Students applying to Oxford and Cambridge, as well as some subjects like medicine, will work toward a 15 October deadline for their (common) UCAS application. The application deadline is usually in January, but early applications are encouraged. Essays - American universities will be looking for different admissions criteria than UK universities, therefore it is advisable not to use a US essay for their UCAS personal statement. Students should tell British universities about their knowledge, interest and skillset for the subject they are applying for. But US admissions counsellors will want to learn more about an applicant’s character, his/her motivation, future goals and why the applicant is interested in that particular university/ programme or field. In other words, tell the UK what makes them passionate about their subject and the US what makes them tick as a person. Reference Letters - While the UCAS form will ask for one reference letter, American universities usually want two to three. American referees tend to write in an enthusiastic tone, using very positive and descriptive language. Thus, it is important that referees keep the audience in mind and that a standard UCAS
reference will not be sufficient to complement a US university application. And vice versa, a US-style letter would not go over well in the UK where letters are more matter of fact! Funding Your Studies US citizens are in luck when it comes to funding. In addition to being eligible for university funding and external scholarships, they can also apply for US federal loans through the FAFSA website (www.fafsa.ed.gov). US federal loans generally offer lower interest rates and are student loans, meaning they can defer payment until after their studies. If students need additional funding, they may also apply for student loans from a private US bank or lender, also with deferred payments until graduation. It is worth pointing out that your British counterparts cannot use their government loans to complete full degrees overseas, and the only loans available to these students are personal (not student) loans. In most cases, US citizens will be able to pay for education in the UK using their federal student loans, but they will need to confirm with each institution that they are able to receive FAFSA loans. If you are a dual (US-UK) citizen, you will want to look into the UK student finance options (www.direct.
gov.uk/studentfinance). Also, when applying to American universities, dual-citizens should contact each university to see how the institution would like them to apply (as a domestic or international student). More Information If your child decides to apply to the US or the UK – Fulbright can help! As a first port of call, American applicants to British universities should visit the UCAS (www.ucas.ac.uk) or British Council USA website (www.britishcouncil. com) for detailed application information. If students are heading back home for college, they may be interested to know the US-UK Fulbright Commission is the government recognised official source of US study information in the UK. Visit our advising website (www.fulbright.org.uk). n
Attend
USA College Day
The UK’s only US University Fair London 28-29 September 2012
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