This post is primarily to address ALL SMSA (2010/2011) students who will be applying for higher education are advised to submit ALL their ACADEMIC / ECA certificates to the clerks' office (1st floor, school administration). You are required to submit the following:
1. A list of ALL your certificates (a sample will be posted at the clerks' window)- please see a sample below.
2. Original copies of your certificates (in a separate folder). I will update you on whether to also include your I.C and birth certificate.
3. A minimum of 5 sets of photocopied certificates for example, the scholarship section requires 2 sets, UBD will ask for 4 sets, ITB needs 3/4 sets. Thus, if you are planning to apply to all then I would recommend you to submit at least 10 sets of photocopied certificates.
4. Ensure that all your certificates are properly organised and submitted in an envelope with your FULL NAME and TUTOR GROUPS. Not to mention, make sure you leave your contact numbers so we can call you once they're completed.
This is an extremely IMPORTANT post because whether you like it or not, the time is near...preparation is vital!! Most students have been asking me which certificates to include>> Copies of your I.C, BIRTH CERTIFICATE and ALL certificates should be included that showcase your educational background for e.g Ugama results, PSR, PMB, O levels, participation in competitions...(Academic), sports and clubs appreciation certificates (ECAs)..
Warning: If you do not adhere to the above instructions, the school has the right not to certify your certificates. Remember time is money and shouldn't be wasted by waiting anxiously for the results to come out.
I've been asked a lot of unreasonable questions with regards to certifying your certs: 'Cher, can I just submit one set of certs then make photocopies of the signed ones?'
Answer: NO, you may not. This will be considered as fraud and if you choose to do so, you will lose the right in asking the school to certify your certs again.
A SAMPLE OF A CHECKLIST FOR STUDENTS’ TO INCLUDE IN SUBMITTING CERTIFICATES TO SEKOLAH MENENGAH SAYYIDINA ALI, KB
Student’s name
Tutor Group
Personal information
1. Identity Card
2. Birth Certificate
Academic Certificates
A. Secondary Level
1. PMB results
2. June and Nov ‘O’ Level results
3. Participation in Maths Australian Competition / Maths Olympiad
4. Participation in Science Australian Competition
B. Sixth Form
1. June / Nov ‘As’ level results
2. Participation in Biology Australian Competitions
Yesterday was an exciting day for SMSA. Initially, we expected each KB secondary school to send in at least 15 students however, there was a massive turnout of students, teachers and parents. We hope that those of you who attended the event gained useful information about the 'A' Level entry requirements, various subjects being offered as well as ideas regarding Pre-U education in SMSA.
The Careers & Higher Learning department also received a lot of comments and queries regarding subject combination, possible future careers as well as scholarship information. Below are some of the pictures taken during the event:
English Literature booth
Lovely visitors at the Careers booth
Students visiting the event
Look at the number of students!
We sincerely hope students have obtained relevant information and will consider taking up 'A' levels in SMSA. We are a highly reputable school and intend to continue with a proud legacy through the new generation of students.
Thank you for your keen interest and support. Hope to see you in the near future.
Just a follow-up to the previous post: I've sent an email to ucas applicants to remind and get the confirmation on your applications. You are given a week's notice to reply your decision back to us. This is necessary because we would like to process your applications as soon as possible before the results come out. Failure to reply to us: we will consider your application as VOID and will send your applications back to you. The email is as follows (sent on Saturday, 28th January 2012):
"This email is to get your confirmation on whether you are continuing your UCAS application. I am in the process of checking each application in preparation for when the A level results are released. The following issues are highlighted in your application. Please check them thoroughly and reply to me to confirm your decision. Should you have any doubts, you can email me or arrange for a consultation with the Careers department.
1. Is is very important that you apply UCAS through the school i.e SMSA. If you did apply as an individual then I suggest you register a new application following the proper procedures that can be found on the blog: www.smsacareers.blogspot.com (let me know if you have this problem)
2. You MUST fill in SMSA reference forms (get it from Careers dept) and submit them to your tutors. If we do not receive your forms back then your application cannot be processed.
3. In your current applications, you have selected Cg.FAdilah as your referee, you should amend this to me instead. (Full details found on the blog)
4. The choices of universities> some of you have chosen to fill up all the slots. It is recommended to select 4 and leave one blank in case there are last minute changes for example, if you got bsp scholarship they may ask you to apply to a uni of their choice.
5. Under Education, only select UCLES as the awarding body and don't forget to include GP as an 'As' level subject. If you are applying now i.e before results are out then I can send them your forecast results but if you are waiting till results come out then please send in your slips asap.
6. Personal statement: I am not sure why most statements are poorly written..some are only 3 paragraphs and some have poor use of english. Clearly you have not sought the help of your GP/English tutors. You need to personally ask them to check your PS and if they approve you can then email them to me where I will then check for final approval. Otherwise your application will not be processed.
Once you've checked your application, inform me of your decision whether to proceed or stop your application. Once results are out, I will set the deadline for UCAS applications(March) to avoid delays. It is also vital that you do your own research and check which courses and universities are still accepting students as most unis have closed their applications.
Hope to hear a reply from you soon.
P/S: Please check the careers blog regularly for updates on higher education> www.smsacareers.blogspot.com"
Again, you are reminded to notify us your decisions on whether to continue your application or not> deadline by Monday, 6th February 2012
A number of students requested that I provide you a detailed and step-by-step instructions on how to apply UCAS through SMSA. I hope that you will follow the instructions carefully (prepare a checklist when applying as it will make the process easier). Refer to the following:
HOW TO FILL IN UCAS ONLINE APPLICATION FORMS
Come over to the Pre-U Careers and Higher Learning office to fill in the SMSA Confidential Reference form.
Provide 1 passport photo, 1 photocopy of your IC, I photocopy of your 0 and As/A Levels.
Go to UCAS.com
Click APPLY
Click Register/Log in to use Apply 2012
Click Register * Remember you only register once with UCAS. Once you have registered, you will just need to log in your user name and password to access your application.
Read the instructions before clicking NEXT
Read the terms and conditions and mark the box to accept the terms and conditions.
Click NEXT
REGISTER INITIAL DETAILS
Title: Mr/Miss
Gender:
First name: Surname:
Date of Birth
* No need to put bin or bte. For e.g. your real name is Aminah bte Ahmad. So for your first
name just put Aminah and for your surname put Ahmad. Or if you have chinese name for e.g. Chong Ping Qing- 1st name will be Ping Qing and Surname will be Chong.
click NEXT
Please choose one of the options below
I applied last year and know my Personal ID number I have a current UCAS card
I have neither of the above (* Most of you will choose this, so mark it)
click NEXT
Postal address
Click EU/Overseas Ft this will bring you to a page where you have to fill in your postal
address. Don't forget your postcode. And don't forget to indicate your country Brunei.
click NEXT
Personal Details
Home Telephone Number:673... * (673 (space) followed by your phone number)
Mobile Number:673... *(673 (space) followed by your mobile number)
Mailings: * Tick which ever method you would prefer to received UCAS information. It is best to opt for email notification. (Check your email regularly, if you select this option).
click NEXT
Security
Password (Must be between 6-14 words and must contain 1 number)
* Do write down your password and store it someplace safe.
Confirm password
You have 4 security questions that are compulsory for you to answer. Write down the answers, least you forget.
Register: Success
You will receive a user name: Copy it down somewhere safe. Don't forget. Log in now to continue the application process
How are you applying?
Choose "Through my school / college"
* If you do not apply through SMSA, we will not be able to process your application.
Buzzword: educationUK2012
click NEXT
You are registering through BRITISH COUNCIL BRUNEI DARUSSALAM? Mark CORRECT
Tutor/ Application Group: select SMSA
Congratulations: your personal. ID is XXX-XXX-XXXX * Keep this in a safe place ok. Don't lose it. Verify your email address (click wordings in red)
Check your email address NOW: The system will send you a verification code. Copy and paste to the little box above the red button stating. VERIFY EMAIL. Click on that button.
Thank you, your email has been verified. Click here to return to the welcome page.
Before starting the application, you are required to read some relevant information. Once you are done, go to the left hand corner where you will see a series of boxes.
Click Personal details:
Most of the information required is quite straightforward.
Date of first entry to UK will be either aug/sept/oct 2012 depending on when your chosen course will start (Check with the universities you are applying for)
Relationship to you: Careers and Higher Education Counsellor
*Do not fill in your parents/guardians name as the nominee.
Disability/Special needs: Please select none.
Tick Section completed (if you are satisfied with it) and click SAVE
After completing the 1st part of UCAS, registering, verifying email, logging in and completing the personal details section, you are ready for the next section. Incidentally, there are 6 MAIN SECTIONS to your applications.
PART 1: PERSONAL DETAILS
PART 2: CHOICES
PART 3: EDUCATION PART 4: EMPLOYMENT PART 5: STATEMENT
PART 6: PAY/SEND
CHOICES
* You can apply up to 5 universities in this section. However, it would be prudent to apply to just 3 or 4 and leave at least I space vacant just in case you need to change your degree or university. Remember you can only apply to UCAS once a year, so don't use up all 5 choices.
Click Add a choice
* Take note of the pull down menus. Click "see list" to help you to make the right selection.
Also remember to choose Full Time or FT degree courses, Sandwich courses or part time courses are not recognized in Brunei
Institution code: Each university is allocated a code, so refer to the alphabetical listing for this
Course code: Choose the correct course code
Campus code: Some university campuses are spread out while some universities are small and only have a main site, so do your research and select the correct campus.
Start date: Select September 2012
Further details: Complete this only if requested
Live at home? Click ? and select No, as all of your are overseas students and would required University accommodation.
Point of entry: Only if this applies to you, if not leave it blank.
EDUCATION
Click Add a new school/college
School or College name: Click find,
* Enter your previous school where you sat for your 0 Levels. No need to go back to lower secondary or primary school.
Enter a word or phrase to search for, then click search
If your previous school e.g. St. John's is not listed then, click "my school/ centre is not listed here", the grey window will become blank and you can type in your school.
Exam centre number: Look at your official 0 Level certificate, your school's centre number is listed there. It is usually BNXXX
When did you start and finish? If you can't remember the exact date, it is ok just to estimate.
Attendance: Full time
Did you receive any formal qualifications at this school? Click YES Click on "choose qualification"
Don't use any on the list e.g. Brunei GCE 0 Level. * We had a lot of problems with that in the past and the British council advised our students to pick GCE 0 Level and GCE A Level.
Click "other qualification type not on the list"
Click G and choose GCE 0 Level.
Then a new window will open, where you will fill in the details of your subject, date (refer to your certificate) and grade. For e.g. English Language Al, just type in English Language A. Just fill in the grades, (A,B,C,D) no need for the numbers like C3, B2.
Save and add similar until you have finished filling in all your subjects, date and grades here.
Then go back to Add another school/college, this time its SMSA. Just follow the same instructions as above, edit the details to fit SMSA.
**Note- you will have 2 types of qualifications here:
1. GCE Advanced Level
2. GCE Advanced Subsidiary Level (NEW first award 2001) (This part is for students who have sat for their AS exams last year, so enter your grades. Remember to type your grades as a,b,c,d...etc. If you haven't sat for any AS exams, then no need to enter this under the
qualifications section.
***For the GCE Advanced Level (For those of you applying now, before your results come out, do this--->)
Subject: e.g. Maths
Date: 02/09 (Month/Year)- Check your exam time table.
**Awarding body: UCLES
Qualification: Pending (now please enter February 2012 as your qualification date which means you need to enter your end of school time as Feb 2012)
*For students applying (after results are out) this section is very straight forward as you will enter your grades and subjects directly.
Ok Tick Section Complete once you are done with this section.
EMPLOYMENT:
Are for students who have had work experience, if you haven't worked before, leave this section blank. For those of your who have had work experience, click "add an employer" and fill in the details.
PERSONAL STATEMENT:
Please check out UCAS.com for guidelines on how to write a personal statement. You can also find sample personal statements from studential.com. After you finish writing your personal statement, please ask your GP tutor to check it for you. Usually, students will have to go through several drafts. Once this is done, you can send your PS to us via email for approval (before pasting it onto your application)
Please be aware that the Careers Department will also double check your personal statement and if there are any problems we will advise you to make the necessary amendments. DO NOT COPY> BE ORIGINAL!
PAY/SEND
Pay with your parent's credit card. If your parents don't own one, get a relative to help you. The website is very safe and only UCAS has access to it (no one else can view the credit card details).
Send to referee (Cikgu Ummi Kalsum). Notify me by email, so that I can check your application. If your application needs some amendments, I’ll usually return it to you online so that you can make
the changes and send it back to me for further approval.
Remember: You can always come over to the Pre-U Careers and Higher Learning Department for additional help regarding your UCAS application.
Email us for any queries or problems you may have: smsacareers@hotmail.com
**Please spread this information to fellow SMSA students who are interested to apply to UCAS (only those awaitng A level results 2010/2011). Also, I have not set a deadline for applying UCAS through SMSA yet as this will be determined once results are out. You should be taking this opportunity to write your personal statements and filling in the application to avoid delays.
P/S: I will be monitoring all UCAS applications very carefully and there are a number of students who have applied but their applications are incomplete. If you are serious about applying and wishes to study in the UK then you should be completing the application. Pleach check your emails regularly as I will be confirming with you either to continue or cancel your applications.
This is just to inform you that SMSA will be holding its annual Pre-U Open Day for students from all secondary schools in KB (including non-government schools). The event aims to disseminate to potential future Sixth Form students updated information on the Sixth Form entry requirements and to provide them an overview of the subjects offered and the preferred ‘O’ level grades to enrol to these subjects. They will also be provided basic guidance to their future career and higher education pathways. Ultimately, it is hoped that the Open Day will motivate these students who will be sitting for their ‘O’ level examination this year to work harder, hence to achieve better results.
Therefore, the Careers and Higher Learning Department will be closed on Saturday, 28th January 2012. However, we are available in the school's multipurpose hall should you wish to see us urgently. Bear in mind that you will be entering a school event thus I would advise you to wear proper/smart attire (no tshirt and jeans) as other teachers and students will be observing. You can find us at our booth near the entrance on the left-hand side. Though, I would recommend for you to make an appointment with me in advance as we are expecting a large crowd of students.
On the other hand, I've been receiving loads of emails recently so I hope that you remaining lot are preparing for when the results come out....SOON!
P/S: keep checking this blog as I will be posting the updated procedures on how to register and complete UCAS applications.
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday...I've been receiving a few emails regarding several issues particularly UCAS, Hecas, reference forms, etc..Let me just clarify the main issues:
1. UCAS: as most of you may know the deadlline for the first round of students' applications was 15th January 2012. This deadline specifically catered to those students who applied to Top 10 - 20 UK universities by using their forecast results. However, those of you who have not applied may do so now until the results are out. But bear in mind that once results are out, more students will be applying for places in the UK. I would advise you to not waste any more time and visit us to get the reference forms (if you haven't) as well as ask for the buzzword to register to UCAS online and through SMSA (not foreign agencies!). I will also be updating more on UCAS in the upcoming weeks as the results will be out soon, so keep checking this blog for more information.
2. Hecas: I think most of you are confused between UCAS and Hecas. The difference is that Hecas is a BRUNEI online application system where you can apply for scholarships and local institutions like UBD and ITB. Remember, this is compulsory otherwise you will not be registered for any courses. This application system will only OPEN once results are released. Again, I will keep you informed should anything comes us regarding Hecas.
3. SMSA reference forms: these are forms that you MUST fill in to get references from your tutors particularly if you are applying for UCAS and scholarships. It is BEST that you get this done now before results are out because by then, your tutors may be busy with teaching and it should be completed within a week. So, get a copy of the NEW reference forms from the career department and start filling them in.
I hope these information will help clarify doubts that most of you have...Any other questions? Email or visit us in school for more information...
P/S: another important thing that you should be doing instead of staying at home and doing practically nothing is photocopy your academic certs and get them stamped and certified at SMSA. You will need these to apply for higher education including scholarships.
