How to Apply to Study at ARU

Updated

ARU (Anglia Ruskin University) separates its application guidance by study level: undergraduate, postgraduate taught, and college courses each have their own "How to apply" page, and international students have a dedicated application route with its own entry requirements, dates, and fees information. The practical steps below follow that structure, so start by identifying which category you fall into before gathering documents.

Step 1: Identify your applicant type

ARU's Study menu splits applications into distinct paths. Which one applies to you determines everything that follows:

  • Undergraduate – bachelor's degrees and related entry routes
  • Postgraduate taught – master's and other taught qualifications
  • Postgraduate research – research degrees (PhD and similar), which have their own separate application process and funding pages
  • College courses and apprenticeships – including degree apprenticeships and Writtle College provision
  • Short courses and CPD – continuing professional development, not full awards
  • Distance learning – study delivered remotely

If you are applying from outside the UK, use the Courses for international students and Applying to ARU pages under the International section instead of the general undergraduate or postgraduate pages, because entry requirements, deadlines, and fees differ.

Step 2: Check entry requirements for your course

Entry requirements are listed per course and per applicant type. ARU publishes separate Entry requirements guidance for international applicants, and the admissions process page explains what happens after you submit. Before applying, confirm:

  • The academic qualification level required for your chosen course
  • Any English language requirement (international applicants have a dedicated English language support section)
  • Whether your course requires an interview, audition, or portfolio

The Interviews, auditions and portfolios page under Discover covers courses where selection goes beyond grades. If your subject is practice-based (for example art, design, or performance), expect to submit or present work as part of the process.

Step 3: Prepare your application materials

Based on ARU's published application guidance, typical preparation includes:

  • Academic transcripts and certificates
  • English language evidence, if you are an international applicant
  • A personal statement or statement of purpose, where the course requires one
  • Portfolio or audition material, for courses listed under the interviews/auditions/portfolios guidance
  • Immigration and visa documentation, for international applicants (see the Immigration page)

International applicants should also review Fees, funding and scholarships and Important dates and deadlines before submitting, since these are handled separately from home applicants.

Step 4: Submit through the correct route

ARU provides separate "How to apply" pages for undergraduate, postgraduate taught, and college courses. Use the page matching your level rather than a general form. The Admissions process page describes what happens to your application after submission.

For international applicants, the How to apply page under the International section is the correct entry point, and the Contact the International Office page is available if your situation does not fit the standard route (for example, visiting international students, who have their own Opportunities for visiting international students page).

Step 5: Track key dates and respond to decisions

ARU maintains an Important dates and deadlines page specifically for international applicants, and admissions timing for home applicants is covered in the admissions process guidance. Missing a deadline for your applicant type is one of the most common reasons an application stalls, so check the relevant page before you start rather than after.

Common points where applications go wrong

  • Using the wrong route. Undergraduate, postgraduate taught, postgraduate research, and international applications are not interchangeable. Postgraduate research in particular has its own application and funding pages.
  • Ignoring portfolio or audition requirements. If your course appears under the interviews, auditions and portfolios guidance, grades alone will not complete your application.
  • Assuming deadlines are the same for everyone. International deadlines are published separately.
  • Overlooking funding steps. International applicants have a dedicated fees, funding and scholarships page; research applicants have separate funding opportunities guidance.

Where to go next

  • Course search and level-specific "How to apply" pages: under Study
  • International applications, entry requirements, and deadlines: under International
  • Research degree applications and funding: under Research → Postgraduate research
  • Apprenticeships and college courses: under Study → College courses and apprenticeships
  • Open Days, if you want to visit before applying: under Discover

If your circumstances do not clearly match one path — for example, you are applying as a visiting student or through a partner institution — use the Contact the International Office page or the relevant admissions enquiry route rather than guessing which form to use.