Admissions and careers guides
Guidance from the Tier 1 team on everything from foundation programmes and choosing a university to essays, CVs and master's applications – written for international applicants from Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
Start here
The three guides we recommend first to students in their final two years of school, and to their parents.
How to choose a university in the UK
Course, league tables, location, costs and entry routes for applicants with a national school certificate.
What US universities look for
Grades, tests, activities, recommendations and finances, with applicants from Central Asia and Eastern Europe in mind.
The new UCAS personal statement, question by question
What to include in each answer, with examples of strong and weak responses.
All guides
Foundation
A preparatory year in the UK after leaving school
Foundation essays: formats at UCL, King's, Warwick and others
How an integrated foundation year differs from an IFP, and how to write for each.
King's Foundation personal statement: weak and strong versions compared
One story in two versions, and the five questions King's expects your statement to answer.
Undergraduate
Choosing a university, personal statements and essays: the UK first, then the US
How to choose a university in the UK
Course, league tables, location, costs and entry routes for applicants with a national school certificate.
The new UCAS personal statement, question by question
What to include in each answer, with examples of strong and weak responses.
What US universities look for
Grades, tests, activities, recommendations and finances, with applicants from Central Asia and Eastern Europe in mind.
Common App essay prompts 2026/27: choosing the right one
The seven prompts, what each one is looking for, and how to write about difficult experiences without blending in with hundreds of similar essays.
How to structure an essay that holds the reader
Five steps from the opening scene to the final line, and the mistakes non-native writers make most often.
Common App Gratitude essay: weak and strong versions compared
Why one essay blends in with thousands of others while another stays with the admissions committee.
Master's
Choosing a programme for your career and writing your personal statement
A master's as a career springboard: choosing a programme and planning from day one
How to choose a programme that serves your career goal, and what to do from the first week so that you do not miss the main application window.
UCL MSc Finance personal statement: a successful essay analysed
A real essay that secured a place at UCL: the first draft, the final version and our commentary.
Careers
CVs, internships and your first job