

4. PERSONAL DETAILS
When you enter ‘First/given name(s)’ please use your name as it appears on either your birth certificate and/or your passport
You can then enter your preferred first name in the box provided
Remember to use your AUB address

5. PERSONAL DETAILS – cont’d…/
For UK nationals, the area of permanent residence is the county in which your main home is located. If you live outside the UK a list of countries will be displayed
Your Tutor or the Foundation Office will be able to supply you with your Unique Learner Number (ULN), if appropriate
If you have taken either a TOEFL or IELTS English language test, please ensure that you put the test number in the relevant box

6. PERSONAL DETAILS – cont’d…/
You only need to complete this section if your permanent home is outside the EU
Please ensure that you complete all your passport details

7. PERSONAL DETAILS – cont’d…/
If you are considering applying for a student loan, you should select fee code 02. If you know your fees will be paid without a student loan, you need to select fee code 01
If you have selected fee code 02, Student Support Arrangements will be the same as your area of permanent residence
Only tick this box if you have got a relevant criminal conviction that is not spent. If you are unsure, please check the help text ?
The next section is for UCAS marketing purposes. If you do not want to receive any of this information, please remember to untick the relevant boxes

8. PERSONAL DETAILS – cont’d…/
You do not have to nominate someone, but it can be helpful if you might not easily be contactable during a specific time period. This information can be changed or deleted at a later date through TRACK
Please ensure that you complete this section, whether or not you have a disability
Before leaving the Personal Details section, please click ‘save’ to avoid losing any information
When you have finished all the entries, please click the box ‘section completed’ and then ‘save’ again

9. PERSONAL DETAILS – cont’d…/
The next section to complete is ‘Additional Information’
There are a number of sections, some of which require compulsory responses, although you are given an option as to whether or not you want to provide information
If you have done any activities in preparation for higher education, please ensure that you detail them, as such activities will enhance your application
Don’t forget to check and ‘save’ the information, and if all is OK, tick ‘section completed’ and ‘save’ again

10. STUDENT FINANCE
Please use the help button ? if you are unsure about what to do
It is important to apply early for student finance to make sure everything is in place before starting your course
Don’t forget to check and ‘save’ the information, and if all is OK, tick ‘section completed’ and ‘save’ again

11. COURSE CHOICES
You can apply for a maximum of 5 choices to UCAS; however, we recommend that you only put 4 choices down initially, so if you change your mind post-submission, amendments can be made through TRACK, although there is only a limited amount of time in which to do this
Your Tutor will discuss choices with you, so please wait before adding these until nearer the submission deadline of Friday 17 March 2017
Please ensure that you research individual course deadlines, as some may require you to submit your application before the above date
You will need to click ‘save’ after each course choice to move on to the next one

12. COURSE CHOICES – cont’d…/
If you are applying to the Arts University Bournemouth the UCAS Institute Code is: A66
Select the course you are interested in from the alphabetic selection menu
Please check help ? for information re ‘Further details’
Please check help ? for information re ‘Point of entry’
Remember to ‘save’ each choice before adding the next

13. EDUCATION
To add a ‘School/college/centre’ click here each time and it will take you to another screen where you can enter details of the institution
If you are an international student, type in your country of residence in the ‘search’ box for ‘School/college/centre name’ and it should bring up a list of institutions for that particular country
You should include all schools, colleges and universities that you have attended since the age of 11, even if you withdrew from your course
Once you have selected the institution from the choices in the next screen and pressed ‘save’, you will be taken back to this screen to add the qualifications you received at that particular institution
You will need to complete both screens for each institution you add
Unless you have any higher qualification, you should select this response

14. QUALIFICATIONS
You should enter all your current and previous qualifications
Selections can be made from the drop- down list of common qualifications
Entering Module or Unit details is optional
Make sure that you have your certificates or notifications’ letter from your previous schools/colleges so that you can enter the correct exam (including Board) and grade
UCAS cannot amend or add any qualifications to your application once the form has been sent to them

15. ADDING AUB AS AN INSTITUTION
When you add AUB as an institution, in the ‘search’ box type ‘ARTS UNIVERSITY’ and choose this
The Exam centre number should populate automatically
The start and end dates for the course are January and June 2017
As you will only receive a certificate for the course, you need to answer ‘NO’ to this question
Please do not enter anything in the course qualifications’ section, as the course does not have a formal qualification, just a certificate (see Personal Statement slide) NO

16. QUALIFICATIONS
For some qualifications, UCAS will match what you have entered on your application with the records of exam entries and the results received from the exam boards. This allows us to send your results automatically to the universities and colleges where you are holding any offers of a place
Please note that you are responsible for advising your chosen universities and colleges of results for all other qualifications
The universities and colleges can ask you to submit original certificates to support the qualifications listed in your application. They could be requested at any time during the application process, or at enrolment, and applications may be cancelled or places withdrawn if the original certificates are not produced within the time specified, if the certificates provided do not match the qualifications claimed, or if the certificates are found to be forged

17. EMPLOYMENT
Please fill in details of your work history and employers, up to a maximum of 5, by clicking here
If you haven’t had any jobs, leave this section blank, but you will still need to mark it as complete to continue with your application

18. PERSONAL STATEMENT
Please ensure that you read the UCAS guide to writing your personal statement and discuss with your Tutor if you have any queries
It is recommended that you draft the personal statement in Word, so you can spell-check the contents, and then copy and paste it into the box provided in this section
Before you can mark this section as complete you must click on ‘preview’. The system will then tell you how many lines and characters are still available for your personal statement

19. PERSONAL STATEMENT – cont’d…/
As mentioned in the ‘Adding AUB as an Institution’ slide above, you will need to show that you are currently at AUB undertaking a preparatory course
We therefore recommend that you use the following within your Personal Statement:
I am currently studying on the International Art, Design and Media course (or the International Art, Design and Media with English course), which is a six-month preparatory course that introduces the different subject areas of art, design and media.  The course has a particular emphasis on learning through experimentation with a broad range of materials and concepts. This will enable me to identify my own strengths and areas of interest, which will be focused in a final project in my chosen subject area.

20. PERSONAL STATEMENT – cont’d…/
If you draft your personal statement in Word, please note that it has a different character count to that of UCAS, so use ‘preview’ to check for any differences
Please use plain English, not text speak!
Aim to write the statement in paragraphs, not as continuous text
Avoid using quotes, humour and phrases like ‘Ever since I was very young…..’
Do not plagiarise - checks will be made
Examples of personal statements will be put up on the blog for you to reference
Your draft personal statement will be reviewed by your Tutor, ready for the submission deadline of 17 March 2017
Keep in mind that you need to demonstrate ‘MACK’ in your application:
Maturity That you are what a university would want in their ideal candidate
Achievement That you are ready for the demands of the course and will thrive, not strive
Commitment That you have the ability to see the course through to the end
Knowledge That you have done the research and are a reflective thinker

21. FINALISING YOUR APPLICATION
In the ‘View all details’ section, please review your application to ensure that the details you have provided are both correct and reflect your preferences
In the ‘Pay/Send’ section you will be asked for payment details to complete your application, after which your Tutor will complete your reference
The Tutor may refer your application back to you and ask that you make amendments or add missing information, so please ensure that you check your AUB regularly
If your application is returned to you, after you have made the necessary amendments you must go to the ‘Pay/Send’ section in order to return it to us, but you will not be charged again
If you are applying through your school or another institution and just need a reference, please see your Tutor
Once payment and all the final checks have been made, the Foundation Administration Office will send your application to UCAS for processing

22. TRACK
You can check the progress of your application through TRACK, which has 24/7 online access
TRACK is the quickest way to find out about new offers, which you must reply to online
If you are unsuccessful, you can see feedback
UCAS will give you reply-by dates
There is a facility to see and accept interview invitations from universities or colleges, although not all institutions do this
Interviews will normally take place between January and April
Make sure that your correspondence address is appropriate for the Easter vacation
If an interview is displayed on TRACK, you have the ability to accept it, but if you need to change the interview date, you must do so directly with the institute, not via TRACK