What You Need To Know About The Universities And Colleges Admissions Service Clearing Process

Anyone who wishes to study for an undergraduate degree must apply through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, or UCAS, for short. By going through UCAS, you can choose and apply to universities. In turn, the universities receive your proposal and make a decision whether they have a place for you. Therefore, you can liken UCAS to a matchmaking service. The process entails assisting students find the right educational match and helping learning institutions locate the right students.

Table of Contents

Applying Online Makes the Process Easier

Students often use the online services of UCAS, or the “apply” feature, to submit their university applications. Most of the process is performed online so you do not have to deal with much paper. UCAS is the mediator–the party in the entire process that ensures applications are sent and received with streamlined efficiency.

When you get involved in applying on the UCAS platform, you will discover that there are varying application deadlines. For example, the application deadline is October for students pursuing studies in dentistry, medicine, veterinary science, and veterinary medicine. The same deadline applies to anyone wishing to attend Oxford or Cambridge. January is normally the cut-off deadline for applications for all other courses, except for some art and design courses, which feature a deadline of March.

However, to ensure the success of the UCAS clearing process, you still need to check the deadlines of all your selected courses. In other words, it helps to apply early. If you miss a given deadline, your application has little chance of being considered. All the applications that are entered into clearing are delivered and received after 30 June.

What Happens When You Register

When you register, you need to visit the homepage of UCAS and, again, click to the application page. You will need to provide your contact details and date of birth. Once you register, you will be asked to supply additional information. Much of the enquiries centre on the coursework you have taken to prepare for a higher education. They also include questions concerning your national identity and parents’ occupations. If you do not want to answer questions for additional information, you can bypass this part. This information is optional.

You will also need to answer questions regarding student finance. All you need to provide, at this point, are some details for the student loan company–nothing critical. The information is only required to help you apply for student loans, when it is necessary.

During registration, you can only apply to five courses. If you only apply to one course, that is fine too. However, the more courses to which you apply, the more you increase your chances of receiving an offer.