For Under-graduate Study

Full-Time Study

For all full-time courses at Lancaster you must apply through UCAS. You can obtain a copy of the UCAS Directory and application form from your school or college, or directly from UCAS.

There is an application fee; applications for entry to university in Autumn 2005 should ideally be made between 1 September 2004 and 15 January 2005, though applications will still be accepted after this deadline.

Application deadlines and other procedures are more flexible for people applying from outside the EU. Please read the advice from UCAS carefully.

If you accept a conditional offer from Lancaster it will check it against your results when they are released: if you have met the conditions of the offer your place will automatically be confirmed through UCAS.

Deferred Entry - 'Gap Year'

About 7% of those who apply for entry to university in the UK through UCAS opt to defer entry by one year - many of these people will be taking a gap year between school and university.

Gap years have become popular, even fashionable, and Lancaster University is happy to receive applications from students who are considering taking a well-structured "gap year". For deferred entry in 2006 you should apply at the same time as for 2005 entry; the application form is the same - you simply enter D in section 3j of the UCAS form. These applications will be treated in the same way, and offers made at the same time, as for applications for entry in 2005.

Credit Transfer

If you have appropriate qualifications the University may consider you for direct entry into the second year of your nominated degree course.

Open University students with at least two credits, including at least one beyond Foundation Level, will be considered for admission direct to the second year, under the terms of a formal agreement between the two universities.

Part-Time Study

If you wish to study part-time at Lancaster then you should apply directly to the University (not through UCAS). For more details, please contact the centre. Many of the University's courses can be taken on a part-time basis. Students who successfully complete the equivalent of a full first year (three subjects) on this basis are entitled to transfer to full-time study for the remainder of their degree.

Students can study at their own pace, for example taking one first-year course per year. A range of courses is available, especially in the humanities and social sciences.

Please note: part-time students attend the same, but fewer, lectures and classes as full-time students. Therefore, the teaching times will not usually be concentrated but instead spread across the week. You should consider this if you have work or other commitments which you wish to keep alongside your studies.

Mature Students

If you are aged 21 or over when you start a first degree course, you are classified as a "mature" student. For mature candidates who have, or expect to obtain, two passes at A-level, there are no special procedures as long as these qualifications have been achieved within the previous 3-5 years. If you have studied for A-levels by part-time or correspondence study, the admissions tutors will take this into account when assessing your grades. If you do not have passes at A-level, or the equivalent, you can still be considered for admission. If you have relevant work or other experience that can also be taken into account.

If you are considering embarking on a degree course as a mature student, staff in the Student Support Office and the Students' Union Welfare Office at Lancaster will be happy to discuss your plans for higher education and advise you on practical details. A booklet for mature students is available from the Undergraduate Admissions Office.