Help with UCAS form

rxrx2004

Why is there no option to put in your ethnicity?

Probably because it’s irrelevant to the application process. Unis do not receive any data about your race or sexuality etc when you apply to remove any biases that could possibly arise

Reply 2

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by rxrx2004

Why is there no option to put in your ethnicity?

Uk domiciled applicants do get this option

Reply 3

McGinger

UCAS only gathers the information it is required to - either by the Universities for selection/monitoring purposes, or by UK government bodies for statistical purposes. If it is not required to ask about the racial background of overseas applicants, the question is not asked.

Reply 4

rxrx2004

Original post by McGinger

Original post by PQ

Uk domiciled applicants do get this option

Original post by Vetofferholder1

Probably because it’s irrelevant to the application process. Unis do not receive any data about your race or sexuality etc when you apply to remove any biases that could possibly arise

But I thought if you're part of BAME they might take this into consideration?

Reply 5

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by rxrx2004

But I thought if you're part of BAME they might take this into consideration?

Why did you think that? Did you see something in a university admissions policy along those lines?

Reply 6

rxrx2004

Original post by PQ

Why did you think that? Did you see something in a university admissions policy along those lines?

Because unis are trying to be more diverse?
Also dont they take things like gender into account if you're a female and you're applying to a very heavily male dominated course?

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 7

ALEreapp

Original post by rxrx2004

But I thought if you're part of BAME they might take this into consideration?

No lol trying to be more diverse doesn’t involve selecting people based on skin colour rather than achievement and grades. It means giving out contextual offers for those who are in low participation areas etc which disproportionately benefits BAME students but your skin colour is not relevant to the admissions process to prevent biases like turning down able students because of the colour of their skin
And to answer your other question no they don’t take your gender into account either, there may be more bursaries available to female students in a male dominated course etc but they won’t use it as part of the process.

Reply 8

rxrx2004

Original post by Vetofferholder1

So the uni admissions team don't see your country of birth gender etc?

Reply 9

ALEreapp

Original post by rxrx2004

So the uni admissions team don't see your country of birth gender etc?

I’m not sure if they know your country of birth/ citizenship or simply if you are an international or not (for fee status and for quotas because many have a rough number of internationals they will take and it’s generally less than home students hence the competition - it’s the only ‘quota’ unis have I think ). There are multiple stages to the process so your application will go first to general admissions before it goes to the admissions tutors for your specific course, general admissions may use the info to sort fee status but I don’t believe any info about your race etc goes to admissions tutors only contextual data like where you live/ school you attend or have attended/ foster care etc
In regard to gender I’m not 100% sure because obviously when your teachers write your reference I’m sure they use relevant pronouns and your name unless all this is changed to gender Neutral terms by general admissions. I don’t believe the unis know your name either hence why we get ucas numbers. Essentially any identifying info (other than being an international student or not) that could bias the admissions tutors is not presented.

Reply 10

McGinger

Widening Participation is about making sure that all applicants from low achieving schools or areas of the UK with low HE participation are given a more level paying-field to be able to get places at top Universities. This involves 'support/access schemes' and contextual offers. There are no 'quotas' and applicants will never be selected just for a personal characteristics such as ethnicity or gender.

Reply 11

McGinger

Original post by Vetofferholder1

I don’t believe the unis know your name either hence why we get ucas numbers. Essentially any identifying info (other than being an international student or not) that could bias the admissions tutors is not presented.

Universities see your entire application - no redactions.

David Cameron had the idea that 'name blind' applications would ensure more BAME applicants were accepted - however he had no evidence of any bias from the admissions systems or University staff and what he was really 'bothered' about was the few BAME kids going to Oxbridge which is a whole other story. You cannot identify disadvantage automatically from ethnicity or gender - and to discriminate on these grounds would be neither fair or effective in ensuring that the best and the brightest get to go to top Universities.

Reply 12

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Some information is withheld from universities until the end of the admissions cycle. Ethnicity and sexuality fall into those categories iirr. Ucas send through that information in the autumn to your firm university.

A lot of this is explained on the ucas website in their privacy policy