A: In liaison with professions and industry we develop courses that make you attractive to future employers. We offer nearly 300 different undergraduate courses and over 140 postgraduate courses. Our course teams and Information Centre staff are happy to help with any questions you might have to ensure that you make the right choice. There's also so much more available for you to take advantage of when you're studying at Portsmouth. We run a full programme of interesting electives to supplement the skills gained through your course. You can gain academic credit and many of the qualities employers look for by learning another language or developing entrepreneurial attributes.

Q: Where can I get a prospectus from?

A: For an undergraduate prospectus, please email your full name and postal address to prospectus@port.ac.uk. For a postgraduate prospectus, please request one via our postgraduate request form.

Q: What is the likelihood that I will be offered a place?

A: On every course page you will find the detailed entry requirements for the course, whether undergraduate or postgraduate.

For most undergraduate courses, the University uses the UCAS Tariff to express our entry requirements for most of our courses. Offers made to applicants will include the total number of Tariff points required and the qualifications and subjects from which they should be gained. Applicants can check the value of their individual qualifications using the UCAS Tariff website.

Alternatively, our Admissions staff would be pleased to help with questions about equivalences.

Q: I meet the entry requirements for the course, will I receive an offer?

A: There is no guarantee that applicants who have, or are predicted to achieve, grades equal to or above the entry requirements, will be made an offer for their chosen course. We take a range of factors into account when making decisions and, in such circumstances, the University may make an alternative course offer.

If an applicant is not made an offer, the University is able to provide feedback on request. Please see the Admissions policies and procedures.

Q: How do I apply?

A: Applications to full-time degree programmes at Portsmouth, like all universities in the UK, are made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).

Applications for postgraduate, part-time and distance learning courses are made directly via the online application.

International students can apply through UCAS, University agents or directly. Please see the International Office website for further information.

Q: When is the application deadline?

A: The deadline for the receipt at UCAS of applications for all full-time undergraduate courses (except some Art and Design courses with a 24 March deadline) is the 15 January. If we receive your application after the deadline, but before the 30 June, we do not have to consider you. However, we do continue to consider applications for some courses until the end of the application cycle. A calendar of important dates can be found here.

Postgraduate and part-time courses generally don’t have an application deadline, however if there is a deadline, it will be displayed on the course page on our website.

International students are advised to apply by the end of May for September entry as it can take three months to obtain a visa in some countries. Please visit the international pages for more information.

Q: Will I need to attend an interview?

A: Some of our courses require applicants to attend an interview in order to find out whether you'd cope with the demands of your chosen course before making you an offer. If a course does require an interview, this will be clearly stated on the course page on our website or at UCAS.

Q: What supporting documentation do I need to provide when I apply?

An academic reference (postgraduate applicants should supply two references)
A personal statement
Copies of your qualifications or transcripts

Q: Who can provide a reference for me?

A: Your referee should know you in an official capacity and be able to write about you and your suitability for higher education. If you're at school or college, or left recently, ask your principal, head teacher, teacher or tutor. If you left school or college several years ago, ask your current or previous employer or, in the case of voluntary work, your supervisor.

Q: What shall I write in my personal statement?

A: Include information that will help support your application, for example the reasons for choosing the course, the aspects of the course that interest you and any work experience or activities that are relevant to your chosen subject. Pick one or two things and write about the skills you have learned through them. Recent activities are better than those you did in junior school. If you have taken, or are planning to take, a year out, please give your reasons why.

Q: How should I send you my qualifications?

A: Do not send original copies of your qualifications. You can send copies of your qualifications to us by e-mail, fax or by post. Contact details can be found at the bottom of this page.

Q: When will a decision be made on my application?

A: The time it takes to make a decision will vary on the course you have chosen, however the average time is 10 working days. The University has a deadline for a making a decisions on UCAS applications. A calendar of important dates can be found here.

Q: How can I check the status of my application?

A: If you have applied through UCAS or GTTR, you will have the ability to track the progress of your application by using the Track facility. All you need is your Personal ID and the username and password you used when you completed your application.

If you applied directly to the University using our online application, you can login to your online account and view the progress of your application via the ‘Application Status’ tab

Q: I have received a conditional offer. What does this mean?

A: A conditional offer means that we will offer you a place as long as you achieve a particular result or tariff score from the qualifications you are taking.

You must meet the conditions of your offer by the 31^st August.

Q: I have received an unconditional offer. What does this mean?

A: If you have received an unconditional offer, it means that you have met the academic requirements for the course and we are happy to accept you.

Q: My application was unsuccessful. Can you provide feedback?

A: If you are unsuccessful and would like to know the reason why, please e-mail us at admissions@port.ac.uk. We will then update your UCAS application so that you can view the reason on Track.

Q: My application was unsuccessful. What can I do now?

A: There are various steps you can take if you haven’t found the place you’re looking for. Options include:

Applying for a foundation degree
Get some work experience
Re-take your examinations and reapply the following year
Take a gap year
For undergraduate courses, apply through UCAS Extra or Clearing

Q: I have received an offer for a course I didn’t apply for. Why is this?

A: This is generally because you have not been successful with your application for your chosen course and have been offered a place on an alternative course. If you would like more information about the course you have been offered, please visit our website or contact the Faculty Admissions Centre.

Q: I would like to withdraw my application from the University of Portsmouth

A: If you would like to withdraw your application before a decision has been made, you may do so by logging into the UCAS Track website. If you have already accepted an offer with us, please e-mail admissions@port.ac.uk and we will withdraw your application for you.

Q: How do I change the details on my application?

A: If you have changed postal address, e-mail address or telephone number, please log into your Track account via the UCAS website and update your details there. If you did not apply through UCAS and applied to us directly, please e-mail admissions@port.ac.uk and we will update your application for you.

Please also let us know immediately if your exam subjects or grades change as this may affect any decision we make.

Q: I have changed my mind and would like to apply for a different course

A: If you change your mind about the course you have applied for and wish to apply for a different course, please contact us at admissions@port.ac.uk. We will let you know if this is possible and will update your UCAS application for you.

Q: When is the start date of my course?

A: The majority of our courses start in September. Full details of term dates can be found here.

Q: I have met the requirements of my conditional offer. What happens next?

A: If you have applied through UCAS, we will receive your results directly from the awarding organisation or exam board as long as you are taking a qualification that is part of the ABL scheme. A full list of qualifications involved in the scheme can be found here.

If you have not applied through UCAS or your qualification isn’t contained in the list above, you are responsible for sending your results to us. Contact details can be found here.

Q: I have been unsuccessful with all my applications. What can I do now?

A: If you have applied through UCAS and are not holding any offers you are eligible to apply through UCAS Extra. In Extra, you can apply for any course with vacancies between February and early July.

Alternatively, for undergraduate courses, you can apply through Clearing. Clearing starts in July and is a service provided by the University for students to apply for courses that still have vacancies. Please visit our clearing web pages in the summer for details on how to apply.

Q: I have a question that doesn’t appear in the FAQ. How can I contact you?

Address:

Admissions

Academic Registry

University House

Winston Churchill Avenue

Portsmouth

Hampshire

PO1 2UP

E-mail address:

admissions@port.ac.uk

Telephone number:

+44 (0)23 9284 5566

Academic Registry

Admissions

Frequently Asked Questions

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