University Advice - The UCAS process

The UCAS process for the UK

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) processes applications for UK undergraduate courses at universities and colleges. It is a charity, funded by fees paid by applicants and universities. UCAS has a commercial arm, UCAS Media.

In order to apply through UCAS, you must first register on UCAS.com. This allows access to a well-designed hub which contains a huge amount of tailored information, enabling you to search universities by course, region, tuition fees and grade requirements.

Before you can send your application to UCAS, you'll need to pay an application fee of £28.50 for up to five choices for 2025 entry (£28.95 for 2026 entry).

Whilst the process “belongs” to the student, Education Advisers Ltd can provide bespoke support to achieve the best outcomes.

Key dates are:

The deadline for Oxford, Cambridge, courses in Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine is 15th October.
All other UCAS applications should be completed by 14th January to meet the Equal Consideration deadline. Whether you apply at the start of September or on 14th January, your application will be considered equally.
Later applications will be accepted, but the choices will be more restricted as some programmes will be full after 14th January.
Some universities make offers as soon as 48 hours after receipt of the application. Others wait and review all applications after the 14th January deadline.
You respond to your offers only once you have heard back from all 5 choices and you always have a few weeks before you need to respond.
On A-Level results day in mid-August* UCAS Track is updated and offers change from "conditional" to "unconditional.
For students who have not done as well as expected, “Clearing” allows them to explore courses which fit their actual grade profile. Contact us to learn more about Clearing.

*see UCAS website for the exact dates.

How many subjects should I study?

Universities are interested in quality not quantity – therefore, there is no need for applicants to study excessive numbers of A-Level subjects. Top universities require 3 academically demanding A-Levels – anymore may detract from your ability to successfully focus on the three required subjects.

Universities also look very highly on the Extended Qualification Project (EPQ) which is worth half an A-level. This independently chosen and researched project allows the very best candidates to develop and display a personal area of interest outside of the taught curriculum, demonstrating research and referencing skills, much valuued at university. Engaging with Supra-Curricular research enhances this study - click here to find out more.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

The International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB Dip) is a holistic two year pre-university course which is well regarded by UK universities and UCAS operate a tariff system reflecting this. The six compulsory subjects are assessed through exam and coursework and are scored 1-7. Additional marks are available for the Theory of Knowledge component and the Extended Essay. Candidates must also complete the CAS component, Creativity, Activity, Service. 24 points are required to pass the IB Dip, with 45 as the highest grade.

Other Qualifications

Individual UK universities can advise on the international qualifications which they will accept. However, it should be remembered that international students may be required to demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency, measured through IELTS or TOEFL testing. Also, most universities will want to see a minimum of 13 years of schooling.

What if I don’t get the grades I need?

Education Advisers Ltd offers expert advice on “Clearing”, a process which operates from 5 July – 20 October 2025. You can apply for a course using Clearing if you are not already holding an offer from a university or college, and the course still has places.

If you know before results day that you have under-performed in your exams, you can decline your offers and make a new application through Clearing. However, to decline your offers before reeceiving results may be too hasty. Even if you drop a grade or two, your university may still accept you.

You can use Clearing to "trade up" if you achieve better grades than reequired or to seek an alternative courses if your grades do not match the requirement.

If you wish to consider re-taking a subject, we can recommend successful Sixth Form college partners. This will defer your university entry by a year and entail making a new UCAS application but students opting for this route invariably tell us they have benefitted from the additional year and have become better-equipped to embark on undergraduate study.

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