1. What teachers need to know
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2. Apply key facts Application is entirely online Maximum of five choices
Some choice restrictions:
medicine, veterinary medicine/science, dentistry (maximum of four)
Oxford or Cambridge
Simple application cost:
one choice – £20 (changed for 2020 cycle)
two to five choices – £25
Equal consideration
‘Invisibility’
Equal consideration – this means that if an application meets the published deadlines then a provider must consider it. Applications received after the deadlines will still be forwarded to universities and colleges, providing they have vacancies, but they are not obliged to consider them.
We send the application on to each of the chosen universities and colleges at the same time. Each university or college has access to the information about their choice only. They must not ask applicants, or the person that the applicant has nominated to have access to their application, to reveal their other choices. This is what we call invisibility. Only much later in the application cycle, when an applicant has received decisions on all their choices and replied to any offers, will each university or college be able to see details of the other choices. This ensures that each university or college decides independently whether to offer a place and what conditions, if any, to attach to an offer.
Applicants do not need to rank their choices in order, applications are simultaneously considered by providers, and due to the invisibility they do not know the applicants other choices until decisions and replies have been made.
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3. When to apply for 2020 entry
21 May UCAS Undergraduate Apply opens for 2020 entry.
4 September First day for receipt of completed applications.
15 October* Application deadline for courses in medicine, veterinary medicine/science, and dentistry, and courses at Oxford or Cambridge.
15 January* Equal consideration application deadline.
25 February Extra opens.
30 June* Last date for applications before Clearing.
* 18:00 (UK time)
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4. Research – it’s free!
Search tool – to look for providers, courses, and minimum entry requirements. Use the subject guides to help find more information.
Open days and virtual tours – a great way to explore campuses and facilities.
UCAS’ higher education exhibitions – useful to meet different universities and colleges, and explore options. It is important to register, and encourage your students to register in advance.  
Learning from others – student videos and blogs.
Career options – use the job profiles to explore different career roles and pathways, or take the Buzz quiz to find out more about individual strengths, and what roles they may suit.
The career finder tool is ideal for considering options after education, including searching for apprenticeships.
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5. Choosing the right university
Style – from traditional with a focus on subject-based courses and research, to more modern universities that may have a greater focus on vocational courses.
Location – some are based in large cities, others in smaller towns. This can have a major influence on the environment and lifestyle on offer.
Size – larger universities can have more than 20,000 students, whereas some of the smallest have only a few thousand.
Culture and facilities – influenced by a range of factors, including the diversity of students who attend.
What graduates do – all universities collect destination statistics. It can be interesting to find out the types of jobs or further study students go on to.
Tuition fees – can vary between course providers. Check if there are any scholarships/bursaries available.
Living costs – accommodation, transport, and food can vary enormously.
Which modules are the most interesting and relevant to applicants career aspirations?
How many lectures are there and how much group work will be done in seminars?
What combination of exams, coursework or presentations is the course assessed by?
Who are the tutors and are they experts in areas the applicant wants to learn about?
What subject areas do they specialise in?
Can applicants study abroad or get help with work placements?
Do they have sports facilities or societies to join?
How near home, a city center or the countryside are they?
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6. Choosing the right course
What does the course cover?
Courses with the same title may be very different.
Look carefully at the core course content, and the range of optional studies/modules available.
Which modules are the most interesting and relevant to career aspirations?
See if the course or university/college offers any internship, placement, or study abroad opportunities.
How is the course taught – structured teaching, or more independent research? How many lectures are there, and how much group work will be done in seminars?
How is the course assessed?
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7. Adviser classroom resources
Classroom resources for research activities:
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8. Universities/colleges
Completing the UCAS application
Sections to complete:
Personal details
Additional information
Student finance
Choices
Education
Employment
Personal statement
Referee details
Tutor adds reference
UCAS
Universities/colleges
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9. Common applicant errors
Failing to check entry requirements, or if they need to take admissions tests.
Qualifications are missing or incorrectly entered.
Inappropriate address used or not verified.
Do not give details of disability, special needs, or if they have been in care.
Tick boxes (e.g. unspent criminal convictions) in error.
Failing to tick other boxes (e.g. section complete).
Not knowing they have a 14-day CMA cool-off period.
Forgetting password so they get locked out of application.
For more information about how to support applicants see the 2019 Advisers Guide. You can download a copy of this at
NB. most admissions tests are sat at the start of the academic cycle, so applicants need to register as soon as possible. Find out more at

10. Personal statement The only section a student has total control over.
Their only chance to sell themselves as an individual.
One personal statement for all choices.
Maximum of 4,000 characters, or 47 lines.
Minimum of 1,000 characters.
No spelling or grammar check.
No formatting, e.g. bold, italics, or underline.
UCAS’ similarity detection service – remember, every personal statement is run through software to check for plagiarism.
Personal statements are checked against:
a library of personal statements previously submitted to UCAS
sample statements collected from a variety of websites
other sources, including paper publications
Each personal statement received at UCAS is added to the library of statements after it has been processed.

11. Personal statement – top tips
Universities and colleges will ask:
Have they chosen the right subject for the right reasons?
Can they survive in an intense and pressured atmosphere?
Do they have a range of interests and aptitudes?
Do they have a depth of interest in the subject?
Has the candidate studied independently?
Does the student appear motivated and committed?
Do they possess good numeracy and literacy skills?

12. Personal statement – top tips
Students need to tell providers about their:
academic achievements – past and present
enthusiasm – go beyond the syllabus
interest in their chosen subject
knowledge of the subject
independent study skills

13. Personal statement resources
Host of personal statement support and information, including:
dos and don’ts
blogs on writing personal statements
FAQs on personal statements answered by admissions staff
ten places to find pointers
mind map
worksheet
UCAS’ personal statement tool
Duke of Edinburgh Award - guidance for UCAS personal statement
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14. References
Should not exceed 4,000 characters (including spaces) or 47 lines, whichever is the shorter.
Include:
academic performance
suitability for the course
skills and qualities, such as aptitude and enthusiasm
current or past achievements in particular subject areas
relevant extracurricular activities
any commitments
factors that may affect performance
Remember, the reference should confirm and complement information provided elsewhere in the application.

15. A common format Information on the school/college
In the changing qualification landscape, the reference will play an increasingly important role.
To help you, SPA’s National Expert Think Tank (NETT) on curriculum and qualification reform has created guidance for school and college references – what HEPs would like to know.
Special circumstances (if applicable)
Subject by subject report
Suitability for chosen course
Concluding endorsement
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16. Applicant replies
Applicants should wait for all decisions from all choices. They can then choose one:
firm – if all conditions are met, this is where they will be placed, and
insurance – usually lower conditions, in case firm conditions are not met (only if firm choice is not unconditional)
Any other offers must be declined.
Applicants don’t have to have an insurance choice (14-day CMA cooling-off period).
If a student firmly accepts an unconditional offer, they must decline any/all others.
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17. Tracking applications
Track allows applicants to:
follow the progress of their application 24/7
see their choices and personal information
view their offers
reply to offers online
In Track, a student can hold up to two offers:
firm – their first choice. If they meet the conditions of the offer they will be placed
insurance – acts as a back-up choice if they are not placed with their firm choice
If an applicant does not receive offers at the same time as their friends – this is normal. Each institution makes offers in different ways and at different rates.
Applicants do not have to have an insurance choice if they are certain they would only be interested in one of their offers.
Applicants cannot swap between their insurance and firm choices.
The insurance choice disappears once they have been placed with their firm choice.

18. Extra
If students don’t get offers from any of their choices, they may be able to use Extra.
Applicants are eligible for Extra if:
they have used all five choices
all their choices were unsuccessful, cancelled, or they declined their offers
If using Extra:
there is no option for an insurance choice
the universities have 21 days to respond
an applicant’s existing Apply information is used
Extra is available between February and July.
Course vacancies are listed on the UCAS website.
An Extra toolkit to help advisers is available at:

19. Confirmation
Exam results are published – many are passed electronically to universities.
Admissions staff check if the applicant has met the conditions of the offer.
If the applicant does not meet the conditions of their offer, and their place is not confirmed, they are entered into Clearing.
A Confirmation and Clearing toolkit is available on our website.

20. Eligible applicant researches vacancies
Contacts
providers to discuss application
Applicant enters choice details in Track
University or college considers application
If unsuccessful, applicant can start again
Clearing process
Track confirms applicant eligibility, and provides a Clearing number (six digits).
Applicants have a ten-digit Personal ID (PID), and should be able to quote this and their Clearing number.
An adviser is sent to schools/colleges identifying those in Clearing.
Track (and Adviser Track) updates are suspended in embargo periods.
On A level results day, the ‘Add Clearing choice’ button appears from 15:00 (UK time) for eligible applicants.
Applicant placed
An applicant may add any choice that is open in Clearing.
An applicant will only be able to substitute a Clearing choice when an institution declines the applicant (on screen decision reply shows as Clearing Accept Declined) which will release the applicant into Clearing.
The applicant will not be allowed to withdraw a Clearing choice.
If an applicant receives a Clearing ‘accept’ decision through the Clearing process they will not have the option of accepting or declining the offer in Track.
More information is available at
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21. Adjustment
Each year, some applicants pass their exams with better results than expected.
This may mean some will have not only met the conditions of their firm choice, but will have exceeded them.
The Adjustment process is for these applicants – it provides an opportunity for them to reconsider where and what to study.
For full details go to

22. Use our adviser timeline. Sign up for our free adviser newsletter.
Keep up-to-date:
Use our adviser timeline.
Sign up for our free adviser newsletter.
Adviser newsfeed.
@ucas_online
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23. More support and guidance
Contact UCAS’ Schools Team:
UK advisers:
Visit to:
understand more about the application process
access Apply for advisers
download guides and resources
access information on training and conferences
access Adviser Track and reports guidance
get the latest news and updates on the education sector
access key dates for applicants
see examples of applicant letters
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24. Thank you
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