After you apply to UNIQ+

Checking that your application is eligible and complete

When you submit your application, we will check that your documents meet our requirements and that you meet our eligibility criteria. You will not be able to make further changes to your application, however you will still be able login to read your submitted application while it is being checked or assessed.

We will send automated emails to confirm receipt of your application, and to confirm receipt of your reference after it has been submitted by your referee. We may also need to send further emails to request more information. Please check your automated filters and spam folder to ensure you receive the emails.

If we consider that you are ineligible or if your application is missing required documents or documents have been received after the deadline, your application will not be considered and you will be informed accordingly.

If your application is eligible, it will then be shared with academic assessors for consideration. We’ll let you know by email that your application has been sent to our assessors.

We anticipate that most applicants will be notified by mid-March whether or not their application has been shared with our academic assessors.

Assessment of your application

If your application is eligible, it will be reviewed by our academic assessors and project supervisors. They will consider the quality of your previous academic excellence and future potential, on your own merit and in comparison with the applications received from other candidates. You would usually be on track to achieve or have achieved a final undergraduate degree grade of a strong 2:1 or First, in a subject area related to the listed projects that you are interested in.

In addition to academic merit and your potential to do research in the relevant field, selection for UNIQ+ will take account of the following information which is collected via your application form and personal statement:

• socio-economic information including financial circumstances;
• any relevant contextual information;
• when choosing between candidates of equal merit, preference may be given to:
• candidates who fulfil more than one of the eligibility criteria;
• candidates who studied for their undergraduate degrees at UK institutions outside of the Russell Group; and
• those in the middle years of their course who have not yet experienced a substantial period of research.

We receive many more applications than we can offer places, so it is important that you take care over your application to best illustrate your academic achievement and future potential, to ensure that you provide accurate information and to show you meet the eligibility criteria for the programme. You should also ensure you demonstrate why the programme will be of benefit to you following the guidance provided in this application guide.

We do not conduct any interviews for UNIQ+.

Contextual data

We know that factors such as socio-economic disadvantage and school performance can make it difficult for students to demonstrate their full potential. Therefore, we use a range of contextual data to help us to better understand students’ achievements in the context of their individual background.

For UNIQ+, we look at:

• your financial information;
• whether you are the first generation in your family to go to university;
• information about your school;
• information about your neighbourhood; and
• your experience of the care system, or being a carer; of homelessness; of being a refugee; or of being estranged.

This information helps us to understand more about your particular circumstances. Applicants from the most disadvantaged backgrounds will be more likely to be considered for UNIQ+ provided that they also meet our academic criteria.