Adult students in adult, community or further education, interested in further learning or jobs

Advice is available from Careers & Guidance teachers, college student services or guidance advisors, careers advisors, Connexions advisors

• Discuss options with careers & guidance advisors in colleges or advice & guidance services for adults, if available in your area.
  
  
• Apply for Access courses or A-level courses at your local Further Education college, as soon as possible before September or during enrolment weeks in September, if you are thinking of applying to Higher Education or professional courses.
  
  
• Discuss your financial options and child care options, if appropriate with college student services or guidance advisors.
  
  
• Check your tax and insurance situation with your careers advisor, the Inland Revenue or contact your local Tax Office
  
  
• Attend any workshops on applying to Higher Education.
  
  
• Complete the same processes as the 2nd year A-level & GNVQ students.
  
  
• Consider also HNDs, HNCs or Foundation Degrees.
  
  
• Apply directly to universities or colleges for part-time courses and through UCAS for full-time courses. Some courses provide credits for prior learning.
  
  
• If English is your second language, you may need take an IELTS (or equivalent) test to find out the level of your English & if necessary, take an    English course for entry to higher education courses. Check with your tutors and the universities you are interested in.
  
  

• Still possible to make late applications, mainly for less popular or new courses and for NMAS courses.
  
  
• Complete & send off Art & Design Route B application.
  
  
• In mid January, supplementary application forms are sent to applicants who have applied for Art & Design courses via Route A but also want to apply via Route B. Complete the form & send off by closing date.
  
  
• Universities & colleges make decisions on applications & may interview you. If you don't receive any offers or are "non-committed" and have used all 6 choices, UCAS will automatically send you a UCAS Extra Passport which enables you to have an additional choice through UCAS. This will mean that if you do not have an offer at an early stage in the cycle, you do not have to wait until Clearing to continue to find a place. You can then contact institutions which still have vacancies to see if they will consider you.
  
  
• Complete an application form from your LEA or awarding body for tuition fees contribution & student loan assessment. Information on student finance from the student finance section and student loans from Student Loan Company
  
  
• Ensure that you have made bursary applications to the General Social Care Council (GSSC)for social work bursaries, before 25 June 2004 for courses starting in the autumn

• By May, you should have heard from all your chosen institutions, seek advice, then reply to UCAS. If you have applied for nursing through NMAS, you will receive either unconditional offers or rejections.
  
  
• If you don't receive any offers through UCAS, or if you applied after 30 June, your application is automatically put into Clearing, which starts in mid-August.
  
  
• If you are applying for nursing training (other than degrees) after 30 June, apply directly to institutions.
  
  
• From April to June, Art & Design Route B applicants receive offers and must reply immediately.
  
  
• Art & Design Route B applicants still unplaced will be sent details about Clearing.

• Be available when exam results are announced. If you have received the results required, your offer will be confirmed. If you are rejected, you will automatically be put into Clearing as long as you meet the minimum entry requirements.
  
  
• Don't panic if results are worse or better than expected. Contact your Connexions careers advisors or school or college careers advisors, use information by telephone & websites for practical advice & support.
  
  
• Clearing system for available Higher Education places starts in mid-August on the date of the A-level results.
  
  
• Apply for  Higher Education student support if not already done so.

• 2nd July 2004: Closing date for applications for Higher Education Support to your LEA or download forms online
  
  
• September 2004: Applications for 2005 entry can be sent from summer 2004.
  
  1st September 2004 - 15th October 2004: for Oxford University & Cambridge University (if not already done so), and all Dentistry, Medicine, Veterinary Science/Medicine courses
  
  !st September 2004 - 15th January 2005: Applications for standard UCAS courses, Route A (Simultaneous) Art and Design courses
  
  
• October 2004: 15th October deadline for all applications for medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or science. 15th October closing date for Oxford or Cambridge, (submit applications to universities & also to UCAS)
  
  
• 18th November 2004: Social work bursary application deadline for winter courses
  
  
• October - November 2004: Take SAT l for US undergraduate studies
  
  
• November - December 2004: Take SAT ll if necessary, depends on US university requirements
  
  
• January 15th 2005: Closing date for NMAS, UCAS, Art & Design Route A applications. UCAS & NMAS will process applications up to & including 30th June provided there are vacancies, but these are considered late applications, & you may not get a place.
  
  
• January 2005: Art & Design Route B 1st January - 24th March 2005, strongly recommended that applications reach UCAS by 1st March 2005
  
  
• March 2005: Closing date for Art & Design Route B - 24th March, except for late applications. See date on letter for deadline to reply to offers
  
  
• March 25th - 12th June 2005: Late applications for Art & Design Route B. All applications received after 12th June 2005, are entered in Clearing.
  
  For more information on applications dates and procedures, see the UCAS flowchart
  
  
• June 2005: Closing date for social work bursaries to the General Social Care Council (GSSC)
  
  
• July 2005: Closing date for applications for Higher Education Support to your LEA or download forms online

• GCSE results: 26th August 2004
  CCEA results (Northern Ireland): 24th August
  GNVQ results: 11th March 2004, 26th August 2004
  AS, A2, AEA results: 11th March 2004, 19th August 2004
  AVCE results: 11th March 2004, 19th August 2004
  A-level results: 19th August 2004
  International Baccalaureate: January for November session, July for May session
• Review your options, discuss results with careers or guidance advisors