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Students are gearing up to apply for universities in the upcoming academic year. Of different university destinations, UK universities remain one of the most popular choices amongst parents in Hong Kong.

Among the better known are Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, London School of Economics, Imperial College London, University College London and King's College London.

With so many students flocking to these world-class institutions, one cannot help but wonder how to prepare strategically for these top universities. Outlined in the following are some methods and tips for applying to universities in the UK.

Most UK universities require students to apply via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service system, which allows students to choose up to five programs. It is fairly straightforward and efficient to use - but does have some restrictions.

Regarding university choice, though it is tempting to choose both Oxford and Cambridge, students can only choose one of the two. When it comes to healthcare-related programmes, for example medicine and dentistry, students can only pick four choices.

That said, there are tips to better facilitate the application process. Generally, we would recommend students to select the same or similar subject majors, since they can more effectively tailor their application and personal statements to the subject of their choice.

Students should also keep in mind the UCAS deadline for healthcare-related programs and Oxbridge is October 16 - earlier than most other programs, which would be on January 31, 2024.

When UK universities consider potential applicants, there are several key elements they look into.

One of the most important is the students' academic profiles - specifically public exam results. Students will also be asked to submit a school reference letter, and their existing or predicted grades from school, since these will determine their eligibility for conditional or unconditional offers from universities. A personal statement is also required.

Students should also be cognizant of any standardized tests they are expected to take - since universities such as Oxford and Cambridge as well as subjects such as law, medicine and mathematics require additional conditions.

Interviews also serve as another component. While most programs do not involve interviews, Oxford, Cambridge, and occasionally universities such as Imperial College invite students for an interview as part of their selection process.

The following aspects should be considered in reference to the information above. For academic results, for those using predicted grades from school, it is more important to focus on school internal exams, since this will maximize their offer chances.

Apart from grades, students also need to make sure that they're taking the required subjects for the program they are applying for, as some are specific in terms of their conditions. An example would be medicine, in which GCE or IB HL Chemistry is a compulsory subject, and biology usually preferred. For economics, GCE or IB HL math is often required.

For the IBDP, apart from the total grades, there are generally additional requirements for higher level subjects as well. For example, IB HL students are expected to achieve a total of 766.

UK universities are, as a whole, subject-focused. This is particularly true for personal statements, since top universities want to see how committed the students are to their subject, in addition to their initiative and passion to an exploration of their chosen subjects.

In our next column, we will discuss and cover specific details students need to be aware of when writing their personal statements - in particular making sure that the universities which they are aiming for have the appropriate programs, and being cognizant of any hands-on experience necessary before a construction of their personal statement, and of course, the general format of a UCAS personal statement.