'Your UCAS application is the first step to studying at your chosen UK university or college'
If you want to study at undergraduate level in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales, you will need to apply for courses online through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service UCAS. If you wish to apply for postgraduate study should apply directly to the institution or through UKPASS , while those seeking a place on practice-based music, dance or drama courses at UK conservatoires should apply though the Conservatoires UK Admissions Service (CUKAS).
Check the deadlines for applying: you'll find the latest information on UCAS's important dates page. It's a good idea to get your application in well before the deadline - applications are welcome from mid-September onwards.
So make sure you complete your UCAS application on time. If it's late, it may not be considered.
These are the UCAS deadline dates for applications for autumn 2013 entry to courses:
- 15 October 2012 for all medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and veterinary science courses as well as applications to Oxford and Cambridge universities.
- 15 January 2013 for all other universities and courses (except certain art and design courses)
- 24 March 2013 for certain art and design courses.
UCAS can help you apply to universities and colleges which offer a range of qualifications, including the following: Certificate of Higher Education, Higher National Diploma, Foundation degrees, BA and BSc degrees (or equivalent MA and MSc degrees).
Your application through UCAS
UCAS Apply is an online system for applications. It may take you several hours, so be sure to save your application frequently as you work through it. You can log-in again later to finish and check your application before you submit it.
To begin your online UCAS application you must first register on the UCAS site. This generates a username, password and UCAS personal ID. As soon as you have those, you can log-in to begin filling in the seven main menu sections. At each of the seven stages when you click on 'Save', you will be offered the 'Section completed' box: only tick this box when you are happy that you have completed the section - you can return to it later.
There are seven sections:
- Personal details - the essentials about you
- Choices - here you enter the course details for up to five courses that you want to study, and institutions you would like to attend (all courses are listed on the UCAS website). For each of your course choices you will need the details on the UCAS website. Click ‘Edit’ or ‘Remove’ button next to a course to amend or delete a choice. There are some restrictions to the combination of courses that you choose. Read the choices information on the UCAS website before completing this section.
- Education lets you enter all the educational establishments you have attended (or are still attending). You also need to include all qualifications, even ones that you haven’t completed or don’t have results for yet and specify what language you sat your exams in.
- Employment - you may list up to five former employees and give addresses, phone numbers and dates of employment. Click ‘Add employer’ for each new entry. Don’t worry if you have not had any paid work experience. Simply click the ‘Section Completed’ button and move on.
- Statement - your personal statement is a great way to tell admissions tutors about your interest in your subject, any relevant experience you've had and why you have chosen the UK. The statement can be up to 4,000 characters long. The ‘Apply’ section has a link which can guide you on writing your statement.
- Reference - this should be written by someone who knows the most about you academically. A teacher or tutor is ideal. Arrange a meeting with your chosen referee, talk about your studies and ensure that their reference is no longer than 4,000 characters. They should also include grade predictions for any exams you have yet to take.
- Pay/send is the final stage before your application is completed. You will have to make a payment (for the 2013-14 academic year of entry it is £12 for one institution, £23 for up to five). When you have completed 'Pay/send' you should receive an email confirming your application has been registered.
Tracking your progress and getting your results
Once you have applied and received your UCAS Welcome letter you can track your progress using your personal UCAS ID and the same username and password you uded in Apply. Institutions will let you know the status of your application via this system. Three outcomes are possible: an unconditional offer, a conditional offer or an unsuccessful application. You may also get an invitation in Track from a university or college which asks you to attend an interview or audition, or to provide a portfolio of work, and essay or other piece of work.
When UCAS asks you to respond to offers, you can accept up to two offers. Your first choice is ‘Firm’ and your second choice is ‘Insurance’ (your back-up choice if you don’t achieve the grades required by your first choice).
If you used all five choices on your application and received decisions from all the universities or college but aren't holding any offers, you might be able to apply through Extra for another course.
Some universities and colleges may offer an unconditional place, and you will not need to wait for your results to confirm your place. More usually, institutions will wait to confirm or decline your place when UCAS sends them your results. If you don’t get the grades you need for either of your choices, you can search for alternative available courses through UCAS Clearing. If you meet or exceed your original conditional firm choice offer conditions, if you want to you can register to look for alternative courses through Adjustment.
Top tips when applying
- Use the Education UK course finder (top right of this page) to help you search for the right course for you.
- Include a unique selling point about yourself in your personal statement, to help you stand out from the crowd.
- Check your application very carefully before you submit it. Get friends and family to check it as well!
- If you have any problems visit the UCAS international help page.
