Universities and Higher Education
1. The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service – UCAS
UCAS is an independent charity providing information, advice, and admissions services for universities and colleges across the UK. Click for their advice to applicants from the Armed Forces community.
Applying to University
What do I need to do as a potential university applicant, or the parent of a young person applying to go to university?
In 2023, UCAS introduced a new ‘More about you’ section in the application so you can, if you wish, share more information about your circumstances with the university or college – including whether you are from a UK Armed Forces family. This information means the university or college will be able to connect you to the right support for your needs quickly and easily and ensure you have all the information you need.
Very often we find that young people from Armed Forces families do not consider themselves to be particularly ‘different’. You may not see any reason why your characteristics should be of any special interest to your chosen university. On the other hand, there may be aspects of being part of an Armed Forces family that have influenced your choices and outcomes.
Your UCAS application gives you an opportunity to say something about these if you wish to do so. You are your own person, and not defined by your parent’s military service, but it may have had an influence – positive, negative or neutral – on your educational journey and your personal growth.
See ‘Further information’ below to learn about contextualised admissions.
My UCAS application
There are 3 areas of your UCAS application where you may identify as a young person from a military family:
Parental Occupation
Parental Occupation
For students applying to start their course in 2023, UCAS has introduced a new section in the application so you can share more information about your circumstances with the university or college – including whether you are from a UK Armed Forces family. If either or both of your parents have served in the UK Armed Forces, just select ‘yes’ from the drop down box in the question that asks about this in the ‘More about me’ section of the application. You will not have to give any further details at this stage.
Personal Statement
Personal Statement
There is plenty of information on the UCAS website about writing your personal statement. We particularly like the writing tool which leads you through the sections and explains what to include.
Section 1 – the course
The first section of your personal statement will explain:
- why you are applying for your chosen course;
- why the subject interests you;
- why you are suitable for the course;
- how your current or previous studies relate to the chosen course;
- and what other activities you have undertaken that demonstrate your interest in the course.
Section 2 – your skills and achievements
In the second section you will write about the skills and achievements that will help you on your chosen course of study and with life at university in general, giving evidence to support why you are right for your course. There is an opportunity to say something here about particular skills that you may have gained from being part of an Armed Forces family. Keep it positive. Include skills that are relevant to the course you are hoping to study and make the link. For example:
“I moved schools frequently as a result of my parent’s service, and have learnt to settle in quickly in new places and cope with change.”
“My parent has been away from home a lot with the Armed Forces. I have needed to be responsible for my younger siblings at times, and this has helped me to organise my time and be reliable.”
“I have learned to cope with stress and be more resilient as a result of my parent being injured whilst deployed on combat operations. Although it was hard at the time, I worry less now about big challenges because I know I can cope with difficult situations.”
“I am a young carer for my brother who has special educational needs. When my dad is serving away from home with the Armed Forces, I take on additional responsibility for my brother while my mum is at work. This shows that I am independent and resourceful.”
“As someone from an Armed Forces family, I have had to be adaptable and flexible as roles and routines in our home change a lot depending whether my dad is away.”
Section 3 – Work experience and future plans
This section will give you prompts to help you think about any work or voluntary experience you have and how you can relate that – or the abilities you gained – to the course(s) you want to study.
UCAS Undergraduate Reference
UCAS Undergraduate Reference
You can give your permission for your school, college or registered centre to include information in your reference about your circumstances that may have affected/have affected your academic work.
For example:
- School moves that disrupted your learning for a particular course of study;
- A parent deployed on combat operations during examinations;
- Being a young carer;
- Having a serving parent who is affected by a life-changing injury or medical condition.
This information can help the admissions staff at the university to consider your achievements and potential in context. It is best if you let you referee see a copy of your personal statement so that they can avoid duplicating what you said, but they can comment on what you wrote if they wish.
Good luck! We wish you every success with your application. If you want to tell us about your journey into higher education, please do get in touch with us. We would love to hear your story!
Further information
- Contextual Admissions Some students, including some from Armed Forces families, face additional challenges during their education which may impact their results. Universities recognise this and circumstances may be taken into account when they set the conditions for an offer. See UCAS’s contextual admissions section for further information, including eligibility. Please note that not all universities make contextual offers and some only make them for certain courses.
- UCAS toolkit for teachers and advisers who are supporting students with individual needs through the application process.
- If you are supporting a young person with their application, there is a ‘Make the most of your Assets pack’ from the SCiP Alliance that you can download here.
Student funding
National
The Service Children’s Progression Alliance (SCiP)
The Service Children’s Progression Alliance (SCiP) have a resource collection with details of financial and other support for Service children in Higher Education Applying to HE: specific and financial support for Service children’s access and success at HE
The President’s Award Scheme
The President’s Award Scheme can provide educational grants and scholarships to the children of serving and ex-Service non-commissioned ranks up to university age. One-off grants of up to £500 are available to help pay for course fees, public transport costs, text books, course equipment, specialist clothing and more. Alongside the grants, scholarships are available for applicants who are going to university and aged 21 or under. A continuation application is required each year and is accepted up to age 23. Up to £2,000 per year can be awarded to Service children going to university to study for their first undergraduate degree; usually awards are made to help with accommodation costs. The awards are decided by committee who will look at the individual circumstances of each applicant. The Committee meets tri-annually in January, July, and September.
Greenwich Hospital – Bursary
Bursary awards of up to £3,000 are awarded to students in need of financial assistance for a maximum of three years, and who are studying an undergraduate degree at any of the Greenwich Hospital partner universities. The scheme provides support to students who are former members of the Royal Navy or Royal Marines or the children of current or former members of the Royal Navy or Royal Marines.
Oxford’s Astrophoria Foundation Year Programme
This funding opportunity from Oxford University is a one-year foundation programme for those who have experienced disrupted education due to Service commitment.
Regional
You can find information about student funding, depending on where you live, here:
- Student Finance England
- Student Awards Agency Scotland
- The Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) advises: If you are member of the UK armed forces, or are the family member of such, to be eligible to funding you must either meet our normal residence conditions or be able to demonstrate that you have a significant connection to Scotland. For further details, including examples and where to apply for funding if these criteria are not met, please refer to SAAS directly Armed Forces and their families.
- Student Finance Wales
- Student Finance Northern Ireland
- Student Grants Isle of Man
- Student Finance Jersey
- Funding for Study Guernsey
If you experience difficulties in securing higher education funding because of your connection to the Royal Navy or Royal Marines, please do contact us and let us know. We are committed to removing disadvantage related to your Service connection. You can also contact UK EAT for expert guidance on the process.
Becoming a teacher in the UK
You can apply through UCAS for the main postgraduate and undergraduate teacher training programmes in England, Wales, and Scotland. The route for teacher training differs in Northern Ireland. Details of all the routes can be found on the UCAS website here. If you are already a qualified teacher, and are experiencing difficulties in transferring your skills between devolved nations on re-assignment to a new area, please do contact us.
