Filling in your UCAS Undergraduate application

You make your application online. Don’t leave applying until the last minute as there’s quite a bit to do – but you don’t need to complete the application all at once.

Here are the top things admissions teams will look for when reviewing your application:

  • qualifications
  • content of written personal statement displaying passion for the subject area, while demonstrating motivation, enthusiasm, and the skills and experiences that will enable you to succeed at university
  • content of reference
  • knowledge of, and commitment to, the subject discipline
  • good attitude to learning and personal development
  • ability to articulate yourself fluently and accurately in writing – it is a sign of what's to come for tutors

University admissions staff talk about the top things they look for in an application.


You can only apply once in a cycle 

  • Do not apply more than once in a cycle, or submit a new application if you are holding a deferred place from a previous cycle, as your new application will be cancelled and you won’t receive a refund. 
  • If you've applied in previous cycles, are not holding a deferred place and want to apply again, you'll have to submit a new application.
  • If you have applied before, your UCAS PID will automatically revert to your previous one.

Applying through UCAS Conservatoires? 

The process is slightly different – find out how to fill in your application.


1. 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 ‘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.

When completing your application – make sure you enter your first name and middle name(s) exactly as they're stated on official documents, such as your passport, birth certificate, or driving licence.If you only have one name, enter it in both the first name and last name fields on the application.

Applying in Welsh

You can make your application entirely in Welsh by changing the language to Welsh in the ‘Preferences’ area of your profile. Find out more about how to apply in Welsh.

European characters

You can use some ​European characters in your personal details, personal statement, employment and referee details. Some of these will be substituted with UK equivalent characters. Check our ​ Extended character sets substitution list for more details.

2. Complete your details

There are some key points to note:

  1. 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.  
  2. Make sure your email address is always up-to-date – so you don’t miss important updates on your application. You can change your email address at any time, but only your primary email address will receive email communications from UCAS and your chosen universities and colleges.
  3. We’ll ask for your residency status – if you’re from outside the UK and need clarification on this, visit the UKCISA website for detailed information.
  4. There are questions specifically for UK students – these are about your ethnic origin, national identity, and occupational background. These are mandatory questions used for monitoring purposes. This information will only be shared with universities and colleges after you have secured a place and will not influence any decision regarding your application.
  5. We ask 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 more 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.
  6. 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.
  7. We ask how you plan to fund your studies – but we do not manage student finance applications. Find out more about funding and finance
  8. 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. We'll be able to discuss your application with them, but for security reasons, we can't share your login details (for example, if you need to change your password).

3. 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 unis and colleges to understand if you meet their entry requirements. However, sometimes a uni or college will make you an offer even if you don't meet the exact grades they're asking for. If you have any questions about entry requirements, speak to the uni/college before you apply.

  • If you're waiting for resultsthese are the exam results we're able to process and forward on to unis and colleges. If any of your pending qualifications aren't on this list, you still need to add them to your application, but also remember you’ll need to send the results on to your chosen universities and colleges when you get them.
  • If you studied at a uni or college but didn't finish the course, you still need to enter these details. Include the start and finish date, and state that you didn't receive any qualifications there.
  • If you are currently studying for a qualification or awaiting results, it is important you make sure your referee adds your predicted grades to your application – some universities and colleges will not consider your application without them.
  • Including modules – it's optional, so it's entirely up to you whether you mention them. However, some universities may state in their entry requirements that they'd like to see module results – in which case make sure you include them on the application.

Listing resits

You need to make sure your original result has been listed first before you enter any details about a resit.

  • Pending resits – if you're resitting the exam at a previous school/college/centre, you then need to add it a second time on your application. However, you only need to state your attendance dates as the dates between which you will be taking the resit(s) – e.g. June 2024 to June 2024. You also need to indicate that your attendance is part-time. You can then enter the qualification(s) as 'pending' to show when you are due to resit.
  • Achieved resits – add the school/college/centre to your application separately with the attendance dates as the dates between which you resat the exam(s) – e.g. June 2019 to June 2019. You also need to indicate that your attendance was part-time. You can then enter the qualification(s) with the final grade(s) you achieved from resitting.

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. If you're not sure which version of a qualification you're taking, talk to your school or college, or contact us for advice.

International and EU students

  • Make sure you add as much detail as possible – including grades and results. Without enough information universities and colleges might struggle to make a decision.
  • Use the search box to find your qualification. If you can’t find yours type in ‘other’ and select one of the options so you can enter the details manually.
  • You may have to send proof of your results in certificates or transcripts. At UCAS, we’re able to send some of your results – including the International Baccalaureate – but for most international qualifications you’ll have to send them to the university or college yourself. Different universities and colleges have different policies for how they want to receive results. Some might ask for them as soon as you apply – others might do their initial assessment of your application before asking to see proof of your results. 

Mature students

If you can't find your school exam certificates, contact the school or local authority, but if you have no luck, contact the course providers you're applying to and discuss your options. You may be able to get replacement certificates from the relevant exam board.

If you're adding an Access course to your application, there are four different kinds of Access course to choose from, so it's important to enter the correct one.
  • Access to HE Certificate

  • Access (other)

  • Access to HE Diploma (ungraded – last award 2011)

  • Access to HE Diploma (2009 onwards)

If you're unsure it's best to speak to your Access course provider to check. Then fill in the details as follows:

Title

Select from the drop-down list, or if it's not there, use the 'Other' box to type it.

Qualification date

Enter either the date your qualification was awarded, or the date you expect to receive your results.

Access Validating Agency

Enter the name of the board that awards your qualification.

Result

Enter either 'Pending' or 'Completed'.

Units

Access to HE qualifications are now divided into units, rather than modules. How many units you need to enter depends on the type of Access qualification you are taking or have achieved.

If your qualification is the Access to HE Diploma (2009 onwards), it's compulsory to add at least one of the units – there's space for 20 units so please add all of them, if possible. If you achieved a Diploma before the introduction of the new specification in September 2015, you may have achieved more than 20 units, so please contact your chosen universities and colleges for guidance on how to send additional unit details to them directly.

If you completed your Access qualification before 2009, your chosen universities and colleges may still need details of your units – either all of them or particular ones – so it's always best to check directly with the university or college.

Please also enter the amount of credits allocated to each unit under the heading 'Credit value'.


4. 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.


5. 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.

​Applying for medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or veterinary science?

For these subjects you can only apply to a maximum of four courses in any one of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or veterinary science.

You can add choices with a different deadline later, but don’t forget you can only have five choices in total. 

Can I apply to both the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge?

Usually you can only apply to one course at either the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge. 

There are exceptions though – if you'll be a graduate at the start of the course, and you're applying for graduate medicine (course code A101) at the University of Cambridge, you could then also apply to medicine (course code A100) at Cambridge, as well as graduate medicine (course code A101) at the University of Oxford. (Some applicants will need to complete an additional application form to apply – visit the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge websites for more information.)

Are you applying for deferred entry?

If you are, make sure you’ve checked that the university or college accepts deferred entry applications for the course.

They may not be offering the course the following year, may be changing it, or prefer students not to have a gap in study before they start their degree.

Find out more about deferred entry


6. Write a personal statement

This is the only part of the application where you can write in your own style – it’s 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.


7. 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.


8. Get a reference, pay your application fee, and send your application to us

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.

 

For 2024 entry, the application fee is £27.50 for up to five choices.  

For 2025 entry, the application fee will be £28.50 for up to five choices.

Trouble paying for your application? We've put together a handy guide to help you, which is available in English and Welsh.

​Applying through a school, college or centre?

They will let you know whether and when you should pay them, so they can pay us. Alternatively, they'll tell you to pay UCAS direct by credit/debit card, and you do this before the reference is added to your application.

They will then send your application to us on your behalf. They may even set you an earlier deadline to complete your application than the UCAS deadline you’re aiming to meet – this will be to allow them time to arrange your reference for you.

​Applying as an individual?

After the reference is added, pay by debit/credit card online, then submit your application to us.

​Applying from prison?

If you're applying from prison, as well as an academic reference, you also need a statement from the prison authorities – saying you're suitable and available for the start date.

Applying with no fixed address?

You need to provide an address on your UCAS application, as well as on your application for student finance. It’s important to give an address you can collect mail from.

What if I can’t afford the application fee?

Please speak to  your school or college first if you have difficulty in affording the application fee. Most schools and colleges will cover the cost of your application fee if you can’t afford this yourself.

You could also contact your chosen university or college(s) directly as they may also have schemes to pay for application fees in some circumstances.

For students in certain circumstances, there may be other sources of financial help:

  • If you have been in care — your local authority will be able to cover this cost for you. Contact your personal adviser, or call the Become Care Advice Service on 0800 023 2033 if you would like more advice. You might also find Become’s factsheet about going to university or college helpful to find more information.
  • If you are a carer — contact your local authority and ask for an assessment of your needs, to help you plan for university or college. You could also speak to your local young carer services about support: find yours on the Children’s Society website. For more help with going to uni or college as a carer, visit the Carers Trust website.
  • If you are an asylum seeker or refugee — Refugee Education UK has an overview of providers of grants to support young people's education, including the cost of fees, travel, resources, and equipment.
  • If you are applying from prison — your local authority or Youth Offending Team might be able to help with this. Alternatively, there are a number of organisations who may be able to support you:

UCAS is a charity. The cost of running the undergraduate admissions service is paid for by the application fees students pay and the fees universities and colleges pay when students are accepted. The profits from our wholly-owned commercial subsidiary, UCAS Media Ltd, help us to keep investing in improving the service for the next generation of students.   

We work hard to keep our costs down, and believe the application fee represents good value for money. Your application fee pays for: information and support to help students make well-informed decisions about their futures, the processing and management of your applications with universities and colleges, our Customer Experience Centre, matching millions of exam results with students’ applications to speed up decision-making, and the Clearing service – which helps applicants find a place after the main application period has finished.   

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