[aalex]

I'm applying for 2013 entry to read Economics at 5 top British universities. I'll need to sit the IELTS, but I want to do it in April or May 2013, so I won't have the IELTS when I'll send my application. Will this be a big disadvantage?

[lex25288]

(Original post by aalex)
I'm applying for 2013 entry to read Economics at 5 top British universities. I'll need to sit the IELTS, but I want to do it in April or May 2013, so I won't have the IELTS when I'll send my application. Will this be a big disadvantage?

If it's for 2013/2014 entry, you'll be fine. If they are going to make you an offer it will just be a conditional one, which will then be turned to unconditional once you pass your IELTS exam.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my Galaxy Nexus

[aalex]

(Original post by lex25288)
If it's for 2013/2014 entry, you'll be fine. If they are going to make you an offer it will just be a conditional one, which will then be turned to unconditional once you pass your IELTS exam.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my Galaxy Nexus

Yes, I know my offer will be conditional, but I'm wondering if, for example, they'll have 2 equally good applications - one with the IELTS taken and one without it - they'll make the offer to the one with the IELTS, or it really doesn't matter?

[lex25288]

If it's a course with a limited annual intake, my guess is its gonna be on a first come first served basis. So if you sent in your application before the other candidate, assuming you are both equally qualified for a place on the programme, the offer is gonna go to you. Only it's gonna be conditional, then once you get your IELTS test results and if they are over the bar the university has set, your offer is gonna be turned to unconditional :-)

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my Galaxy Nexus

[Juno]

(Original post by aalex)
Yes, I know my offer will be conditional, but I'm wondering if, for example, they'll have 2 equally good applications - one with the IELTS taken and one without it - they'll make the offer to the one with the IELTS, or it really doesn't matter?

They don't limit the number of offers that precisely. They give many more offers than places, so really an extra one doesn't matter. It definitely isn't first coome first served, either, so anything lex says should be ignored.

[lex25288]

(Original post by Juno)
It definitely isn't first coome first served, either, so anything lex says should be ignored.

I said my guess is.... That means I just made an assumption, there was no need to be so rude.... If the course someone applies for has a fixed annual intake of let's say 50 people it's very unlikely that they are going to be offering 50+ (let's say 70) an offer of a place. In this very case the uni just gives you a very limited time slot in which to accept your offer, it usually says so on your offer letter. If you don't accept your offer before the date specified, the offer is going to be reallocated to someone else. I am speaking from experience, they were very clear on the offer letter: please notify as soon as possible of your decision. Your offer of a place will be automatically reallocated after xx.xx.xx


This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my Galaxy Nexus

[aalex]

(Original post by Juno)
They don't limit the number of offers that precisely. They give many more offers than places, so really an extra one doesn't matter. It definitely isn't first coome first served, either, so anything lex says should be ignored.

Thanks!

[Juno]

(Original post by lex25288)
I said my guess is.... That means I just made an assumption, there was no need to be so rude.... If the course someone applies for has a fixed annual intake of let's say 50 people it's very unlikely that they are going to be offering 50+ (let's say 70) an offer of a place. In this very case the uni just gives you a very limited time slot in which to accept your offer, it usually says so on your offer letter. If you don't accept your offer before the date specified, the offer is going to be reallocated to someone else. I am speaking from experience, they were very clear on the offer letter: please notify as soon as possible of your decision. Your offer of a place will be automatically reallocated after xx.xx.xx


This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my Galaxy Nexus

There's no point posting things meant to help others when they're completely wrong. In its own way, that's far ruder than I could ever be.

And that course was either not through UCAS, or not following UCAS rules.

[lex25288]

That's what I went through when I applied and got a place on the postgraduate course of my choice.
Don't the really know about the UCAS system, I just assumed they worked similarly.
Again with the rudeness. You really ought to work on your people skills.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my Galaxy Nexus

[Juno]

(Original post by lex25288)
That's what I went through when I applied and got a place on the postgraduate course of my choice.
Don't the really know about the UCAS system, I just assumed they worked similarly.
Again with the rudeness. You really ought to work on your people skills.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my Galaxy Nexus

So you're completely irrelevant and not helping at all - in fact, your advice could harm someone's application.

[lex25288]

How could it harm someone's application? I'm just simply telling my experience! Simply saying what I went through.
The OP didn't specify whether he was applying for a postgrad or an undergrad course, just that he was afraid he wasn't going to be made an offer should the above circumstances arise.
How old are you, honestly? I don't think I have ever seen someone act so irrationally.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my Galaxy Nexus

[Juno]

How come I'm the one acting irrationally when you're resorting to personal insults?

[lex25288]

Because you were the one to accuse me in the first place... What was I supposed to do? Say thank you after you said everything I say should be ignored?
Though this thread is in the UCAS and Applications sub-forum, I just thought the undergrad and postgrad application procedures were similar. I guess I was wrong. There was no need for you to behave the way you did.

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[desdemonata]

(Original post by aalex)
I'm applying for 2013 entry to read Economics at 5 top British universities. I'll need to sit the IELTS, but I want to do it in April or May 2013, so I won't have the IELTS when I'll send my application. Will this be a big disadvantage?

I doubt it. If they require you to take an IELTS, they simply make it a part of your offer. On some of my courses, I was asked to take one (the more language-based ones) and on others, which focused more on business, they didn't ask me for one at all. This happened on two courses at the same university, so it's not just that it varies between universities, but also between department. I think for Economics, you might not even be asked to take one. If you want to make sure they know you have a good English level, you could take one anyway, but as such, I don't think they'll be looking so much at that.

Word of advice though... book it months in advance, if you decide to do it. And if you don't and it is part of your conditional offer, book it straightaway, especially if there is only one test centre where you live.

[lex25288]

(Original post by desdemonata)
I doubt it. If they require you to take an IELTS, they simply make it a part of your offer. On some of my courses, I was asked to take one (the more language-based ones) and on others, which focused more on business, they didn't ask me for one at all. This happened on two courses at the same university, so it's not just that it varies between universities, but also between department. I think for Economics, you might not even be asked to take one. If you want to make sure they know you have a good English level, you could take one anyway, but as such, I don't think they'll be looking so much at that.

Word of advice though... book it months in advance, if you decide to do it. And if you don't and it is part of your conditional offer, book it straightaway, especially if there is only one test centre where you live.

If you are not a native speaker of English, I doubt they'd make you an offer without some sort of English language qualification (it says so basically on any university's website I can think of).
Sure you could send in an incredibly well-written PS, but you could always have someone else write that for you. So I think the only way they can actually be certain of your fluency in English is if you sit some test which asserts that.
Mind you, this is if you have never lived in the UK (or any other English-speaking country) before (holidays don't count, however long they may be).
If you, however, have already studied for a certain period of your life in an English-speaking country (you studied part of your education in an English-speaking country or an international English-speaking school abroad) and the subject of your choice is not that language-based, as desdemonata put it, you might exempt from taking the test.

[desdemonata]

(Original post by lex25288)
If you are not a native speaker of English, I doubt they'd make you an offer without some sort of English language qualification (it says so basically on any university's website I can think of).
Sure you could send in an incredibly well-written PS, but you could always have someone else write that for you. So I think the only way they can actually be certain of your fluency in English is if you sit some test which asserts that.
Mind you, this is if you have never lived in the UK (or any other English-speaking country) before (holidays don't count, however long they may be).
If you, however, have already studied for a certain period of your life in an English-speaking country (you studied part of your education in an English-speaking country or an international English-speaking school abroad) and the subject of your choice is not that language-based, as desdemonata put it, you might exempt from taking the test.

Actually, English is my native tongue. I was born in the UK and, even though I've been living in Spain for the last 8 years, I still have my Oxbridge accent. I even specifically mentioned this in my personal statement. And they still asked me to take an IELTS. It's a very automated and impersonal process in my opinion, they just saw that I was applying for a language course and thought "better ask for an IELTS". That's what I meant when I said it mattered what course you're applying for. For a language course, you'll be asked to take one (if you have international qualifications from outside the UK I assume), but for other courses, who knows if you will

[lex25288]

(Original post by desdemonata)
Actually, English is my native tongue. I was born in the UK and, even though I've been living in Spain for the last 8 years, I still have my Oxbridge accent. I even specifically mentioned this in my personal statement. And they still asked me to take an IELTS. It's a very automated and impersonal process in my opinion, they just saw that I was applying for a language course and thought "better ask for an IELTS". That's what I meant when I said it mattered what course you're applying for. For a language course, you'll be asked to take one (if you have international qualifications from outside the UK I assume), but for other courses, who knows if you will

Well your case is rather bizarre then. I don't think I have ever heard of a Brit being asked for one.
I'm just lost for words...

[desdemonata]

(Original post by lex25288)
Well your case is rather bizarre then. I don't think I have ever heard of a Brit being asked for one.
I'm just lost for words...

I don't think there are that many Brits moving back to the UK for university, which is probably why they made such a ridiculous decision. But yes, entirely bizarre.