Skip to content

UCAS Applications and Higher Education

UCAS stands for the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. It is the British admission service for all students applying to university. At Stepney All Saints Sixth Form we expect all Year 13 students to apply to university. Every year the vast majority of our students are successful in gaining places at their chosen universities, and over 90% choose to progress to university. The remainder go on to study at a wide range of high level apprenticeships, including prestigious schemes such as those run by the UK Civil Service, KPMG, or Ernst and Young.

We have a dedicated programme to support students applying to university, which begins in Year 12. At the start of Year 12, students are invited to join the ‘Academic Society’, which focusses on supporting top achievers to get to the best universities. We have a weekly Sixth Form Lecture, where we host visiting lectures from academics at Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial and other leading universities. As Year 12 progresses we support students to apply to summer schools at a range of leading universities, including Oxbridge, Imperial and UCL, and ensure that all students are provided with a relevant work experience placement. Students also gain further experience through our societies and clubs, for example, our ‘Medicine Society’ meets weekly and helps prepare students for applications to medicine. We also run a number of trips to top universities, which this year have included Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Royal Holloway and Imperial.

In the summer term, we have a ‘UCAS Week’ where top universities visit school to provide advice and guidance on every aspect of the UCAS form. Students are also supported to make informed choices by using the Unifrog platform. Universities who visited in 2017 include Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Kings College London, Imperial, and Newcastle. Once Year 13 begins, students continue to received expert advice from their tutor, and the Head of Year 13, who runs after school extension classes where they can check students’ forms, give advice and guidance on course choices, student finance, personal statements and any other queries.

Additional support is put in place for students who need to meet the early Oxbridge, Medicine and Dentistry deadline. These students receive 1-2-1 guidance not only from their tutor, and the Head of Year, but also from a mentor from the school’s senior leadership team. In addition to this, we have a close link with Queen Mary’s University Medical School who provide guaranteed interviews for a number of our students.

UCAS Timeline

Key Dates & Deadlines 

Month Year 12 Activity Year 13 Activity
April 2021
  • Students introduced to the UCAS process during PSHE sessions.
  • Using Unifrog, students begin exploring courses and potential careers.
 
May 2021
  • Students to complete UCAS aspiration survey, which allows the school to determine pathways they are interested in and provide bespoke support.
  • All students start first draft of their personal statement.
  • Webinars are made available for students to engage in.
 
June 2021
  • Students begin online UCAS application form.
  • Students receive feedback from tutors and continue working on their personal statement.
  • Registration for UCAT for students considering medical courses.
 
July 2021
  • All remaining sections of the online application should be complete excluding both choices and personal statement.

Medical applicants

  • Book and sit UCAT test (Deadline September 2021).
 
August 2021
  • Registration opens for LNAT for those considering studying Law.
 
September 2021 Oxbridge and Medical applicants

  • Applications for the following pathways to be submitted (to the school) by Thursday 30th September 2021:

o   Students applying to the University Oxford or Cambridge (Oxbridge)

o   Medicine

o   Dentistry

o   Veterinary Science

 Law applicants

  • Book and sit LNAT test from September onwards.

All other applicants

  • To work on final draft of their personal statement and finalise course choices.
 
October 2021 Oxbridge and Medical applicants

  • Oxbridge and Medical applications are checked and submitted to UCAS.
  • Cambridge applicants to attend interview preparation day. This will be held at the university campus or in school virtually. This is scheduled to take place in October or November.
  • Oxford applicants to attend interview preparation day. This will be held at the university campus or in school virtually. This is scheduled to take place in October or November.

 All other applicants

  • Applications due on Monday 18th October 2021.
November 2021 Oxbridge and Medical applicants

  • Medicine applicants to sit BMAT.
  • Oxford and Cambridge entrance exams due to take place.
  • Oxbridge mock interviews to take place.

All other applicants

  • Applications submitted to UCAS by the school following checks.
December 2021 Oxbridge and Medical applicants

  • Medicine mock interviews to take place.
  • Oxbridge interview to commence.
  • Medicine interviews begin and continue to Spring 2022.

All other applicants

  • Applications submitted to UCAS
January 2022
  • From January, students will begin attending meetings with their tutors to discuss offers received from university.
August 2022 Results Day!

UCAS Tariff and Point Scores

UCAS Qualification Point Scores

Grade Size Points Grade Size Points Grade Size Points
GCE/aGCE/VCEA level GCE/aGCE/VCEA level GCE/aGCE/VCEA level
A 1 270 A 0.5 135 AA 2 540
B 1 240 B 0.5 120 AB 2 510
C 1 210 C 0.5 105 BB 2 480
D 1 180 D 0.5 90 BC 2 450
E 1 150 E 0.5 75 CC 2 420
CD 2 390
DD 2 360
DE 2 330
EE 2 300
BTECNational Award BTECNational Certificate BTECNational Diploma
D 1 270 DD 2 540 DDD 3 810
M 1 225 DM 2 480 DDM 3 757.5
P 1 165 MM 2 420 DMM 3 705
MP 2 360 MMM 3 652.5
PP 2 300 MMP 3 600
MPP 3 547.5
PPP 3 495

All grades carry points for University

UCAS Tariffs Table

Grade       Tariff Points
GCE & AVCE Double Award A Level with additional AS (9 units) GCE A Level and AVCE GCE AS Double Award GCE AS & AS VCE
A*A* 280
A*A 260
AA 240
AB 220
BB A*A 200
BC AA 180
AB 170
CC 160
BB 150
CD BC A* 140
DD CC A AA 120
CD AB 110
DE B BB 100
DD BC 90
EE DE C CC 80
  CD 70
  EE D DD A 60
  DE B 50
  E EE C 40
  D 30
  E 20