The top-notch education standards that UK Universities offer make the United Kingdom the most preferred destination for international students. Graduates holding UK degrees are in demand by high-profile employers, leading students to study in the UK and accomplish their career and life goals.
However, international students desiring to gain cutting-edge education in the UK may presume that the admission process to their desirous UK University is complicated, detailed, and cumbersome. Nonetheless, to their relief, the process is straightforward.
The centralised online platform UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) provides a single podium to students wishing to apply for enrolment to a bachelor/undergraduate program in multiple UK Universities. Students who are pursuing the last year of their schooling or who just left school can easily apply to their desired
Bachelor's program through UCAS.
Other than undergraduate applications, students can apply for:
- music, drama, screen and production programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels through UCAS Conservatoires
- teacher training programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Wales and Scotland Universities through UCAS Teacher Training
- some postgraduate programs through UCAS Postgraduate
These applications, popularly known as UCAS Applications, have their specific formalities.
To help students understand the UCAS process to enable them to create the best possible application, we are discussing everything in detail in this step-by-step guide so that you can apply to your desired
UK University without facing any difficulty.
Read further to know in detail about the
UCAS application process. To start your UCAS application,
book a free counselling session with
ScholarshipKart today. Our dedicated team of consultants will guide you in applying to your dream
UK University and beyond that, help you in accommodation and travel arrangements and preparation for your life in the
UK.
UCAS Application Process
The UCAS application process has several steps and may seem challenging to the applicants. However, with the right approach, you can complete it.
Here is a breakdown of each step:
Registration:
The first step is registering in the UCAS Hub. On the UCAS Website (www.ucas.com), generate a UCAS account, create a password and confirm your email address to activate your account. You will need to answer some basic registration questions. Once you create your account, you will be taken to the UCAS Hub dashboard, and you can start your application.
Complete Your Personal Information:
The second step is providing personal details like your name, date of birth, contact number, etc.
Remember, errors can delay your application, or you may lose some opportunities, and hence, it is crucial to ensure that you provide accurate information. For example, enter your name exactly as it appears on official documents like passports and birth certificates. Write answers in UK English.
Students should use an email address that they regularly access. Check the mail regularly so you don't miss important updates and information from universities.
UCAS will ask about your residency status, personal circumstances such as your parental education, and how you are managing your funds to pursue your program.
Entering the buzzword will link your application to your school, enabling them to provide support, add your reference and track your progress. You can enter your buzzword at any time from your application if you didn't enter it during registration.
You can give nominated access to a parent, guardian, or adviser if you want them to be able to speak to UCAS on your behalf.
It is not required to fill out the application in one sitting. Students can save their progress and return whenever they wish, so there is no reason to postpone filling out your application until you prepare everything.
Enter Educational Qualifications
Applicant should enter their educational qualifications earned from secondary school, including the qualifications for which the results are still outstanding and you are waiting for the final grades. In such cases, your referee must add the predicted grades to your application because the university will not consider your application without the predicted score.
Some qualifications are not on the UCAS list. In this case, the student needs to add them manually.
Once you receive the final results, send them directly to your selected universities. UCAS can send results like A levels, GCSEs, and International Baccalaureates directly to your chosen universities.
Key points to note:
If you have any questions regarding entry requirements, speak to the university before you apply.
You will be required to provide details about the course that you pursued in a school/college but didn't finish. Provide start and finish dates and state that you didn't finish the course.
Employment History
If you have a history of paid employment (full-time or part-time), you need to provide accurate information such as company names, addresses, job descriptions, and start/finish dates in this section. However, listing unpaid placements, internships and volunteering is not required. Students should not hesitate to leave this section blank if they don't have any paid job yet.
Select Your Course Choices
An applicant can make five applications. You can apply to five universities or apply for five courses. To make an informed decision on course selection, you can use the UCAS course search tool to browse available programs. Your course choice should be based on an evaluation of some critical factors such as course content, entry requirements, career prospects, location, etc.
You can add your selected courses by keying in the course codes. You need not prioritise your course choices as a university will not see where else you have applied.
Statement of Purpose
Statement of Purpose is a critical part of your UCAS application. An SOP reflects your academic and professional achievements, skills and inspirations, encouraging you to apply to your selected program.
First and foremost, you should plan your content. Write about your motivations, academic interests, relevant experiences, and career goals compellingly and impressively. Revise and edit the statement, making it clear, concise, impressive and free of plagiarism and grammatical errors.
The statement should reflect your aptitude, passion for the subject and your commitment towards higher education. Mention extracurricular experiences as they give strength to your statement and speak about your relevant skills effectively. State your reasons for selecting the UK for higher studies and how UK education will benefit you in building a great career.
Remember, an SOP is limited to only 4,000 characters or 47 lines– whichever comes first.
You can impress the admission officers through a strong statement as they evaluate your desire, suitability, and commitment towards the undergraduate program. Therefore, make the most of this opportunity.
Submit your UCAS Application
Once you’ve completed your application, you can see your full application. Revise every single section carefully and make edits, if necessary. Finally, read and agree to the declaration.
UCAS will process your information and send it to your selected universities/colleges.
Reference, Application Fee and Sending your application
You are required to complete your reference at this stage of your application. A reference is a written recommendation from a teacher, adviser or professional who knows you academically.
If you are applying through a UCAS-registered school or college, you can use the ‘Send to referee’ button so that your referee can check over all the details and input the reference. If your school/college isn’t registered with UCAS, you will need to get the reference from the referee and paste it into the application.
After submitting your reference, you need to pay the application fee. For 2025, the application fee is £22.50 for a single choice or £28.50 for more than one choice.
Now, you can send the UCAS application to universities.
As the UCAS application is completed, it is time to wait for universities’ responses to start coming in. Universities reply via UCAS with a rejection, unconditional offer, or conditional offer.
We are confident that you will be able to submit a strong application by using this helpful guide and secure a spot in your desired UK University.
How you can use UCAS optimally in addition to filling out an undergraduate application:
UCAS provides information regarding admission to UK Universities through the Search option, and students or any person interested in UK study can get valuable information through the UCAS portal besides applying to undergraduate programs in the UK. You can explore courses and career options and even, it helps to prepare for pursuing higher education.
What do you need to know about the UCAS Tariff?
UK Universities receive thousands of applications from international students with a wide range of qualifications for admission into their programs every year. To compare qualifications and assess applications, UCAS uses a points-based system, the UCAS Tariff. Students' academic achievements and grades are converted into UCAS Tariff points that help in fair decision-making to make offers.
Each grade in a qualification is assigned a certain number of points. For example, at A-level, an A* is worth 56 points, an A is worth 48 points, and a B is worth 40 points. Universities ask for UCAS points instead of grades, and to convert grades to UCAS points, they use the UCAS tariff calculator to determine if applicants meet the entry requirements for a specific course.
UCAS Application Deadlines
The major deadlines for UK University applications:
- January: Application deadline for the majority of undergraduate courses for domestic and international students on an equal consideration basis
- June: Final application deadline for all undergraduate courses
- October: Deadline for applications to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and for most courses in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine/science
Key Dates for UCAS 2025 Applications
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29 Jan 2025
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Application deadline for the majority of undergraduate courses
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26 Feb 2025
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UCAS Extra opens
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4 June 2025
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UCAS Undergraduate applicants are declined by default. If you've received all decisions by 14 May, you must reply by 4 June; otherwise, your application will be declined by default.
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30 June 2025
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Deadline for most undergraduate courses. After this time, applications automatically enter into Clearing.
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4 Jul 2025
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Last day for applicants to add an Extra choice in their application
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5 Jul 2025
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UCAS Clearing opens for eligible applicants
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Key Dates for UCAS 2026 Applications
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30 April 2025
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UCAS’ search tool displays courses for 2026 entry
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7 May 2025
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The adviser portal opens for 2026 entry
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14 May 2025
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Undergraduate applications open for 2026 entry
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10 Jul 2025
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Conservatoire applications open for 2026 entry
Applicants can register, pay, and send their applications
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3 Sep 2025
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Completed undergraduate applications can be submitted to UCAS
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2 Oct 2025
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Application deadline for conservatoire music applications
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15 Oct 2025
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Deadline for applications to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and for most courses in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine/science for 2026 entry.
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29 Jan 2026
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Application deadline for the majority of undergraduate courses
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26 Feb 2026
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UCAS Extra opens
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4 June 2026
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UCAS Undergraduate applicants are declined by default. If you've received all decisions by 14 May, you must reply by 4 June; otherwise, your application will be declined by default.
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30 June 2026
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Deadline for most undergraduate courses for 2026 entry. After this time, applications automatically enter into Clearing.
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4 July 2026
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Last day for applicants to add an Extra choice in their application
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5 July 2026
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UCAS Clearing opens for eligible applicants
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Do you want to start your undergraduate or postgraduate applications at your desired UK university and realise your dream of studying in UK? Book Your FREE Consultation with ScholarshipKart for expert advice and discover your path to success.