HELP!!! no referee

i just looked at what is needed to apply through UCAS and it says i need a referee, i have no referees or anyone i would really like to call on as my referee.

is there any way i can still apply without a referee?

if i take a access to HE course will the tutors become my referees?

Reply 1

Jez RR

You can't apply without a referee. Do you have a former manager from work, ex-colleague, or even (stretching it a bit) someone vaguely respectable you know who could give a character reference? If you are applying independently they won't necessarily expect an academic reference. But you need something.

Reply 2

springvine

no i dont have anyone i feel comfortable being a referee for me. only my family and friends and they cant be referees. so what do i do? :eek3:

Reply 3

thecoldground

Get a friend to do it. Don't say they're your friend, say they taught you music or something. At least you know it'll be good! It's not great, but if you have absolutely nothing else....

Reply 4

springvine

thecoldground

Get a friend to do it. Don't say they're your friend, say they taught you music or something. At least you know it'll be good! It's not great, but if you have absolutely nothing else....

you know im really tempted to do that but i read on their website that

- It is not permitted for family, friends, partners or ex-partners to write your reference. If we find this to be the case, your application may be cancelled.

:eek:

im too scared to try it... HELP :confused:

Reply 5

slipend

If you take an Access course, yes, I would expect your tutor/course director to be a referee for you.

You cal also try an ex-manager, old school teacher or a friend. I think that is there to make sure you don't use your mum in all fairness.

Reply 6

kpwxx

How long ago did you leave school/college/sixth form? You could maybe still use someone from there.

This depends though, on whether you worked hard then, you may decide you don't want to.

But the access course tutor could work.

Reply 7

thecoldground

I'm currently doing an access to social science course, and the tutor has basically said she's definitely going to be our reference :smile:

probably so they can write a reference tailored to make you look as good as you can. An access course could be a good idea anyway if you don't quite have the qualifications or experience to get onto your chosen degree.

Reply 8

springvine

slipend

i dont want ex-mamanger or teacher to be involved with this.
and it says i cant use my friends... so im still stuck

Reply 9

springvine

kpwxx

it has been a while since i left education about several years, i am in my late 20's.

is there any other way without doing access to HE? :confused:

Reply 10

springvine

thecoldground

I'm currently doing an access to social science course, and the tutor has basically said she's definitely going to be our reference :smile:

the problem is i am not sure if i have got the right stuff to get in, i might even have the right grades, but i feel stuck because i have no referee.

Reply 11

TheSownRose

springvine

i dont want ex-mamanger or teacher to be involved with this.

In my opinion, you're being silly about this. It's a reference, not an invitation to become bestest pals with them.

Reply 12

springvine

TheSownRose

In my opinion, you're being silly about this. It's a reference, not an invitation to become bestest pals with them.

there is no need to be rude, i have personal reasons why i dont want to get them involved in this. i dont need you to pass judgement on it thanks :s-smilie:

Reply 13

Jez RR

springvine

i dont want ex-mamanger or teacher to be involved with this.
and it says i cant use my friends... so im still stuck

Ex-colleague who was of a more senior position then, i.e supervisory? Benefits adviser, social worker, probation officer, prison governor? People have been in worse positions.

Reply 14

kpwxx

springvine

it has been a while since i left education about several years, i am in my late 20's.

is there any other way without doing access to HE? :confused:

Well there are ways. You could always try contacting your sixth form/college and asking whether they feel willing/able to give a reference (ask to be put in contact with the head of year/your tutor/a subject teacher who was there when you were). They may be willing, it's really up to whether they feel they can give an honest reference.

If you went to some sort of official service- say connexions if you were younger- a similar thing to that, if you spoke to that person for a while you could get them to give you a reference.

UCAS Website

If you left school or college several years ago, ask your current or previous employer or in the case of voluntary work your supervisor.
If you've recently attended any training courses you could ask your training provider.

So if you have been in employment reasonably recently, you could ask them (manager/supervisor whoever). If you haven't you could either get a job or do some voluntary work and then ask them. Or the access course would be the 'training provider' one, you could always do a shorter course if you find you don't need the access course. Maybe a basic IT course or something, anything which could give you relevant skills and then the tutor could give you a reference.

Reply 15

thecoldground

You could get your friend to teach you how to make muffins, and call it cookery lessons if you feel it would be more honest.

Reply 16

thecoldground

You could get your friend to teach you how to make muffins, and call it cookery lessons if you feel it would be more honest.

Reply 17

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

springvine

As Jez RR said above, everyone has a reference. If you are just out of prison ask your probation officer, if you have a social worker, ask them etc. Anyone who knows you in a professional capacity can write a reference, so the leader of any organisations you belong to, the tutor in any evening class you have taken? Doctor? Vicar/Imam/Rabbi?

Applying for university is a pretty positive step, its hard to envisage circumstances where you don't know a single person who would view it positively and be pleased to write you a reference.

As it stands, everyone can find a reference of some sort. If you choose not to find one, just make sure you accept that was your choice to stop your application, not the system's.

Reply 18

TomU

OK, this might not help you with your quest to find a referee, but since you've already rejected the suggestions put forward to you by both others on this thread and UCAS, there's not much more help that I can give you on that point. Having said that, here's some stuff that i've gleaned from various sources and experience that you might find helpful:

From my discussions with many admissions tutors in preperation for my own application to university this year, I can tell you that universities are generally looking for just three things in mature students:

1) Evidence that you're genuinely interested in the subject you wish to study.

2) Recent academic experience at an appropriate level (I.e Level 3 or 'A' Level)

3) Evidence of appropriate academic ability (Grades & Qualifications)

Obviously number 1 is a given. Number two is very important. You need to be able to show recent study experience. Without this, the very least you'll need is some sort of reference that will tell a prospective university how you will perform as a student, and (linking to number three) this will need to be backed up with academic grades you've gained in the past.

As previously stated, you can get a reference from people who know you in a professional capacity, however you need to be aware that unless they can write about your academic ability/potential, their reference will not be all that useful to an admissions tutor.

Some universities do give some slack to mature students if they have work experience in a similar area to the degree that they wish to study, but with how competitive university entry is these days, you can't expect to get far with just work experience and a good character reference.

Why not tell us a bit more about yourself - What do you want to study? What universities are you applying to? What grades did you get at school/college? Do you have any previous degrees/relevant experience?

It might well be the case that doing an access course will be good for you not only because you'll get a referee from it, but it might be necessary to pick up the experience you'll need to do well at uni.

Reply 19

LateKay

I received an unconditional offer for a Foundation Degree this year and I used a friend as a referee. She also said she was my friend in the reference.

We had worked together on a charitable project for our church, which was relevant to the subject I was applying for, but were friends long before that. She does have quite an impressive employment history and wrote me a reference which said how she thought I would cope with the course and what my strengths were but at the end of the day it was a reference from a friend.

I haven't worked properly for 15 years, I have been at home with my children, so I really didn't have a past employer, school was 30 odd years ago etc etc.

Perhaps you could do/have done some voluntary work and could ask your "supervisor" to be your referee.

Good Luck.