Did you know there is still time to apply for RGU to start this September? With UCAS Extra, you have another opportunity to secure a place at university this year, even if you haven’t had any offers yet.
Fiona McGuire, Fine Art student from Gray’s School of Art, shares her journey applying to UCAS Extra and how it led her to RGU.
What is UCAS Extra?
UCAS Extra is an additional application route available to students who are not holding any offers after their initial five university choices or who choose to decline all of their offers. It provides another opportunity to secure a place at university and runs from 21 February to 1 July each year.
Before applying through UCAS Extra, it is a good idea to contact the university’s admissions team by phone or email to check whether places are still available on the course. If spaces remain, you can add the course as your Extra choice and submit your application.
My Journey with UCAS Extra
Before applying to university, I completed the ACCESS to Art and Design course in Edinburgh. The programme helped me significantly with developing my portfolio and gave me valuable tools and guidance throughout the application process.
Despite all the preparation and hard work, I was disappointed to receive a series of rejections from the courses I applied to. At that point, the ACCESS team introduced me to UCAS Extra, which gave me another chance to pursue a university place.
Initially, I had not considered RGU as one of my options because of the distance from home. The idea of moving so far away felt intimidating. However, Gray’s School of Art was the only art school I had not applied to, so it became my final option through UCAS Extra.
To my surprise, I was offered a place on the course. This meant making the difficult decision to leave my family and move to Aberdeen. Although it felt daunting at first, I quickly discovered that the distance was much more manageable than I had imagined. The train and bus connections to the Central Belt are reliable, and the journey takes only around three hours.
There Is No Wrong Route to University
My journey to university was different from the traditional path taken by many students, but it still led me to where I wanted to be. Being rejected from universities is not a reflection of your talent, potential, or ability.
Although I was not accepted onto the courses I originally hoped to attend, I ultimately found a place where I could thrive. I graduated from RGU with a First Class Honours degree and received an award during my studies. Those early rejections did not define my future, and they certainly did not diminish the value of my degree.
Gray’s School of Art has an outstanding reputation, and RGU provided me with incredible opportunities throughout my time there. Looking back, I am immensely proud to have graduated from RGU and grateful for the education, experiences, and achievements that came from taking a different path.
Gray’s is an exceptional art school, and I am incredibly thankful that I chose to study there.
Fiona McGuire
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