Student services team

Based at DIFC, the student services team look forward to meeting you and to supporting you throughout your studies. Student services offer a range of support services designed to meet the specific needs of international students.

Individual and group counselling

During the course, you will be assigned your own tutor. You will have a weekly group tutorial and an individual tutorial once every few weeks. You will be given university counselling advice by tutors and the Head of student services regarding university choices.

University applications

DIFC arranges a set of dates and deadlines in conjunction with NCUK for the UK applications and with the Irish universities and ITs for the Irish applications. You will be guided through the application process by tutors and the Head of Student Services and given support with completing forms and writing personal statements (the UK only).

You are allowed to choose up to 3 courses. Once applications are completed, UK applications are sent to the NCUK Head Office and the process is managed there. For Irish applications, DIFC sends out the applications and deals directly with the universities. When you have received your conditional offer letters, you will be asked to select a first choice and a second choice – so by the time you sit your exams, you should be holding two conditional offers.

When the official NCUK results come out, students who meet the grades required on their first choice conditional offer letter will automatically go to their first choice course. Those who do not achieve the required grades will be matched with their second choice. If there is a match, they will go there. If the student fails to reach the grades required by either course, they will be put through clearing and the most suitable course will be found from a range of universities, Institutes of Technology and private colleges.

Success: This system has successfully provided a pathway to university entrance for many years. Students have found places at a wide range of institutions and all students have been placed within a course which suits their aspirations. For the majority of students, this is on a degree or a masters course.