UWC Applicants Handbook

Feel free to add your own advice which you believe can help other applicants who will be viewing this
:)
NOT made by UWC.

Preparation Tips: (Tips for when you’re not applying yet but are preparing
to do so)

# Advice From
1 What I did was I created a google document filled with UWC’ 25 Applicant
tips and advice gathered from youtube
videos/brochures/and UWC websites to gain
information and prepare myself for the application
stage!

2 Do some activities and things that you’re proud of and Reading

that you can talk about in your application, or take on
more prominent positions in activities that you’re
already participating in

3 Think about who you can contact for recommendations,

what I did was make a list of potential recommenders
and contact each of them individually about the
recommendation

4 If you still have time, use it wisely to improve or gather

better grades, they make or break your application for
most national committees

5 Make a Youtube playlist with UWC vlogs or tips to

# Advice From
always have them close by

6 Try your best to be familiar with the UWC values and

the different locations beforehand, to enter your
application with a sense of readiness

7 Don’t give yourself too much pressure and don’t

idealize anything, but do try your best.

8 Contrary to the 5th advice in this table, do not rely on UWC ‘25 Applicant
the generic and cliched tips from YouTube. It is
considered to be a pet peeve within the admissions
team. (from what i’ve heard)
This is because even admitted students do not often
know what got them in, so take their advice only with
caution!

9 I got in even though i was very underprepared for my Successful Applicant

panel interview. I am not encouraging you to be
underprepared ‘cause I did have some awkward
moments in the interview. Instead, what I’m trying to
say is stay true to yourself and stay true to them! Also,
screwing up an interview is not the end of everything :)
You never know what they see in you :) Just show the
good and passionate side of your true self and they will
find the beauty of your personality and how it fits the
school.
Application Tips: (Tips for when you are currently in your application
stage)

# Advice From
1 If you have any essays, write down the prompts on little UWC’ 25 Applicant
post-it notes and paste them around your room, that’s
what I did and it helped me think of ideas throughout
my day!

2 What I did was write my answers to different essay UWC’ 25 Applicant

prompts on separate Google Docs – this helped me with
maintaining the word count as well as easy editing :)
also, a great way to preserve your essay answers in case
you can’t check them on the application website!

3 If you have an optional video portion (the Canadian NC UWC’ 25 Applicant

one did), try your best to fill it out with anything you
like that represents yourself :) don’t need to consider if
it’s “application worthy” or anything because imo
whatever represents you, represents you and you
should just embrace it whatever it is :D

4 Try to show yourself in your most unique way and stand

# Advice From
out as an applicant

5 Don’t be afraid to ask for a friend or a family member to

review your essays, it’s always best to ask for an
external opinion before submitting your application

6 While writing essays try to avoid using extravagant

words, just to appear more “posh”

7 Try your best to incorporate the UWC values into your

writings, you do not have to fake your way to it, just talk
about a topic in a scope that helps highlight the UWC
values, because that’s what they want to see

8 CHECK FOR GRAMMAR!! It shows the committee that UWC’ 25 Applicant

you care about the essays. I asked my English teacher
and my native language teacher to review my essays in
terms of grammar.

9 If you have someone reviewing your application essays, UWC’ 25 Applicant

make sure to include an introduction page, which can
make them familiar with the concept of UWC, mission,
values, etc. It’s important for them to understand what
you’ve written.

10 Explain your thoughts thoroughly, if the word limit UWC’ 25 Applicant

allows you to do so. They want to know what you think,
why you think that, what are you going to do about
that? They want to know you have ideas, solutions,
motivation, and not only your thoughts!
# Advice From
11 Regarding the video essay, try to be creative! You don’t
have to just sit in front of a camera and talk about
yourself, you can submit any video! (unless there are
requirements regarding the video essay)

12 Don't be afraid of the interviewers, they just want to get UWC '25 Applicant
to know you. They want to select you, and that's why
they chose your application out of hundreds of others!
During the group discussion or team activities, be
mindful of the fact that team spirit really matters to
UWC, that's why don't just focus on winning but show
that you would be a great classmate to be if you would
be attending UWC. If your interview is at UWC itself,
talk to a lot of current students and faculty members to
show them that you already fit in!

Interview Tips: (Tips for when you are preparing for the interview)

● Do yourself a favor and bring some water with you, gives you easy access to
an on demand break, and helps relieve some stress.
● Try to make new friends near your home or at school, as practice.
● If you are introverted, try hanging around a friendly extrovert and study
their social tactics.
● Be confident, and know your application well, so you don’t stutter when
asked about a topic you have discussed in your application.
● Have some knowledge about world events and events going on in your
country
● Know yourself and be authentic
● I’d say prepare yourself, but don’t learn stuff just to say it. Prepare yourself
because you want to be direct and tell them exactly what they asked you.
For example, the question “Tell us about yourself” is really common in my
NC, so you could prepare some bullets you should talk about when you
answer it.
● ALWAYS, no matter WHAT interview it is, ask questions! Always come
prepared with a few questions to ask your interviewer at the end of the
interview. You want these questions to reflect genuine interests, so make
sure they aren't easily Googleable or common sense. Asking good, specific
questions will show you are dedicated and interested. This is difficult for
UWC, because each UWC is different, so spend some time thinking of
various questions to ask your interviewer. (Unless you're only applying to a
couple UWCs through the GSP, try to ask questions about UWC as a whole
instead of just one UWC, because your interviewer will be more lucky to
have an answer + it'll show you’re interested in the UWC movement rather
than just one school.) Searching up “questions to ask your interviewer” can
give you some question ideas, but try to come up with your own. (From
UWC applicant that has spent lots of time both being interviewed and
interviewing others)
● Send your interviewer a follow-up email after your interview thanking
them! It leaves a good impression and it's nice to do in general :) it's also a
perfect place to ask any questions you didn't get to ask during your
interview
● Here’s a link to some of my interview tips and tricks I’ve collected; enjoy
UWC - Interview preparation
 ● The interview is exactly like a conversation so take control of how it is
going. Briefly mention stuff that you want them to ask you more about.
This will allow you to say what you want them to know.
● Prior to the interview, record yourself answering questions they might ask
on the voice recording app on your phone. You can relisten to them before
your interview. This will help you remember your answers more than if you
wrote them down! You also won't panic if you forget a part.
● Adding to the previous point, brainstorm little details about yourself and
your interests. There could be anecdotes, self-challenges, obstacles, or
hobbies that you forgot happened. It sounds silly but it will help you talk
more in the interview! Lifesaver.
● Arrive for your interview in advance
● First impressions have a high impact, Take care with the way you dress and
groom yourself to show the interviewer that you are taking the interview
seriously. The interviewer will be especially concerned with your
Appearance.
● Another staff member who greets you may not be your interviewer but: you
can bet that the interviewer will ask about their impressions of you. Sit up
straight, look them in the eye, smile, and converse respectfully, with them.
Ask a question or two or make some small talk. Make them want to tell the
boss that they like your personality and that you would fit in.
● Greet the interviewer with a warm smile and look them in the eye, this
shows confidence and readiness
● Turn your cell phone off or on vibrate, and avoid trying to look at it at any
interval.

Group Stage Tips: (Tips for when you are prepping for the group stage)
- You do not have to be the person speaking at every given moment,
sometimes listening is more valuable than saying something
 - Be yourself! Don’t talk like you want to be in UWC, talk like you are really
living the moment.
- Be understanding, respect everyone’s opinion and express your thoughts
and ideas! You should talk, yes, but you have to listen and understand
what people are saying before you said.
- No need to be perfect. Don't hesitate to ask questions if something is
unclear or beyond your knowledge. UWC is about openness and
willingness to improve and develop, show it to your NC - uwc'24 student
- If you have a different or unique opinion and you really believe in your
idea, don’t change it just because other people think differently from you -
uwc’25 applicant
- It doesn't matter if you take the lead, as long as you're engaged and
contribute to the discussion - LPCUWC '24 student
- Knowing little details about UWC that you can contribute to the discussion
will show that you have done your research!
- You don't know what the group activity is but keep a pencil and paper with
you just in case they come in handy.

General Tips: (Advice for the whole process; emotions, grades, peers, etc.)

- Don’t feel pressured to tell your peers that you applied or what stage of the
application you’re at – take it at your own pace and you don’t even have to
tell anyone at all if you’re not comfortable with it! -uwc’25 applicant
- This whole process does need effort, you can not expect to go through
without putting at least some dedication to your work. -uwc’25 applicant
- Take it slow and be patient, but take it seriously and be dedicated. Use the
time you have to give them everything you got! -uwc’25 applicant
 - Easier said than done but don't get way too attached. Not to a specific
school and not to UWC in general. - uwc '25 applicant

IB Tips:
- Online textbooks not only save you money but they can be easily accessed
anywhere. Make sure to locate all your textbooks online to make life easier!
UWC-life Tips:
- It's only going to be 2 years, so make the best of it! - LPCUWC '24 student

Applying to UWC

After six months of work, waiting, and hoping, I was accepted as a United World College

(UWC) Davis scholar to Li Po Chun UWC. The news left me beyond elated; I had always

wanted to immerse myself in other cultures and live in a space with equally passionate and

motivated students. Now, in August, that dream will become a reality. As I wait for term one to

begin, I’ve thought about the blogs I perused and videos I watched when applying. They gave me

numerous tips on the application process and the various aspects of UWC life. Frequently,

however, these how-tos didn’t cover the entirety of the application process or the scope of its

timeline. Consequently, I’ve decided to put together my own set of tips for success in getting into

UWC. You’ll find each section of the USA National Committee’s (NC) process below with

some ideas, inspiration, and context from my personal experience.

Disclaimer: I’m not a UWC admissions expert, only a student who has spent lots of time

applying and asking others about their applications. Additionally, this article only covers the
USA NC process; while other NC’s may include aspects of its application, each committee has a

unique system.

Disclaimer Two: This article is long. Like the UWC application, I recommend tackling it in sections.

Part One: The Written Application

At this point, you know UWC exists and that you want to apply. Unlike many others who plan to

apply for years, I found out about the UWC movement mere months before I applied. I was

immediately interested and began my application the day it opened. Suffice to say-- start your

application early and don’t feel as though you need to plan your academics or extracurriculars

around UWC; as long as you can justify their importance in your life while writing your

application, any class or extracurricular can be beneficial! During the written application you’ll

fill out all your logistical information (name, address, etc), describe your extracurriculars, and

report grades and standardized test scores (UWC does not prioritize these, however). You will

also write several essays that give the admissions team a better understanding of who you are.

These pieces give the NC an understanding of your identity, values, and the characteristics you

would bring to a campus. There isn’t a format or formula for success; you should simply strive to

create a realistic and authentic picture of yourself.

Extracurriculars

The application gives you space to list some extracurricular activities, how many hours you

participate in it each week, how many weeks per year you engage in the activity, and any awards

or honors you have earned. It’s very normal to have more extracurriculars than provided slots.
As a result, prioritize the activities you spend the most time on; they don’t necessarily need to be

the most “UWC” or focused on intercultural understanding. Instead, you should include what

you care most about. At the interview stage, it is likely your interviewer will ask about the

extracurriculars you listed. You don’t want to have to talk about clubs or activities that aren’t

your passion. I also made sure to include a variety of activities, putting advocacy (my main

focus), two speaking-focused extracurriculars, a previous study abroad trip, and filmmaking

(more of a hobby) on the list. While this is one strategy, if you feel as though appearing “well

rounded” sacrifices your ability to discuss your activities passionately, forgo it. When you finish

adding extracurriculars, you want to make sure you’re both honest about your stated time

commitment and truly interested in what you’ve put down.

The Recommendation

Traditionally, the application will ask you to find three adults to write recommendations. While

you have significantly less control over this portion of the procedure, you can still be strategic.

Make sure to pick people who know you well and will only have good things to say about you. I

would also advise you to write a brief cover letter about the UWC program and your interests in

the UWC movement for your recommendation writer. It will help them create a compelling,

accurate representation.

The Essays

Essay prompts may differ from year to year. However, they will still require a decent amount of

self-reflection and creativity. I was tempted to make my essays clearly tied to UWC’s values.

But after rereading these, I realized I came off as ingenuine. I decided to focus on topics that

were not necessarily tied to “UWC ideals,” but still fit the prompt and my individual identity. I

wanted to show how I was passionate about various issues, but also how I interpreted the world.

I took a risk in making one of my short essays more humorous but found it ultimately added
some depth to my otherwise social-justice-heavy application. Long story short: try to show your

interests and core values in ways that are both reflective and engaging. It will make your essays

much more interesting to read and, thus, much more compelling as a justification for admitting

you. I also had several people read over my essays; they offered me lots of great feedback and an

objective understanding of how I was representing myself. Additionally, many of the essays have

word limits; make sure you’re being as concise as possible without losing meaning. If you’ve

consistently found your essays are too long, cut down on anecdotes in favor of more self-

reflection or find a new idea that takes less time to explain.

The written application is normally due in October. After submitting, you’ll wait a month to find out

about the next step! So relax and feel proud--you’re ⅓ through the process.

Part Two: The Interview

At this point, about half the applicants will be rejected. The other 50% will move on to the

interview stage. You’ll receive an email with details about setting up a call with your assigned

interviewer. At this point, I freaked out. My excitement over UWC had grown enormously after

submitting my application; I was one step closer to making it a reality! I buckled down and

researched the interview process, looking at tips and common questions. In order to get a better
idea of potential questions and the reaction of my interviewer, I researched my interviewer’s

connection to UWC and job experience. I also had friends and family do mock interviews with

me so I could feel more prepared and comfortable. About a week before, I created a document

with some potential questions, bulleted ideas for answers, and compiled tips. I looked it over and

then tucked it away, realizing having it open during the interview would make me sound more

canned and less passionate. Instead, I opted to keep my resume open next to the video call; that

way, if I couldn’t think of anything, I had a list of experiences to connect my answers with. I

didn’t really need it--the interview questions were formatted in a way that naturally made it clear

what experiences or concepts I saw as formative. It was fairly casual and I found I could give

decent answers by just taking a second to reflect before speaking. After talking with other

applicants, I recognized there were a couple questions meant to “trick” students into giving

shallow answers. I made sure to always elaborate and bring the answer back to some aspect of

my identity--my values, priorities, experiences, or interests. In the end, I actually enjoyed the

interview; when I relaxed and gave answers that were reflective of who I was, it was fairly

simple.

You’ll have about two weeks to wait until you receive more information. So sit tight! You’ve got

this!

Part Three: Selection Weekend

Here, the population will be cut in half once again. You’ll find out if you’ve been invited to the

selection weekend at UWC-USA in New Mexico. I was so excited for this portion of the

application process-- the weekend is the closest you’ll get to a “teaser” of the UWC experience.

After you sort out all the logistics (getting there, dates, etc), there isn’t a lot you can prepare for.

As I talked to alumni, they all told me to just “be myself.” As an obsessive planner, I found this

vague advice incredibly frustrating; I wanted to do everything in my power to get accepted.

Simply “being myself” didn’t seem to cut it. However, this advice was ultimately quite

important. The selection weekend is an amazing opportunity to meet people from around your

country. However, it is extremely overwhelming due to the packed schedule and stakes of what

you’re completing. By remembering to discuss my individual experience and “be myself,” I

made sure I represented my authentic personality. The best preparation you can do is in the small

things. Get a good night’s sleep, drink water, and remember to breathe. These will all help you

stay level.

At the weekend, there was a lot of pressure to talk as much as possible during activities and

discussions; with assessors watching you and taking notes, it felt necessary. But talking too

frequently can often cause the ideas you share to diminish in quality or depth. The best

combination is to speak when you have something unique to say. Repeating the ideas of others

won’t be useful to the assessors in recognizing your individual ability to thrive in the UWC

environment. However, it can be beneficial to build on the idea of others; this will show your

ability to collaborate and listen. Make sure to interact (eat meals with/spend time with) a variety

of people; this will show your ability to get out of your social comfort zone. While it was scary

for me (an introvert), I found that it made me appear more confident and gave me the chance to

meet some really unique people. In general, don’t sweat the selection weekend; you’re incredibly
close to acceptance! It’s only another opportunity to show your personality and collaboration

skills. Enjoy this opportunity to meet new people, experience a UWC campus, and engage in an

incredibly distinct experience!

At the selection weekend, you’ll also have the chance to rank your campus choices. Your ranking does

not determine your placement; the Committee will review it after they make an acceptance decision,

considering the rankings of others (they want everyone to be assigned to a campus they will enjoy) and

their knowledge of the school’s atmosphere. Unlike many of the Committees, the US requires you to rank

all seventeen. Make sure to do your research beforehand about each campus; blogs (like this one) and

videos online can be great resources. I also perused the Annual Reports of each campus (they’re easily

available if you search “(campus name) annual report”) to get an understanding of the school’s priorities

in terms of funding and classes. Ultimately, I compiled a pros and cons list for each school and ranked

them all on a score of ten. While this may have been overplanning, many of my fellow applicants

requested to borrow the list when making their rankings. Nevertheless, you’re signing up for the UWC

experience, not a campus; prioritize your ranking as much as you feel a need to.

After completing your ranking and finishing the weekend, you will travel back home and get

your final decision within about two weeks. Congrats--you’re so close to the end of this journey!

Part Four: The Final Decision

For those two weeks, UWC was all I thought about. I checked my email every 5 minutes, waiting

for results. While it can be nerve-wracking, remember to take time for yourself. Getting rejected

or waitlisted isn’t the end of the world. Regardless of your result, you’ve committed time and

energy to a movement for peace and understanding; that itself is impressive. By this point, the

Committee has recognized that you are a changemaker. It may be, however, that UWC is not the

initial place for you to comfortably and effectively make changes. Think of UWC as only the

beginning of your journey towards further opportunities in social justice and peace education.

If you do get accepted, congratulations! The next two years are bound to be an exciting

adventure.

Applying to UWC was an intense, yet rewarding process. It taught me valuable skills for self-

reflection and presenting myself effectively. It has also given me an invaluable chance to fulfill

my dreams of living in a driven, multicultural environment. Best of luck with your UWC

journey! Applying itself is an exciting opportunity.

Other Tips
I asked successful UWC applicants from around the world for their advice on applying. Here is a

compilation (some may be edited for formatting or grammar):

“Ask yourself why exactly you want to apply to UWC- what are your intentions? Are there certain values

about UWC that are appealing to you? Be honest with yourself throughout the whole process”-- Lucy,

Denmark

“Be aware of your weaknesses, they don't want to see a perfect person, that is not realistic. For

example, they asked me "why should we accept you" and I was prepared until they asked "why

SHOULDN'T we accept you?" and I freaked out” -- Rosalyn, Peru

“When you get a reference from your school teacher make sure you explain to them what UWC so they

understand” -- George, UK
“During the activity day...be proactive , Don't be afraid to engage with other candidates this will show

[your] communication skills .. Never underestimate [your] ability, take initiatives” -- Aya, Sudan

“[at the selection weekend] talk talk talk! If you don't talk nobodys gonna remember you as

harsh as it may sound. it's better to try and say little than to just sit there and wait for everything

to be over” -- David, Germany

“Do small things to give yourself a confidence boost on the selection day - ik meditating works for some

people, for me i wore tiny earrings that always make me feel nice, also wash your face before going in if

you can” -- Manaal, Pakistan

“Getting involved in some form of social action/volunteering if possible— even if it starts just a

few months before the application/interview, it could go a long way [in terms of] having things

to talk about and making UWC [want to] invest in the person...And hey even if [you] don’t get in

that goes towards living the UWC mission + making the world a better place” -- Lydia, UK

“Know about your country and culture because they also want someone who can do a good job

of representing your nation” -- Sofia, Venezuela

“UWC IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. This is a very important mindset to have, IB’s stress is real, UWC

stress is real. I’m not trying to deny you or whatsoever but bare in mind that your NC is professional and

they’re so experienced they know who would fit into the community who wouldn’t. Rather than going to a

UWC school and [finding yourself] suffer[ing], going to a normal school and enjoy your high school life

is much more important” -- Oscar, Hong Kong

“Try and stand-out from the other applicants and sound different from them” -- Alhareth, Yemen

“It’s good to show your commitment to your extracurriculars...it’s cool if you’re a part of like 26

different clubs, but you should be doing it because you’re genuinely interested in it and not just ticking a

box for the school/college. devoting your time to an activity you’re passionate about would make it more

enjoyable, and it would look better on the application + it would give the NC an idea of which schools to
send you to (for example if you’re really into dance, then you’d probably go to the campus that has IB

dance…” -- Aizere, Kazakhstan

“When choosing topics to talk about in your application AND interview (because they basically let you

run the conversation) research them beforehand and keep up with anything new. you should know what

you're talking about - even if you don't know everything you should still show that you're passionate

about certain topics and then try and connect them to things that you would look forward to doing at the

college” -- Noor, Hong Kong

“[In the interview] make sure you absolutely make the best of the time you’re actually there. And overall,

just grab your chance and make sure you use it well. I didn’t want to feel the regret of not doing

something, thinking “what if...”, so i just lived in the moment and made sure [I was] doing my best, and

pushing myself out of my comfort zone at times” -- Karolina, Poland