UCAS application form as a Private Candidate? (education part)

I'm going to be doing full A levels in 1 single year(3 of them), and I would need to apply to universities by the end of this year with my "predicted grades".

Since I would be a private candidate, how will it be possible for me to fill out the "education" part of the form. Also there is no option on the form for me to select the grades that I am predicting neither it is for the school to do the same. How do I go on about this since all I will be doing is taking exams at a centre?

Also if one to actually have the grades done and ready, it's not even possible (from what it seems) to upload them onto the form if you were a private candidate?

I'm in a little bit of a situation here, all advice with previous experiences like that will be greatly appreciated.

Reply 1

Juno

You still need a referee, and they will have a box to predict your grades. The rest of your question doesn't really make sense, although it suggests that possibly you haven't filled out the details in the education section properly. You need to add the centre details for the months of the exams, attendance as "part time", and ask your referee to mention that you're self teaching. For exams you completed you do the same.

You cannot add a qualification for a year unless you declare you're at a centre in that year.

Reply 2

user45854

If you don't mind me asking, are you going to be doing your A-levels now, for university in Sept. 2013?

How are you going about it?

Reply 3

CupiditasMetam

Original post by Juno

But who may I choose as a referee?? Shall I hire a private tutor for a few lessons and then ask him/her to complete my form? Or should it be more beneficial to finish my exams first and apply after I get my results.

Also in the gcse part education, I cannot add my school/centre from the list, it only allows me to do so manually, since the school that I have attended here in the United Kingdom was a part of a foreign embassy. I can see the qualification in the UCAS that I gotten from my school, but not the name of the school itself nor the centre number, since it's not affiliated with British curriculum. Should I leave that (I guess gcse equivalent) page blank then, since it gives me the warning message of "centre number isn't recognised, therefore this centre isn't required on the form". That would leave my qualifications list to only A levels which I am about to do, and that is somewhat blank isn't it, or is it not.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 4

CupiditasMetam

Original post by user45854

If you don't mind me asking, are you going to be doing your A-levels now, for university in Sept. 2013?

How are you going about it?

I'll be doing the exams in January and in May - June.
Also I'll have to oral exams in March-April and a coursework that needs to be handed in before mid March.
All in the year 2013.

Reply 5

logiadoevus

Original post by CupiditasMetam

But who may I choose as a referee?? Shall I hire a private tutor for a few lessons and then ask him/her to complete my form? Or should it be more beneficial to finish my exams first and apply after I get my results.

Also in the gcse part education, I cannot add my school/centre from the list, it only allows me to do so manually, since the school that I have attended here in the United Kingdom was a part of a foreign embassy. I can see the qualification in the UCAS that I gotten from my school, but not the name of the school itself nor the centre number, since it's not affiliated with British curriculum. Should I live that (I guess gcse equivalent) page blank then, since it gives me the warning message of "centre number isn't recognised, therefore this centre isn't required on the form". That would leave my qualifications list to only A levels which I am about to do, and that is somewhat blank isn't it, or is it not.

For referee you should choose someone who knows you well academically - so preferrably a previous teacher that you've worked with at AS/A level or similar. Hiring a private tutor might work, but you would need to work with them intensively for them to be able to competently comment on your abilities.

Re: GCSEs: If the school is not on the list, add it manually. It then probably doesn't have a centre number, but that's fine. Then proceed to add GCSEs or whatever qualifications you got from it to the form.

Reply 6

Juno

Original post by CupiditasMetam

You need a referee. Because of your age, it needs to be an academic referee. It's up to you if you choose your old school or have a private tutor, but you need a referee. If you wait til you have your result you'll still need a referee.

And that error sounds like you're doing something wrong. You should enter it manually and then proceed without a centre number which gives you a different error message. Your qualifications are required.

Reply 7

Vicki-Marie

Yes, ignore the warning message and enter your college and quals manually. Put every qualification down, as everything helps your overall application (well, depending on your grades, that is!).

As a private tutor, I've completd UCAS references before (and heldlessons in completing the UCAS application correctly!) although as a previous poster says, you'd need to spend at least 6 hours with someone for them to accuately comment on your aptitude, work ethic and writing style.

You mention oral exams- I guess you're taking a language? How are you getting a native speaker/teacher to assess you? And who is marking your coursework?

Good luck!

Vicki
www.socialsciencetutor.co.uk

Reply 8

Yorrap

How and Where do I find a referee, if I never went to a school or had any tutors? I self tought A levels at home as a private & international candidate.

Any ideas?

Reply 9

user45854

I feel your pain; I was unable to come up with a referee for the college course that I've applied for. I was told that a "character reference" would suffice; I don't know if it's the same for uni.

The very idea of a "character reference" in this day and age seems ludicrous to me. We're not living in the middle ages.

Reply 10

Prolite

Did mine in 1 year, list the exams you will take leave grades as pending, predict ur own grade

Add a line on personal statement saying ur doing in 1 year good luck

Reply 11

Shelly_x

For your referee, try to get someone who knows you academically. Of that's impossible, then get your employer to do it.

Reply 12

lila7871

Original post by Prolite

Did mine in 1 year, list the exams you will take leave grades as pending, predict ur own grade

Add a line on personal statement saying ur doing in 1 year good luck

How do you predict the grades yourself?

Reply 13

Faye_m

Original post by lila7871

How do you predict the grades yourself?

Your reference should predict them and should be someone who taught you etc.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 14

starshine909

how will your tutor send off your ucas (refferee statement) then? is not required for an institution to do so?

Reply 15

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Kmohazeb

how will your tutor send off your ucas (refferee statement) then? is not required for an institution to do so?

They get sent a login pass (via email) to access your UCAS application, they can then write your reference and enter any predicted grades. Not sure what you mean by institution?

Reply 16

starshine909

Original post by Snufkin

They get sent a login pass (via email) to access your UCAS application, they can then write your reference and enter any predicted grades. Not sure what you mean by institution?

But someone could give their fathers email address and mention him as his/her tutor instead...how would they find out then?

Reply 17

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by Kmohazeb

But someone could give their fathers email address and mention him as his/her tutor instead...how would they find out then?

You have to provide referee contact details (including an address) so it would be quite difficult to use your father. I used my French tutor as a referee and the university phoned her to ask some questions, so I would not recommend trying to fake a referee - you will most likely get caught.