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Latest from the blogs

Finishing my second year during a pandemic

Fri 3 July 2020 - 14:30

By UCAS in UCAS advice

Hi everyone! My name is Gaia and I’m about to start my third year studying Psychology with Criminology at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). Alongside my studies I regularly post university content on my YouTube channel – ‘Gaia Rose’. Ever since I started my channel back in September 2019, I have been helping thousands of students get to know not only NTU better, but also offer a realistic insight into student life at university. My channel covers a variety of different areas, from day in the life university vlogs to NTU-specific advice videos. I have also taken over NTU’s Instagram twice for their student takeovers.

In the recent months, I’ve been balancing my time revising for my second-year exams and filming videos for my channel. The current COVID-19 situation has already proven to be difficult for UK students such as myself, due to the vague government guidelines. Therefore, I cannot imagine how...

Pre-graduation enthusiasm

Thu 25 June 2020 - 12:07

By UCAS in UCAS advice

Graduation! This is something every student looks forward to from the day they start the degree! It isn’t just about the certificate and the qualification, but it is about celebrating your achievements, celebrations with the friends that became family, making lifelong memories in the form of pictures, and most importantly – throwing your cap in the air! Being an international student, I was very excited for my family to come over for my graduation celebration and they were equally excited to make their trip here just to know it was not happening this year. Many universities have cancelled their graduation ceremonies and some have organised virtual celebrations, but I am glad Swansea University is still hoping to have a graduation ceremony for every student who was to graduate this year, be it this year or the next and I am very excited for that time to come! Something very unique that Swansea University is designing for its graduates year is a digital year book to keep as a memento...

What you need to know and do before replying to your offers

Fri 12 June 2020 - 13:13

By UCAS in UCAS advice

For lots of students, the deadline for replying to offers is just a few days away. Together with BBC Bitesize we’ve pulled together what you need to know and do before the 18 June deadline… 

Make a decision! 

It sounds obvious, right?!… If your reply deadline is on 18 June, you need to make your replies in Track by 18:00 on 18 June. If you don’t, they’ll be declined for you.  

To help you make an informed decision about what and where you’ll study, head to university and college websites to find out how courses will run next term. Most have updated their sites in the last month, so take a look at the latest information.  

Get answers to questions before you reply  

If you’re worried about any part of uni life, reach out to unis and get your questions answered before you make your replies. Admissions offices up and down the country are ready to help and give...

Four reasons why you should do a placement year

Tue 9 June 2020 - 08:43

By UCAS in UCAS advice

A placement year may be an essential part of your degree or optional. Current placement student, Emily Fox from De Montfort University, recently completed her year in industry and details four reasons why you should consider one too.

Placement years usually occur between your second and final year of study at university and at many institutions, count towards your overall degree. Often, they can help you to explore potential career paths and provide you with valuable work experience, whilst developing transferable skills for the future. 

1. Enhance your career prospects 

Placements...

My life at the University of Surrey

Wed 27 May 2020 - 09:11

By UCAS in UCAS advice

Hi everyone! My name is Issy and I’m a second year Business Management student at the University of Surrey. I am also a Unibuddy Ambassador for Surrey, meaning that you can contact me through the easy to use UnibuddyApp and ask me any questions that you might have! It’s such a valuable service as you an hear from an actual student, studying the actual course and attending the actual university! It’s also really handy to talk to someone of around a similar age as I have only just gone through the experience that you’re about to go through...

An Art Grad's Guide to the Art World – Comments from London's Olyvia Kwok

Fri 22 May 2020 - 14:21

By Ella Hendrix in UCAS advice

Whether you are heading towards graduation from university or have already completed your art degree, one thing is for sure – that things won’t quite be the same in a few months as they are now. The art world can be a daunting one, especially for those who are just starting out and that’s where old-hands in a young body like Olyvia Kwok can help.

Kwok began dabbling in the art world at the age of 22 and has quickly risen to success in art investment. She has recently hosted an exhibition in New York showcasing over 30 works by Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat – some of which are being shown for the first time, and she now runs her own highly successful art investment company – named Willstone Management.

To be successful in art investment, you need to have a good knowledge of the world of art – and although the art world is always changing, its nature doesn’t, so a lot of that knowledge can be passed on from Olyvia Kwok to the next generation of artists,...

Can I Work on Furlough? Jobs to Consider During COVID-19

Wed 29 April 2020 - 10:24

By Ella Hendrix in UCAS advice

The coronavirus pandemic is affecting everybody and almost everything in our lives. The government rules that have stipulated that we must socially distance ourselves and only go out to work if it is essential, are meaning that the majority of the country is spending a lot of time a home – and for many, are unable to work.

As a student, this could be a very disruptive time as in addition to having to continue studying from home, and many also have part-time jobs to earn some extra income. And many of these jobs are in the hospitality industry – one that is amongst the hardest hit in the UK.

Furlough
Government schemes such as the Employee Retention Scheme is helping businesses to stay afloat and for workers to carry on paying their bills through being ‘furloughed’. The rules say that when you are furloughed, the government will pay 80% towards your wages – with employers choosing whether to add on the extra 20%. The rules also say,...

Calculated grades – what do they mean for your UCAS application?

Wed 15 April 2020 - 09:52

By UCAS in UCAS advice

Thousands of BTEC, A level, GCSE, and other examinations and assessments have now been cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

If you’re affected, you probably have lots of questions about what this means for your uni, college or conservatoire application. Peter Derrick, UCAS’ Head of Service Delivery, shared what we know about the new grading system, and what this means for students hoping to start their studies this year, with BBC Bitesize. 

If you have applied for a course starting in 2020, please make sure your email address is up-to-date in Track, as we will email you if there are any changes which may impact your application. 

I’ve heard lots about offers – what’s going on? 

The government has asked universities in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales to stop making unconditional offers or amending existing offers until 4 May (1 May in Wales). This pause has...

How students can take care of their mental health during lockdown

Tue 14 April 2020 - 14:52

By Ella Hendrix in Support

Change is always difficult to deal with, especially in these relatively unprecedented times. The days of lockdown can be a struggle for everybody, and no matter whether you are isolated on your own, living with housemates, or with your family, there are going to be challenges.

Looking after your mental health during the lockdown is vitally important. Being without any (or much) physical human interaction is against our nature and it is therefore imperative that we do what we can to keep our minds and bodies healthy.

For most students this is a time of high amounts of social interaction – whether it is being part of an enormous university, living with your friends, or having an active social life. And this can make this period even more challenging.

There are things that you can do, however, to help to reduce the feeling of isolation during the lockdown. Health and fitness experts at LabSpa London say that...

The importance of nutrition

Tue 14 April 2020 - 09:53

By UCAS in Support

Nutrition – the things we consume – is arguably the most important modifiable factor in determining the health outcomes you experience, maybe in combination with sleep. The foods we consume determine much of the enjoyment we get from mealtimes and as I’m sure you’re more than aware they also modify your bodyweight, but food is far more than that.

The foods that we eat provide the macronutrients required to build and maintain muscle mass, which enables proper movement and significantly reduces our age-associated physical decline. They provide the micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) which support our immune system to fight off disease, to maintain strong hair and nails, and the nutrients needed to maintain skin elasticity long into later life.

Your nutritional choices can even modify certain genes through epigenetics, switching some on and some off to modify your risk of chronic disease, and even affecting your development. Even your hydration status alters your...

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