About the UCAS
UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, is an independent charity and the UK's shared admissions service for higher education. The UCAS Application is the centralized application system for all UK universities. In the application, you can only apply to up to 5 UK universities. It's not only a centralized application system, but it also offers helpful tools such as a university course finder, student life, interviews, etc.
Benefits of the UCAS
There are multiple benefits to filing your application through the UCAS instead of applying to each university individually by yourself. Some of these benefits are:
Saves time
Tracks important information
Avoid filling in the same information multiple times
Widely accepted by UK universities
Cost-effective
When should you start?
Universities are required by UCAS to treat all applications received by the appropriate deadline on an equal basis. However, applying early never does any harm, and in some circumstances, there can be a small advantage.
Your application can be received by UCAS anytime between 1 September and 26 January (or 15 October if applying to Oxford, Cambridge, or for Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Science/Medicine). International applicants can apply after the 26 January deadline (until 30 June). UK students are unlikely to be rejected for most courses if they apply late, but it's best to stick to the deadlines.
Your application will still be processed by UCAS if you apply after the deadline, but universities don't have to consider it. They can reject you because they've received enough applications already or there's a very high demand for the subject you've chosen.
Filling the Application
Register with UCAS
Register in the UCAS Hub and complete the registration questions – confirming the year you want to start your studies and that you're interested in the 'Undergraduate' level of study. You'll then be taken to your UCAS Hub dashboard, where you'll see a tile called 'Your application.' Simply click 'Start' to begin your application.
Complete your Details
Finish filling out your details in the UCAS application. Keep these key points in mind while doing the same:
You must complete all mandatory questions, and you can't skip any sections. These must all be complete before your application can be sent. But you don't have to do it all at once – sign in and save your progress at any time.
Make sure your email address is always up-to-date – so you don't miss important updates on your application.
The application asks for your residency status – if you're from outside the UK and need clarification on this, visit the UKCISA website for detailed information.
The application asks for information about personal circumstances – such as your parental education, if you've been in care, or involved in widening participation activities, so universities and colleges can form a complete understanding of you as an individual. While this information is optional, it can help universities and colleges better understand your background, and provide support.
If you're applying with the support of a school and you didn't enter your buzzword during registration – you can do this at any time from your application. This will link your application to your school or college, so they can track your progress and provide support, including adding your reference.
The application asks how you plan to fund your studies – but they do not manage student finance applications.
You can give a parent, guardian, or adviser nominated access – if you'd like them to be able to speak to us on your behalf. They will be able to discuss your application with them, but for security reasons, you shouldn't share your login details (for example, if you need to change your password).
Add your education history
You must enter all your qualifications from secondary education onwards – whether you have the result (even any that were ungraded) or you're still awaiting exams and results. This helps universities and colleges to understand if you meet their entry requirements.
Many universities require their applicants to take English Proficiency Tests to be eligible for admission or other tests for specific courses. If you have the scores for tests like IELTS/TOEFL, or SAT/ACT, make sure you fill these scores in too.
It's really important you enter the right qualifications on your application – especially if you're taking a vocational qualification, such as a BTEC – as there are a number of different options to choose from in the application, depending on the size and type of qualification you're taking.
Complete your employment history
If you've had any paid jobs – full-time or part-time – here's where you can enter details for up to five of them. Include company names, addresses, job descriptions, and start/finish dates.
Any unpaid or voluntary work shouldn't be included here – mention that in your personal statement. If you've not had any paid work experience, just leave this section blank, and mark it as complete.
Select your course choices
You can choose up to five courses (all now or some later). There's no preference order, and your universities/colleges won't see where else you've applied until after you reply to any offers you get.
Note – Make sure you double-check the university codes along with each program's code within a specific university when you're filling out the applications. Any discrepancy in the codes could lead to your application becoming void.
Write your Personal Statement
The Personal Statement essay is your chance to tell universities and colleges why you'd like to study with them and what skills and experience you have. It's got to be at least 1,000 characters long – but you have up to 4,000 characters/47 lines – whichever comes first.
We recommend you start in Microsoft Word (or something similar) and paste it into your application as the application doesn't have a spell check – while you're in your application, hit save regularly to avoid losing your work. As you would with any important piece of work, read and re-read and preview it before you mark this section as complete.
Submit your application
Once you've completed your application, you'll be shown your full application – make sure you review it and make any edits.
You'll then be asked to read and agree to the declaration – which allows us to process your info and send it to your chosen universities/colleges.
Get a reference, pay the application fee, and send your application.
A reference is a written recommendation from a teacher, adviser, or professional who knows you academically. Everyone needs a reference unless you get permission from your chosen universities and colleges.
Your application cannot be submitted until your chosen referee has completed and added your reference to the application.
Keep track of additional information
Make sure you keep track of all the additional information on your UCAS portal. Some courses will require you to attend an interview as part of your university application. It's important for you to stay updated on this information so that you won't be caught off-guard at the last moment.
Important Components of
the UCAS Application
Courses of Study - You can choose up to a maximum of 5 courses in the UCAS, which means that you can either choose five courses at one university or five different courses at five different universities.
Statement of Purpose - This essay is going to be an overview of your strengths, skills, and qualifications that make you an ideal candidate for the course and university. Invest a good amount of time in writing this essay because it demonstrates your candidature to the admissions offices. Stick to the word limit of the essay and write information that is relevant to the course of your study.
References - References include a letter of recommendation that is usually written by a teacher or an employer highlighting your strengths and credibility. The application requires you to upload two references; therefore, we recommend that you request these letters from the concerned individuals way before the approaching deadline.
Cost of the Application
The application fee for 2023 entry is £22.50 for a single choice or £27 for more than one choice.
Deadlines
If you're applying through your school/college, please check their deadline, and follow this to get your application in on time. This gives them enough time to read your application, check you've entered your qualifications correctly, write and attach your reference, and submit your application to UCAS.
15 October 2022 for 2023 entry at 18:00 (UK time) – any course at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge or for most courses in medicine, veterinary medicine/science, and dentistry. You can add choices with a different deadline later, but don't forget you can only have five choices in total.
25 January 2023 for 2023 entry at 18:00 (UK time) – for the majority of courses
Some course providers require additional admissions tests to be taken alongside the UCAS application, and these may have a deadline.
If you’re looking to apply to international universities or exploring overseas higher education options, The Headmaster
Consulting can help you narrow your selection and provide you with insights about universities. For more information and updates about universities, check out our resources. If you’re unsure of your profile, book a free consulting session with one of our consultants to help you build a standout profile.
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