Posts
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Changes to the GCSE questions and guidance
Helping candidates apply for courses which accept pending GCSEs or equivalency tests
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End of cycle 2021
How the application form changes at the end of the 2021 cycle.
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Allowing candidates to apply again earlier
An exploration of changes to the rules around ‘applying again’
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Selecting references
Letting candidates choose which references to submit with their application
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Prompting candidates to review their answers before submitting
Making recommendations to candidates on how they can improve their application prior to submission, aka ‘flight check’.
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Apply again changes
Encouraging candidates to apply again, using feedback from previous applications.
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Dashboard changes
How we changed what candidates see after they have submitted their application
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Encouraging candidates to add A levels
A levels are not part of the teacher training entry requirements so candidates do not have to enter them, yet A levels can help candidates demonstrate knowledge in a wider range of subjects.
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Changing “Conditions met”
Why we changed the status tag for confirmed offers.
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Improving work history
Asking for a full work history and simplifying the section by removing skills and experience
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Simplifying the feedback form
Removing checkboxes and making written feedback required.
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Prompting for feedback throughout the application journey
Inviting candidates to provide feedback on the current page.
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Getting references before submitting an application
Removing the delay between submitting an application and it reaching providers.
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Helping candidates work on an application across 2 recruitment cycles
Applying again when a recruitment cycle has ended.
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Asking for degree grades
Making it easier to enter predicted and international degree grades.
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Making the recruitment process transparent at the end of the year
Letting candidates know about courses closing and reopening while encouraging them to pursue their application.
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Asking for nationality
Asking for nationality and getting a structured list of country codes.
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Is your English good enough to be a teacher?
We’re asking international candidates to give details about their English language qualifications.
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Opening up the service to international candidates
Allowing international candidates to give details about their residency status, address, language skills and academic qualifications.
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Courses that become full after submission – our initial approach
Informing candidates when a course becomes full between submission and the provider receiving it, and letting them decide what to do.
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Structured data for pre-degree qualifications
Capturing structured answers for GCSE and other pre-degree qualifications.
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Making the references process faster
Changing the way we ask for references to find out if it’s taking longer than needed.
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Apply again: Accept or decline an offer and withdrawing
Tweaks to the language used when responding to offers or withdrawing.
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Apply again: Choose a course first
Reduce risk of candidates completing a second application for a course that is only available through UCAS.
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Improving the references user journey
Adapting the references section so it works for candidates applying for the first time and for candidates applying again.
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Reason for withdrawing
Asking candidates to tell us why they decided to withdraw their application.
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Applying again (iteration)
A bunch of changes to improve the application process when applying again. Some of the changes are just as applicable when making the first application.
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Structured data for degree qualifications
Capturing structured answers for degree qualifications to facilitate reporting to HESA.
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Capturing feedback about the service
Using a survey to gather insights about how candidates feel about using the service.
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Informing candidates about the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19)
Communicating temporary changes to the decline by default and reject by default decision dates
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What needs to change if you’re applying again
What guidance, content and designs need to be tweaked when we build Apply 2.
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The troubles with amending (or editing) your application
Complexities we faced when building an MVP version of this feature.
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Applying again (Apply 2)
Providing an option for unsuccessful applicants to apply again.
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Application dashboard
How the dashboard looks at different stages of an application.
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Adding academic and other relevant qualifications
Encourage candidates to demonstrate their subject knowledge and broader academic achievements.
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The summary card component
A design pattern to enable the display of multiple summaries alongside each other.
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Courses that become full after submission
Considerations for when a course becomes full between submission and the provider receiving it.
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Give a reference (second iteration)
Asking for more information from referees.
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Work history breaks
How we built work history breaks (previously ‘gaps’).
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Stop applications to full or unavailable courses
Prevent them from adding a full course, or submitting with a full course.
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Choosing which service to apply through
During transition, providers can offer training courses through both UCAS and/or DfE. Which service should a candidate use?
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Add another course
Encourage candidates to add more courses at the start.
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Signing back into the service
Making it easier to return to your application.
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Declaring any safeguarding issues
Starting a conversation between providers and candidates about safeguarding issues.
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Asking candidates to nominate referees
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Giving details about disability (iteration)
An iteration of the disability section.
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Residency status
Initial designs for capturing visas and residency status.
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International qualifications
Initial designs for capturing international qualifications.
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International address
Initial designs for capturing international addresses.
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Replace both referees
Let a candidate add 2 new referees.