uwc application essays

Scholarship Essays

United World College Scholarship Essay Example - Personal Statement

A personal statement (within 300 words) explaining why you are interested in attending a uwc school/college and reflecting on uwc's mission and values, what you might contribute to the school/college and what you would hope to gain from the experience.

About a year ago, I received an immense opportunity to go on an international excursion with 43 other nations to Gothenburg where I had to represent my nation and my culture. In other words, it was an adventure of a lifetime for me, one that taught me about multiculturalism, diversity, responsibility and self-dependence; one that I would like to take again. So I began my hunt for greater opportunities that could once again let me experience the magic behind multiculturalism and more importantly, help shape myself into a better person by being more open to diversity.

I had the incredible luck to come across UWC's website during one of my hunts, and was instantly enticed by what each school had to offer. Cultural exchange, the challenging IB curriculum, community service, extracurricular activities and plenty of time to have fun -all these are basically everything I could ask for in a journey of two years, specially being a person who likes to keep busy. Moreover, it seems incredible to me that so much can be done and learnt in this time span, and I'm definitely eager to take this ride.

In order to contribute to the UWC community, I believe I have the requisite skills and characteristics that would help make the two years in college productive and successful. To begin with, I am naturally comfortable with diversity and curious about different worldviews and belief systems, so I plan to learn a lot about the different cultures as well as let others know about mine. Furthermore, I am particularly keen to contribute to various social services and community projects because I want to make use of the experiences and knowledge I have gathered from working in different non-profit organizations throughout my life. Lastly, having been a sportsman all my life, I wish to be involved in any of UWC's sports team which I can help lead to victory; where I can form a bond with other players from different social and cultural backgrounds, and where I can make every player recognize their worth and help them face challenges together.

From experiencing two years at a UWC, I hope to achieve a deeper level of intercultural understanding so that I can become more globally engaged. I also aspire to gain meaningful social relationships across culturally diverse groups as well as learn to be more compassionate and understanding from doing the CAS program and similar service works. All in all, I am hoping to have the time of my life in these two years which will be a journey of self exploration, adventures and lots of learning.

Original Source: Essay Forum

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Tips for getting winning references for your UWC application

As you work your way through the application to join a UWC school or college, depending on the application process that you're following you may be asked to provide references from both an academic referee and a non-academic referee.

Your references are an essential part of your application and are held in the highest regard in the decisions that we make about your application. In this post, we offer some tips and hints for helping you to get the most out of your referees.

Who should I ask?

• For your academic referee, this should be a teacher (or another education professional) from your current school. They should understand your academic ability, but also be able to reflect on your contribution to the school community, and your character.
• For your non-academic referee, you might wish to ask someone related to your hobbies or interests outside of school. This might be a sports coach, a local community group leader, or the organiser of another activity that you’re involved in. It’s important that they know you well enough to be able to really reflect on your character and strengths.

When should I ask them?

• As soon as you possibly can! It’s important not to leave this until the last minute.
• For some of our applicants, our application deadline might fall at the start of a new school year. This is a busy time for teachers, and they may be asked to write several references for others too.
• For some of your non-academic referees, they may not be familiar with writing references and so they might want a little more time to think about what to write and how to approach it.
• Ask them early so that you can be one of the first references that they’re writing. That way they won’t yet be fatigued of writing lots of references or won’t feel like they have to rush it at the last minute. Giving them plenty of time will allow them to show you in the best light.
• Asking them to write your reference early also gives the opportunity for you to discuss your choice to apply to UWC with them properly. If they’re not familiar with us already, it’ll also give them time to get to know us, understand why we’re different, and reflect on whether we’re a great fit for you.

What should they reflect on?

• what UWC is ;
• our principles and education model ;
• and our  selection criteria .
• For each referee, we ask them to reflect on different elements of your character. This is usually set out in the application form, but to recap...
• Academic motivation
• Interest in being involved in activities outside of school
• Ability to be organised
• Interaction with others
• Maturity and balance
• Adaptability
• Verbal and written communication
• Ability to handle stress
• Other strengths and weaknesses.
• Interests for being involved outside of school
• Ability to organise yourself
• Oral and written communication

Remember, the sooner you ask your referees to write your references, the more opportunity you create for them to write a winning reference for you!

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ELENA HANDTRACK

• Sep 9, 2018

The Perfect Essay

Many of you have written to me about concerns regarding your essays for your UWC application when I asked for questions for my Q&A and I therefore decided to put my best advice in one of my articles. The most important ingredient for an outstanding essay is honesty. They want to read about a real student with real flaws and strengths and not some perfect illusion of you. Do not waste time asking yourself if who you are will be enough to get in - you will not get the answer without applying!

If you are still unsure about whether you should apply or not and your doubts keep hunting you, I would recommend asking yourself this question: Would you regret not applying and therefore never knowing whether you could have gotten in ten years down the road? If the answer is yes, apply! You have nothing to lose and a lot to gain by applying.

But now let's get to my advice for the essays. I would recommend taking two hours out of your day, sitting down with some hot chocolate and then reading the prompts for the first time. If an idea comes to your mind immediately for a specific prompt, write that essay right there. The first idea is usually the most honest answer because it is the most intuitive one. The draft you write that day does not have to be your final draft - you might end up changing it completely. But you will have gotten started. Take two hours out of your week to work on your application every week and you will not run out of time. Work on your application also includes asking for letters of recommendation and getting your transcripts so do not forget about these!

But what if no idea comes to your mind immediately? Write the question on a piece of paper and take it with you. Scribble down ideas over a week and look at them at the end of the week. Eliminate those ideas which you do not really like. Then write outlines for the remaining ideas for the concerned question. You will probably realise that you enjoyed writing one of the outlines more than writing the others - that is the outline to go with! If no feeling of joy tells you which outline to go with, look at the outlines and ask yourself which of them tells them the most about you, answers the prompt best, and means the most to you.

What about questions you are unsure about? Some applications include questions that leave space for interpretation. Sometimes, this is done on purpose. If you are unsure about a question, you can do two questions: You can either start your essay by defining a few key terms of the question to ensure that your reader understands how you understood the question or you can email/phone your national committee and ask for clarification. The latter is advisable in cases where you for example do not know what specific activities they want to know about or how much you can write. But interpreting questions yourself is also absolutely fine - it shows them that you think on your feet and are not afraid to examine a questions in detail and examine them a little bit more.

Once you have written your first drafts, I would advise you to get a few people to look over them. Personally, I like to ask my teachers to read over my essays for grammar mistakes. It is really important that you have at least one person check your essays for grammar mistakes because you do not want your reader to think that you did not spend enough time on your essay to proofread it. Then I would recommend asking a friend to read over it to check whether the essay sounds like it is written by you. Did you use words you would normally use? Would an interviewer recognise you as the writer of that essay? Lastly, I would recommend asking a parent to give the essay a read to check whether it really says something important about you.

One thing that is important when receiving feedback is that it is up to you to decide whether you should incorporate it or not. I asked many people to give me feedback on my essays but I only incorporated a little bit of the feedback I got from everyone. The reason for that is that I wanted to ensure that my essays do not start to sound like the people who read over it but still like me. If people critique a specific part of the essay that you love, keep it! This essay is about you as a person and not about others.

And most importantly, do not let that "Submit" button stop you! I remember that hitting submit took me at least ten minutes because I was scared that my application would not be good enough. When you have put in so much work to complete this application, send it to them!

If you have any questions about this guide, please feel free to send a message to me! Good luck to everyone applying to UWC!

Lots of Love,

P.S.: Have you already seen my UWC Q&A? If not, here is my UWC Q&A:

file:///Users/elenahandtrack/Downloads/google8b537c70b1860f66.html

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HOW TO ✨SPICE UP✨ YOUR UWC APPLICATION + IDEAS FOR WHAT TO DO IN THE SUMMER

Hi, hello, willkommen and bienvenue! To Stella’s annual blog post that either means she is bored or procrastinating something important. Probably both. Anyhow, if you were debating on what you could do before and during the summer that would be both fun and look good on your UWC application, look no further! For this post I have compiled an exhaustive (probably not, but just go with it) list of things like summer camps or volunteering opportunities for you to check out, as well as other random ideas. I hope you will find some of these ideas helpful to your own UWC application!

I’ve gone over this a lot in this post, but it’s truly so important that you use the summer before your application well so that you have more material to use for essays and interviews.

1. UWC SHORT COURSES ( https://www.uwc.org/shortcourses )

If you have never heard of UWC short courses before, they usually last between 1-5 weeks and have been offered since 1978 at various different UWCs.

Imagine everything you’re looking for in UWC, minus the academic stress and IB, and poof ! You have a short course.

Okay, that’s obviously an exaggeration since it is not fair to compare a 2 year program with a 2 week program. However, as someone who took part in one, it truly is a great way to experience the UWC spirit, while living together with people from all around the world. For me, it was the first time I felt like I met people with similar values and shared passions, people who want to make the world a better place. If you have the time and means to take part in a short course, I highly encourage you to do so.

The course I participated in was “ Global Leadership Forum ” and was hosted in UWC USA in Montezuma (such a beautiful campus, ahh!) And, small side note: five people (+ me) ended up at UWCs, which just proves that UWC short courses really do attract people who are passionate about UWCs and who have a goal of applying there! 🙂

2. START YOUR OWN CLUB

You know that one hobby you have, that interest that will keep you talking for hours on end? Is there a club for that at your school? No? Then why not just start one yourself (before the summer obviously)! Starting your own club is good for multiple reasons, 1: you’ll get to spend time doing something you really enjoy, 2: You will inevitably develop important leadership skills, which are useful in every aspect of life, not just UWC. And lastly, it demonstrates that you can take initiative! It doesn’t matter whether that be a science club, book club, chess club, gardening club… The only thing that matters is you pursuing what you are passionate about. In case you might have worries like “What if no one joins?”- even if you only get three of your friends to do it with you, I guarantee you it won’t matter in the application! They won’t be interested in how many members it has, they will simply be impressed that you took the initiative to start something new.

One way to think about this could be in terms of subject areas, for example a science club, literature club or language club. If you would like something less school-like, just think of whatever interest you have or hobby you enjoy doing and make it into a club! Examples: anime club, skating club. Something like a baking club could even be connected with charity, through events where you sell baked goods to raise money. Generally, literally any social cause is worth being made into a club to raise awareness! You could start a club dedicated to educating about marine conservation, for instance. Another classic would be an Amnesty International club.

3. VOLUNTARY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

This is probably my favorite part of this whole post! The summer before my second application to UWC I took part in two ijgd camps, one media creation camp in Hamburg, Germany and one environmental conservation camp in France, and I had such a great time. ijgd is a german organization, and only for German nationals/citizens, but below I will put a list of volunteer orgs in different countries! :))

The great thing about this is that most, if not all volunteer organizations have options in-country, as well as abroad!

Whether you want something closer to home because you want to directly contribute to the community where you live, or you want an experience in another country (possibly in another language, like my camp in France!) I’m sure you will find something that suits your interests! There are numerous different types of work and camps that you can do, relating to environment, restoration, education, agriculture, animals, language, festival organization … the options are limitless!

VOLUNTARY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES ( source )

Armenia – Voluntary Service of Armenia

Azerbaijan – Bridge to the Future

Belgium – Compagnon Batisseurs Belgium , Javva Belgium

Bosnia and Herzegovina – South East European Youth Network (SEEYN)

China – Dreamwalker China

Denmark – Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke

Estonia – Estyes

Finland – Alianssi Youth Exchanges

France – Compagnons Batisseurs France , Concordia France (CONCF) , Jeunesse et Reconsruction, JR , Solidarites Jeunesses, SJ

(I will add more links soon)

4. JOIN THE YOUTH RED CROSS

(Picture Credit Rotes Kreuz Schwaz)

With this I can only really talk about Austria specifically, though I am sure that loads of other countries have it too. This is also more of a long-term suggestion, so depending on when you see this blog post this might not be applicable to you.

I personally was part of the Austrian Youth Red Cross ( Österreichisches Jugendrotkreuz ) for 2 years and it was so much fun. Not only do you receive very in-depth first aid training in a fun environment, you also have a group of friends to do it with and even go to competitions every year to compete with groups from other cities.

Even though all the scenarios you go through to practice are only theoretical, there have been numerous times in my life so far where my first aid training has come in handy. Red Cross teaches you a lot, but like I mentioned, I really did have such a great time doing it, so if it sounds like something you might enjoy I encourage you to look into it! Not to mention, it will definitely look great on your application, too.

5. CLOSING REMARKS

Okay, not to get all cheesy on you here but what you have to remember is that there is not one “ideal UWC applicant.” There just isn’t. Your hobbies, interests and passions are what make you you, and when I applied the second time round I really had to remind myself to stay out of that mindset of “Let me do all these things just for my application.” which is what I was thinking the first time I applied. By all means, if there is something you would like to try out, go for it, and please challenge yourself!! And like I mentioned in this post, I had such a great time in the camps and short course. BUT, your passions and hobbies are just as interesting as conversation material as anything else.

To give you a personal example, in the summer of 2017 I was a part of the Rockin’ 1000 event in Val Veny as a singer. Singing is one of my favorite things to do, and Rockin’ 1000 was an opportunity to do so with hundreds of other people who also enjoy rock music. I even ended up writing one of my application essays about that experience! I think the essay prompt was something along the lines of “Describe an event or a personal challenge that happened to you.” I wrote about the language barrier, since I was there alone and most people were Italian and only spoke Italian, which I really struggled with, but in the end music was universal enough that it still brought us all together and I made great friends.

What I am trying to get across is that though you might not think that what you are already doing for fun will be interesting enough or not “related to UWC”-enough, I assure you that it can be! You can learn valuable things from pretty much anything in your life, whether that be running an instagram account for your art or tutoring the kid from your next door neighbors. Think outside the box, I’m certain you will be able to write or talk about your hobbies in a way that can convince interviewers that you belong in a UWC. Trust me, they will sense when your eyes light up while talking about an interest or passion you are pursuing.

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Application essay for UWC ( United world college )

Hi I am currently working on my essay and would like reviews. Here’s the subject :[In English] Explain why you want to attend a UWC School, what you might contribute in relation to the UWC’s mission and values, and what you would hope to gain from the experience? Please excuse possible grammar mistakes english le ont my first language.

I had the chance to do the last four years of primary school in a school were diversity was present and most importantly celebrated through nationality parties, this has impacted me in many ways and is an essential factor to explain my attraction towards the UWC movement. I want to join a UWC school mainly because I want to learn and mature more in an environment where cultural diversity is celebrated, a place where I’ll be able to satisfy my thirst to discover other cultures. Moreover I want to have the global education the international baccalaureate and UWC offer while being surrounded by other teenagers who like me are willing to take a stand and be actors of their environment. The UWC movement has values and a mission I would like to live by. In order to contribute to the UWC community, I believe I have the requisite characteristics, like open mindness and sociability, that would help make my time in college productive. UWC is about growing up and learning about the other that’s why I’ll gladly share what I know of my culture.I am a people person and don’t think twice before helping others when it’s possible,I am particularly excited to contribute to various social services something I can’t do here although there are many opportunities. Lastly being a good listener I wish to be someone my peers could seek help from when needed during those challenging two years. From the experience ,I hope to achieve a deeper level of understanding so that I can become globally engaged. I hope to acquire the skills I’ll need to enter adulthood well prepared but also to be heard and take position to act so I’ll be able to make things move in my country and other under developed countries.

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APPLICATIONS 2025

Applications for 2025 opens 02 april 2024 until 30 september 2024., documents required to complete an application, getting you from where you are to where you want to be.

Click here  for admission and programme information (undergraduate degree programmes)  

• Applicants must have a valid email address in order to apply online. All communication from the University in regards to your application will be sent via email. Should you not have a valid email address you can create an email account using Gmail, Yahoo Mail or any other email provider you may prefer.
• If you are a person with a disability, please ensure that you have completed that section fully in the online form to allow us to make contact with you regarding your support needs. Should you have any queries related to disability support at the University contact the Office for Students with Disabilities at  [email protected]  or at  +27 21 959 4170 .
• Applicants who have applied for study at UWC and who then wish to apply for UWC RESIDENCE must  apply online,  click here to apply for UWC Residence . Click Here  for the Residence application Guide. Residence placement is limited and not all applicants can be accommodated. Selection will only be done from those applicants who are made offers of study by the University based on placement criteria and availability of space (not all applicants who have been made an offer to study can be accommodated). For any residence enquiries you can contact  +27 21 959 2569  or  [email protected] .

POPIA CONSENT FORM

An applicant under the age of 18 must have the consent form ( click here for consent form ) signed by either of his/her parents. If a student has no parents (e.g. they are deceased) or the parents are divorced, a legal guardian is normally officially appointed. In such cases, the legal guardian must sign the consent form. If an applicant does not have a parent or a legal guardian, a responsible adult family member (next-of-kin) or other responsible adult who is prepared to make the declaration and the undertaking must sign with the applicant. Note: Applicants who are under the age of 18 at the time of application and fail to submit a signed consent form may not be considered for selection purposes.

Signed consent form to be uploaded via https://studentdocumentupload.uwc.ac.za/  link to document upload (can be completed in your language of choice) by no later than 30 September 2024 .

Please note 

• Applicants who have applied for study at UWC and who then wish to apply for UWC RESIDENCE must  apply online  click here to apply for UWC Residence
• Upload all outstanding documents  click here to submit documents
• To apply for NSFAS and financial aid  click here

The number of applicants usually far exceeds the number of spaces available in various programmes. As a result, offers are based on merit and availability of space, not all applicants who meet the minimum admission requirements for their programme/s of choice, can be made an offer to study. Make sure you have applied to more than one institution and type of tertiary education institution. DEFINITION OF TERMS

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International applicants, transfer applications, re-admission applications, application statuses, uwc points score, definition of terms, application type, application category, admission type.

United World Colleges (UWC) Application Essay

derri 1 / -   Oct 25, 2015   #1 "Please write a statement of not more than 300 words explaining why you are interested in attending a UWC school or college. Describe both what you might contribute and what you would hope to gain. If desired, you may include a description of your background, family and any experiences you have had in meeting people from other backgrounds than your own." I currently have 440 words and the limit is 300 and I also did not mention the "a description of your background, family and any experiences you have had in meeting people from other backgrounds than your own" part. I fee like I am missing something. TIPS, EDITING?? PLEASE. Let me know if some things just don't make sense or are repeated. Have you ever just read or watched something that connects with you on such a deep level? This precisely how I feel about the UWC movement and mission. Reading the UWC mission and seeing the lifestyle of UWCers I feel it is a place where I need to be, where I need to learn, and where I need to share. When I first heard about UWC through various presentations, short courses and articles; and even further hearing about it from the alumni I have met, I knew this was the place for me. As soon as I discovered UWC I knew it was a remarkable opportunity to challenge myself both academically and personally. I fell in love with UWC and I know it would be an environment I would flourish in. I want to learn from others and share with others and I know UWC will give me the tools to prosper and to create a positive impact on the world. UWC also provides opportunity and encouragement for you to take on projects or ideas I often do not receive in Cayman and I'm not able to live by the UWC mission since I'm not encircled by people who are passionate about making changes. I also don't feel I'm surrounded by as much diversity as I need to contribute to a vibrant education inside and outside the classroom like UWC. What also motivated me to apply is the possibility of receiving two years of an IB education, which doesn't only includes academics but also extracurricular activities and the active environment that I seek. The UWC movement appealed to my dream of using business techniques to find solutions to social problems, working to develop my knowledge of the environment and breaking down misunderstandings and stereotypes held around the world. I have the urge to go somewhere where I can expand my knowledge and contribute to the diverse environment, and when I found out about UWC, it was an impeccable match. I want to learn how to perceive everything from different perspectives, which I'm confident I will learn at UWC. I have a hunger to learn more and hear more of people's stories and the world as I know how much I don't know. I no longer want people to see a little dot on the map when they think about the Cayman Islands, but a face in which they remember from an excellent ambassador of the Cayman Islands, named Derricka. I'm confident that after two years of studying at UWC I will able to use what I have gained to cultivate not only myself and the Cayman Islands, but the world.

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University Writing Center

Writing Appointments

If this is your first time making an appointment, please read about our writing appointments and our policies below before booking your appointment. Please note that extended time consultations are reserved for students with accommodations.

We offer 45-minute writing appointments to undergraduate and graduate students at UT Austin (if you are in an Option 3 graduate program, find out more below ).

About Writing Appointments

The uwc can help students…, from any major or department, with any writing project, at any stage in the writing process, at any point in their college career.

Writers of all abilities come here to do what professional writers do: get another person’s response to their writing. Our mission is to help UT Austin students become more proficient, more versatile, and more confident in their writing abilities

The UWC can assist you at any point in the writing process, from brainstorming to final revisions. We can work with academic writing, personal statements and other non-course related projects. We use a non-directive, non-evaluative approach to writing consulting. This means we focus on having a conversation about your work and your writing goals.

Our consultants are UT undergraduate and graduate students. They have been trained to help you think critically about your writing task, identify your options, and make your own decisions about your writing. If you want to work on grammar, they will help you identify the kinds of errors you make and teach you how to apply the rules of Edited Academic English.

We strive to make the UWC a supportive place for everyone to develop their writing. The training our consultants participate in is designed to develop respect for different linguistic, cultural, racial, and economic backgrounds, as well as different abilities and gender identities. We also offer a variety of accommodations to make the UWC accessible to all. If you’re a UT student, we want you to feel welcome here.

What to bring

To prepare for your appointment, please bring your prompt and any work that you have on your writing project. If you have received feedback from your instructor(s), you are welcome to bring that as well.

If you’re coming for an in-person writing appointment, you may bring your paper in whatever form you wish, including on your own computer. We also have Macs at the UWC that you can use to pull up your paper if it is saved to a cloud service. To maintain social distancing, we will be using Google Hangouts Meet in our in-person consultations to allow you to share your writing with your consultant via screen sharing. If you bring in a paper copy of your writing, we ask that you bring a second copy for the consultant.

Want to meet with a specialist?

We offer various specialties through our online booking system. For both undergrads and grads, we offer Spanish writing consultations. For undergrads, we offer health professions application essay consultations, consultations for specific engineering classes, and a designated consultant for several AFR classes. Choose one of these appointment types when booking in order to see our specialists in each area.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a consultant specializing in a specific genre or discipline not listed on our appointment booking system, chat with us through the window above or call us at 512-471-6222.

Although our staff changes from semester to semester, we typically have specialists in:

• Business Writing
• Science Writing
• Technical Writing
• Creative Writing
• and other areas

Additional Support

Interested in other ways the UWC can support you? Head over to our How We Help page to find out about all the services available to you at the UWC.

Writing Appointment Policies

Punctuality and cancellations, if you are more than.

minutes late, your appointments will be cancelled and will be considered a no-show.

If you no show

appointments, you will need to speak with our admin team before making more appointments.

To cancel within

hours of your appointment, you will need to contact the front desk through chat or at (512) 471-6222.

For a project due in

hours or less, we will not be able to meet with you.

Please arrive a few minutes early for your appointment so you can fill out the intake form. In many cases we will be able to book you for another appointment later in the day if you are late to your original appointment. 

Please give us as much notice as possible if you need to cancel your appointment. Cancelling at the last minute makes it difficult for other students to rebook the appointment time.

Our policy prevents us from seeing students with projects due in less than two hours, so please schedule your appointments accordingly with project deadlines in mind. We want there to be enough time to go through your paper in a relaxed, beneficial way during your appointment.

Number of appointments

Generally speaking, we’d like you to visit the uwc as often as you like., we recommend no more than.

visits per assignment for papers less than 10 pages. This limit helps you retain your independence as a writer and promotes academic integrity.

You can have no more than

appointments on the schedule at any given time. If you run into this limit, simply allow one of the appointments you have scheduled to pass before booking another.

At certain points in the semester, demand for our services outpaces supply. If you use our services more frequently than most people, we may contact you at that time to temporarily limit the number of consultations you can have. This is not meant as a punishment—we simply need to ensure that all UT students have equal access to our services.

Group work policies

You are welcome to come to the UWC with a group writing assignment. However, all authors must be present to work on each section. If you divided up the work for the project and each wrote independently, you can come in alone and work on only your section. If the entire paper was written collaboratively, all the writers need to be there to work on any part of the paper. Only one group member needs to book the actual appointment, but all need to attend.

Students who can book writing appointments

We offer writing appointments to all undergraduate students and most graduate students with the exception of Option 3 graduate students. Students need to be currently enrolled at UT Austin or enrolled in the previous semester in order to use our services.

We can work with Option 3 graduate students if their programs have set up a payment agreement with us. If you wish to use our services, please contact your Option 3 program director, who can reach out to us .

We do not work with OnRamps of UT Extension students at this time.

Online Writing Appointments

The UWC will be conducting undergraduate and graduate appointments both online and in person. Online appointments are conducted through Zoom.

In order to use Zoom, you need to use your UT Zoom account. All UT students have access to a free utexas Zoom account through UT. If you haven’t already activated your account, you can create your account here .

You are welcome to meet with your consultant using your desktop, laptop, or smartphone. If you plan to use a smartphone, you’ll need to download the free Zoom app.

You will still book your appointments the same way using the link at the end of this page. When booking the appointment, make sure you choose “online/remote” as the appointment type.

We will send you instructions via email 10-15 minutes before your appointment about how to connect with your consultant.

If you have any questions, please use our website chat to contact us.

How can the UWC help me?

Our mission is to help UT Austin students become more proficient, more versatile, and more confident in their writing abilities

The UWC can assist you at any point in the writing process, from brainstorming to final revisions. We can work with any kind of writing, including personal statements and other non-course related projects.

We use a  non-directive, non-evaluative  approach to writing consulting. This means we focus on having a conversation about your work and your writing goals. We do not edit, proofread, or rewrite papers.

What should I bring to my in-person appointment?

Please bring your prompt and any work that you have on you writing project. We do not need a paper copy of your writing.

You may bring your own computer or use a Mac at the UWC.

Why am I seeing “no available counselors” when I try to book an appointment?

You may have applied a filter that’s hiding the available appointments. If you are trying to filter by location, make sure you choose University Writing Center for in-person appointments and University Writing Center Online through Google Meet for online appointments. Any other location in the drop-down list is for other advising offices on campus who use the same booking system. If you’re still having trouble, be sure to chat the front desk!

Why did I get a Zoom invitation when my appointment is in-person?

We still use Zoom for our in-person consultations to allow you to share your screen with your consultant.

Where can I check to see if I made an in-person or online appointment?

You can either check the confirmation email you received upon booking the appointment or log back into Symplicity to view the appointment details. In-person appointments will have the location “University Writing Center” and online appointments have the location “University Writing Center Online through Zoom” (Note: All graduate student appointments are online). If you’re still unsure, feel free to ask the front desk.

What happens if I am late or miss an appointment?

If you are more than 10 minutes late, we will not be able to start your appointment and it will be considered a no show. However, in many cases we will be able to book you for another appointment later in the day if you are late to your original appointment. If you no show 5 appointments in the same semester, you will need to speak with our admin team before booking future appointments.

Is the UWC accessible? What kinds of accommodations do you offer?

Yes, our goal is to help students grow as writers. We want to be supportive of all writers. For more information on our accommodations, visit our  Accessibility  page.

Do you work with UT Extension or OnRamps students?

Not at this time.

I am in an Option 3 grad program. Can I use the UWC?

Yes! We can work with Option 3 students.

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Thank you for choosing to apply to the United World Colleges. We are excited to have you as an applicant, and wish you every success!

This section contains important information regarding the application process. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] and we will do our best to answer them as quickly as we can. Before applying, please check your eligibility . If you require any further clarifications regarding your eligibility please reach out to [email protected] .

Please allow sufficient time to complete your application. You can save the progress of your application at any time and come back to it later.

The deadline for the submission of applications is 20-November-2023 .

Documents and Information

To apply you will require the following documents:

• Recent photograph of yourself
• If you are an Indian citizen living in India, it is mandatory that you upload your Aadhaar card as proof of identity. Indian citizens living abroad have the option to upload their Aadhaar card, passport, or OCI card as proof of identity. Overseas citizens residing in India at the time of application have the option to upload their passport or Aadhaar card as proof of identity.
• Grade 9 marksheet
• Grade 10 marksheet (if available; mandatory for those currently in Grade 11))

You should be prepared with the following information:

• Your top 3 preferences for UWC colleges
• Information about the school you attend

For a step-by-step walkthrough on how to fill your UWC application form, please review the How to Apply section

Parent/Guardian:

Speak to your parents/guardian about your application process.

• You will need to provide details of parents/guardian
• An email with a link will be sent to them
• They will need to follow the link in a web browser and provide requisite information

Principal/Teacher:

Speak to your school principal/teacher about giving you a recommendation. If you are currently in Grade 11, you should talk to your Grade 10 teacher or previous school principal.

• You will need to provide an e-mail address for the principal or teacher that you nominate
• They will need to follow the link in a web browser and provide requisite information, including a written recommendation

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must fulfil all the following conditions:

• Indian Nationals or PIO/OCI Cardholders or residents in India at the time of application
• Born between 01 June 2006 and 01 September 2008 ( Note: Younger applicants aged up to 15 years and 6 months and in 10th grade with exceptional applications may be considered)
• Currently be in Grade 10 or 11 (home school or alternatively schooled equivalents acceptable)

Application Process

You are applying to study at one of 18 United World Colleges for two years, which will see you gain an International Baccalaureate Diploma.

The Application

This is the first of two stages of the selections process. You will be asked to complete an application form. As part of the online application form you will be required to answer a number of questions about yourself, write four short essays, submit your school marksheets and provide us with references from your school principal / teacher. These will then be assessed by us.

Selection Activities

If you are shortlisted, you will be invited to interview with us. Typically the selections interview takes place at the UWC Mahindra College Campus.

Submit your Financial Assessment Form

Shortlisted applicants will also go through a financial assessment to determine their family’s ability to contribute to their education. All students attending a UWC are selected on demonstrated academic promise and potential as far as college funds allow. The financial situation of a family comes into play only once the candidates have been shortlisted. Scholarships are offered to students going by their merit rank order with demonstrated need for such financial help. Financial assistance is determined on the review of the Financial Assessment form which is required to be filled up by the parents / guardians of all applicants shortlisted for the interview.

Selection Criteria

Our students are selected based on their potential to build a better world. We look for merit based achievements in the context of " How has this applicant best made use of the opportunities available to them? ." Applicants will be assessed against the following UWC selection criteria and other criteria that the National Committee thinks relevant.

Each year, we look for applicants to join our schools, who bring the following:

Intellectual curiosity: You love learning about the world around you - both inside and outside the classroom. You have at least one academic area that you are passionate about, and would like to explore further. You are able to recognise global and local issues, and analyse them critically.

Active commitment to your own values and those of UWC: You share UWC's values and show a commitment to follow UWC's code of conduct. You have humility and the ability to listen to, and value, other people’s opinions. You appreciate that although others may have different points of view, they may also be right. You promote UWC's values in your daily life, and act as a global citizen of the world.

Social competence: You interact respectfully with others, understanding and appreciating their viewpoints and perspectives, and you are able to work within a team to find solutions to problems. You know how to express yourself appropriately in different situations and to different people.

Resilience, self-awareness and independence: You can look after yourself physically and emotionally during challenging situations, for example in a boarding school environment. You have developed good coping strategies, and you are not easily overwhelmed. You also know when to ask for help for yourself, and for others.

Personal responsibility and integrity: You can express and examine your own values, and you are ready to contrast and reflect on them in comparison to the values of others. The way you behave within your family and community reflects your values and beliefs. You can communicate your own needs and are mindful of those of others, demonstrating a sense of communal responsibility.

Academic robustness: You have the potential to meet the rigorous demands of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.

1. Check your eligibility

To apply to the UWC Committee of India applicants must fulfil all the following conditions:

• Currently in Grade 10 or 11 (home school or alternatively schooled equivalents acceptable)

If you require any further clarifications regarding your eligibility please reach out to [email protected] or call us at 7208843286 / 7208843287 between 10 am to 6 pm on working days.

Application Deadline: 20-November-2023

2. Create an account

• Click here to create your account
• Use a valid personal email id to begin creating your account

3. Application fee payment

• To initiate your application through this portal you must make your payment via credit/debit card, netbanking, wallet or mobile payment. All payments must be made by an adult with due consent of the cardholder/account holder
• Applicants from low-income backgrounds may be eligible for fee waiver. Application fee waivers are available for applicants showing demonstrable need

4. Personal and academic details

• To make your application process easier, keep your personal details (i.e. address, passport number if available, proof of identity, photograph) handy
• Keep a scanned and attested copy of your Grade 9 (mandatory) and 10 marksheets (if available)
• Read about UWC campuses and finalize your preferences for UWCs
• Have your school details ready

5. Parent Consent and School Recommendation

• Speak to your parents and let them know they will also need to fill in a section of your form pertaining to parents
• Speak to your chosen faculty member about writing you a recommendation and what they can expect
• You are required to nominate only one parent/guardian and one teacher to fill in these sections of your application form

6. Plan Essays

• Take a look at the essay questions and plan your responses
• You can save your application in progress. Take time to prepare your responses and then resume your application

7. Recommendations

• A recommendation request will go out to your teacher once you complete and submit the 'Academics' section of your application
• A consent form will be sent to your parent/guardian for them to fill in and submit once you complete and submit the 'Family' section of your application
• We recommend completing the 'Academics' and 'Family' sections of your application early in order to give your teacher and parent/guardian enough time to complete their sections
• Ensure that you confirm with your selected faculty member, that they will be willing to write you a recommendation before you submit their details as part of your application

8. Submit application

• Read through the details you have entered
• Ensure that the documents you have uploaded are correct, attested, legible and in the right format
• Confirm the details of your faculty members and parents that you have entered
• Confirm the academic details you have submitted
• Review your essay responses
• Once you are sure of your application, click on the 'Submit' button to submit it
• Your application will not be considered complete until we receive the parent consent and school recommendation

9. Follow up

• Once you have submitted your application, you can follow up with your nominated faculty member for their recommendation and parent for their consent
• You can see their progress from your application dashboard
• Once they submit their recommendation and details your application will automatically be submitted
• You will be notified of your application progress at your registered email address
• You will get a confirmation email after you, your parent/guardian, and your nominated teacher/principal successfully complete and submit the application

Financial Requirements

You and your family's financial situation will not affect the selection process. We do have some financial aid available, to qualify for which, shortlisted candidates will need to fill in a financial assessment form that will help us assess the financial aid requirement.

Eligibility Requirements

• Born between 01 Jun 2006 and 01 Sep 2008 ( Note: Younger applicants aged up to 15 years and 6 months and in 10th grade with exceptional applications may be considered)

Parental Consent

We will need one of your parents or guardians to fill out the parental consent form which is part of the application process.

Application Fee

The fee for applying to United World Colleges through the UWC National Committee India is INR 5,500. This fee is non-refundable even if your application is not successful. Please ensure that you have reviewed eligibility criteria and detailed instructions on the application process . Once the payment is made it cannot be refunded or transferred.

Application fee waivers are available for applicants showing demonstrable need.

The deadline for submitting your application is 20-November-2023 . We will only assess your application if by that point:

• You have filled out all sections of the application
• You have submitted your marksheet(s)
• Your parents/guardians have sent in their consent form
• Your school principal/teacher has sent in their recommendation, and
• You have clicked on 'Submit application' at the end of your application and have received a confirmation email from us

Want to know more?

Frequently asked questions.

• Faculty & Staff

The Office of Admissions will be closed Friday, May 31, 2024, for in-person walk-in appointments. However, we will be available by phone and email . Campus tours will operate normally.

Freshman writing section

At the UW, we consider the college essay as our opportunity to see the person behind the transcripts and the numbers. Some of the best statements are written as personal stories. In general, concise, straightforward writing is best, and good essays are often 300-400 words in length.

Please note that the UW essay questions must be answered within our application. For the Common App, that means within our UW questions. We do not consider the Common App essay.

Essay prompt [required]

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

Maximum length : 650 words

Short response [required]

Our families and communities often define us and our individual worlds. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the diversity of the UW.

Maximum length : 300 words

Tip :  Keep in mind that the UW strives to create a community of students richly diverse in cultural backgrounds, experiences, values and viewpoints.

Additional information about yourself or your circumstances [optional]

You are not required to write anything in this section, but you may include additional information if something has particular significance to you. For example, you may use this space if:

• You have experienced personal hardships in attaining your education
• Your activities have been limited because of work or family obligations
• You have experienced unusual limitations or opportunities unique to the schools you attended

Maximum length : 200 words

Format for the essays

• Content is important, but spelling, grammar and punctuation are also considered.
• We recommend composing in advance, then copying and pasting into the application. Double-spacing, italics and other formatting will be lost, but this will not affect the evaluation of your application.
• We’ve observed most students write a polished formal essay, yet submit a more casual short response. Give every part of the writing responses your best effort, presenting yourself in standard, formal English.
• Proofread, proofread, proofread!

Tip :  Write like it matters, not like you’re texting. This is an application for college, not a message to your friend. Get some hints in the video:

All writing in the application, including your essay/personal statement and short responses, must be your own work.  Do not use another writer’s work and do not use artificial intelligence software (ChatGPT, Bard, etc.) to assist or write your statement.

Per Washington state law and University of Washington policy , all admissions staff are mandatory reporters of child abuse and neglect. Any statements in written materials that give admissions staff reasonable cause to believe abuse or neglect of someone under the age of 18 may have occurred must be reported to Child Protective Services or the police. Learn more about University reporting requirements . 

If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault or other sexual misconduct, RAINN is a national hotline that provides support and referrals. Call 800.656.4673 or visit the website for a chat option. For individuals who have experienced domestic violence or intimate partner violence, the National DV Hotline offers phone, chat, and text options for support.