

Reading an applicant’s personal statement may help inform the referee or referees as they write a reference letter.


Teachers or referees may, however, ask to read a student’s personal statement to have an idea of what information the student included in their statement, their motivations for studying at university and their interests outside of school. They also need to be written in English for all applicants, or Welsh if the chosen school is located in Wales and has this requirement. Reference letters shouldn’t repeat information found in a student’s personal statement, but act as a complementary document to boost the student’s application. UCAS reference letters don’t need to adhere to a strict format, but they should include key information that will help admissions boards evaluate whether a student is a suitable choice for admission. Reference letters can also include input or comments from multiple teachers or academic referees. The format does not need to follow the rules for a formal letter, but it does need to stay within the character limit. There is a character limit of 4,000, which equal about 500 words. Reference letters are submitted online by your referee or school, directly to UCAS. Students do not usually get to read their reference letter unless the school releases it to them. Students are notified within 48 hours once the reference letter is submitted for the purpose of completing their application. Afterwards, the letter is passed to the head of the department or head of sixth form, and even the school’s guidance counsellor to add their comments before it is submitted to UCAS. In the UK, most often subject teachers are asked to write the reference letter. For domestic students applying in the UK, reference letters will be familiar to most educators, since any student applying to post-secondary schools will be required to submit one and require at least one teacher reference.įor international students, mature students or any applicants applying through UCAS who have a gap between graduating high school and applying to university, they can ask teachers, principals, tutors, employers or supervisors to be their references, as long as they have at least one. Usually, UCAS reference letters are written by subject teachers, department head, head of sixth form, tutors or school counsellors. If you’re looking at getting a degree in history, ask your history teacher for a reference. For students applying to study sciences for their undergraduate degree, it’s best to ask their science subject teachers or research advisors.
Ucas reference example how to#
If you’re wondering how to find referees to ask for your reference letter, it’s recommended to choose the person most closely related to the subject you plan to study in university. Still unsure how the UK med school application process works? You'll want to check out this video: You won’t be able to write your own reference letter, and you’ll be required to submit one as part of your UCAS app. The reference letter is also the part of the UCAS application you won’t have any control over, and you likely won’t even be able to read it. A reference letter is usually the reference from an applicant’s high school or secondary school to the universities in the UK they’re applying to.Ī reference letter is a complement to an applicant’s personal statement or statement, but does not repeat the information. If you are applying to med school in the UK through UCAS, it can be a good idea to read UK medicine personal statement examples, too, as your reference letter and personal statement will be key and complementary parts of your application.Ī UCAS reference letter is not the same as a letter of recommendation written to schools in the US. It is highly recommended to include a reference letter anyways, since it can significantly improve your application, especially if you are applying to highly competitive programs such as med schools in the UK. Postgraduate applicants are not required to submit a reference letter with UCAS, but it may be required if the chosen school asks for one. Undergraduate applicants are required to submit one reference letter through UCAS. A UCAS reference letter is an account your teachers, tutors or employers write on your behalf, describing your suitability for university study. It’s also an extremely important part of your UCAS application, since undergraduate programs in the UK use an applicant’s reference letter as a key deciding factor in admissions decisions. What a UCAS reference letter is and its requirementsĪ reference letter is a required part of any UCAS application for universities in the UK.
