How to Apply to UK Universities Using UCAS Application Online?

If you have ever considered studying in the UK, then, you must have definitely heard about applying to UK universities via UCAS application portal. In such scenarios, it is completely normal to think about "What is UCAS?". UCAS full form is the "Universities and Colleges Admissions Service", which is a charity that helps with shared admissions for higher education in the UK. One can apply to one or multiple universities in the UK - all at once by filling out one UCAS application form.  

If you are harbouring a dream to study in the UK, you might be well placed if you are thorough with the system of UCAS. Students can choose to apply to universities in the UK either by visiting their official website or by visiting the UCAS application portal. Using the UCAS application portal, students can apply for a course at multiple universities by filling out only 1 application form or applying to different courses within a university. The different universities/colleges chosen by you would not know where else have you applied until you respond to an offer received from a university that you have applied to. 

By opting for a UCAS application, students also save plenty of time in writing different SOPs as only 1 personal statement for all the choices marked on your UCAS application form. This article contains complete details on how you can apply to UK universities using the UCAS application. But first, let us learn about what is UCAS. 

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• UCAS Form Filling Process & Tips: Learn with Videos
• 5 Things to consider before choosing a Study Abroad Destination
• Top Fully funded Scholarships for Indian Students to Study Abroad

What is UCAS?

UCAS stands for Universities and Colleges Admission Services and is essentially an interface between students wanting to pursue a course of their choice in the UK and the various colleges and universities offering such courses. It is a central organisation that deals with all admission-related processes of the aspirants to study a course of their liking in UK-based higher educational institutes. UCAS also assists you with facilities such as consulting, and research, and provides suggestions related to colleges, professional bodies, careers, etc.

Benefits of Applying Through UCAS Login Hub

Here are some of the major benefits of using the UCAS login hub for sending applications to universities in the UK. 

1. You can send applications to as many as 5 universities for 5 different/same courses or to one university for 5 different courses by filling out only one application form.
2. You can save a lot of time by filling out just one application form rather than filling out several different application forms, and prepare for other steps of your journey abroad.
3. You can use only one Statement of Purpose for all 5 universities/courses. 
4. The UCAS Application portal also gives clear guidelines on when and how to apply to different courses thus helping you to not miss any deadlines.
5.  You pay a very minimal application fee for UCAS application form. 
6. UCAS applications are widely accepted by UK universities. 

What Do Universities Look for in Your Application?

Below are a few aspects that the educational institutions abroad look for in your application, as suggested by UCAS. 

• Your previous qualifications: It includes all your qualifications 
• How well your SOP is written! Yes, universities abroad closely check your written statements as they are a clear reflection of your goals and aspirations that you seek by means of doing your selected degree. Universities evaluate each and every personal statement and look for the passion, enthusiasm, skills and experiences that the students have to complete and succeed in their chosen academic endeavours.
• The content of the reference letters: just like the personal statements, LORs also give universities an opportunity to understand your profile, goals and achievements more transparently. Both the SOP and LOR provide an additional measure to teh universities to compare lakhs of applications received during an intake. 
• Your knowledge of the coursework and commitment to it.
• Your ability to articulate your skills, knowledge and experiences. This gives an idea of what to expect to the tutors at your dream university.  

How to Apply to UK Universities Using UCAS Application? | UCAS Application Procedure 2024-25

The UCAS application process is a bit lengthier than the direct university applications. The application form needs to be completed to the very last detail of it in one go only. All applications are filled out online. However, there is a benefit of applying to up to 5 colleges/universities through 1 application only. Below is the complete UCAS application process to apply for undergraduate courses in the UK 2024.

1. Registration

Students need to visit the "UCAS Hub" to start their fresh registrations. For this, visit the official website of UCAS, move your cursor over the "Discover" tab on the page and then select 'UCAS Hub'. Select the year when you wish to begin your studies along with the level of study you wish to pursue. Open the application form and answer the registration questions. Keep in mind that the name you provide in the application must be the same as that on your official documents or IDs such as passport, academic certificates, birth certificate, etc.

You need to answer all the questions as skipping any of the sections is not allowed. You may complete half of your form, save your progress, sign in again next time using your UCAS login ID credentials and resume the registration process. The email address provided by you should be accurate as everything related to your admission will be communicated there only.

2. Education & Employment Details

Starting with your secondary education, you will have to provide details of all your qualifications, irrespective of the fact that your results have been declared or not. These details will be used to match the set entry requirements. You will also have to fill in your employment history towards the completion of your UCAS application form, which includes all your full-time/part-time paid jobs.

3. Selecting Courses 

A maximum of five courses can be selected. Those applying for medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or veterinary science can select only up to four courses. There is no order of relative preference asked in the UCAS application form for the different courses or universities you apply to. no university will be able to see where else you have applied until you reply to any offer that you receive from your applied universities. 

4. Writing Personal Statement

Make your personal statement as attractive as possible. Write about your intention to study at a specific university or university as well as about the course you would like to study. You can use this space to express to the university why you would like to study with them and which skills and experiences you bring with you. Your personal statement must have a minimum of 1000 characters which can be stretched to up to 40000 characters (or 47 lines, as suggested by the exam body).

5. Submit the Application

After you've responded to everything asked, you will get a chance to review all your responses. You may make any edits, if required, and ensure that every information provided by you is correct. Before the final submission, you will have to provide a reference from your teacher, mentor or professional who has been involved with you academically. In the end, you will have to agree with the "declaration", post which the UCAS authorising body will share your responses with your chosen universities.

6. Get a Written Reference, Pay the Fee and Send Your Application

A reference is a necessary written endorsement from someone familiar with your academic abilities, such as a teacher or advisor. It must be included in your application for it to be considered complete.

UCAS Application Fee 2025

The UCAS application fees for 5 choices are given below:

Also Read: 

• What is CAS Letter (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies)?
• Steps to UK College Admissions: Enrolment Timeline to Plan your Applications
• Documents required for admission in UK
• Study in UK: What next after applying to UK universities?

What do Universities Look for in Students' Applications?

Below are some qualifications and traits that the universities and colleges wish to find in an application. 

1. Relevant educational qualifications
2. Strong Personal Written Statement that demonstrates your purpose, enthusiasm, motivation, skills and experience for the chosen subject area.
3. The knowledge of and commitment to the chosen subject field 
4. Content of Reference 
5. Good attitude towards learning and personal growth
6. Ability to articulate bout oneself accurately and with good fluency in words - this gives a sense of what to expect to the university

Here are other forms of academic documents that you might need on your journey to study abroad:

Important Aspects of UCAS Application

The important aspects of the UCAS application form are given below: 

1. Courses of study - One can choose a maximum of five courses in the UCAS application form, which means that you can either choose five courses at one university or five different courses at five different universities. Therefore, it is prudent that you explore the courses that you want to choose as well as the institutions offering those courses exhaustively. You can explore these options on the UCAS website itself, which comes in quite handy with inbuilt filters like the subject, university, location of the university, and your location to streamline your research.  

2. Statement of purpose – As the name suggests, a statement of purpose is simply an overview of your strengths, skills, and qualifications that make you a perfect candidate for this course and university. Be sure that you invest a great deal of time in writing one as it will allow the assessors to gauge your suitability for a course. It is important, to be honest in demonstrating your skills and accomplishments. Stick to the word limit and write information that is relevant to the course of your study. You can take the help of professionals if this task seems to be daunting. However, you must own every word of it. Plan and redraft it till the time it best reflects your abilities and skills.

3. References – Reference is a letter of recommendation that is usually written by a teacher or an employer highlighting your strengths and credibility. In the event of filling out your application form, you will be required to upload two references; hence, it becomes necessary that you request the same from the concerned individual way before the approaching deadline. To be on the safer side, you can approach multiple people to recommend you so that you end up with the required number of references to get ahead with your application.

To learn some tips on the UCAS form-filling process, check our article "UCAS Form Filling Process & Tips: Learn with Videos". 

UCAS Application Deadline for 2025 Entry

The applications for the 2025 entry through UCAS were opened on May 14, 2024, but cannot be finally submitted until September 03, 2024. Below is the detailed 2025 entry UCAS application deadline for undergraduate courses. 

How to Track the Status of Your UCAS Application? 

Once you submit your application, the universities and colleges that you have chosen will decide whether to make you an offer which can be either conditional or unconditional, depending on whether you have the requisite qualifications. Once you have made your decision regarding the course that you’re interested in, you need to reply to the offers by a specific deadline.

The UCAS TRACK facility on the platform allows you to track the status and progress of your application. It allows you to see whether the seat for the course you have chosen is confirmed or not. It also gives you a chance to make certain changes to your application, such as your contact details, and course details, adding more choices, or cancelling your application. To simplify your experience with this service, there is ample advice available on the platform to help you throughout.

Learn more about studying in the UK:

• Student Guide to the United Kingdom (UK)
• UK Student Visa Guide
• Difference between the Undergraduate application process to US and UK universities
• 10 popular UK Scholarships for Indian students

Grabbing a seat in a prestigious UK-based institution is hard to come by.  However, once you are through with your admission process and have gained admission to a course and college of your choice, it’s time to sit back and relax. Studying in the UK comes with manifold benefits for students- it not only offers students the best of the curriculum but also allows them to explore a new culture jam-packed with unlimited possibilities. The various courses and programs designed for international students ensure that they adapt to the new culture and environment smoothly and contribute as well as acquire the best of student life the UK has to offer. If you wish to study abroad, then you can get assistance from Shiksha Counselling Services for free. You can also drop your queries in the comments section below.