Applying to University in the UK in 2025

Understanding UCAS

Almost all undergraduate applications in the UK are made through UCAS – the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. UCAS acts as the central application platform for thousands of degree courses across the country, allowing you to submit one application that is then sent to the universities you choose. Through UCAS, you’ll select your courses, complete your application, answer the new structured questions replacing the traditional personal statement, track decisions and manage your offers.

Because UCAS operates on strict annual deadlines, and because certain universities and subjects (such as Oxford, Cambridge and Medicine) follow an earlier and more demanding process, planning ahead is essential. This guide walks you through each step of applying to university in the UK, helping you understand what to expect, how to prepare and how to make strong, confident choices throughout your application.

Choosing Your Course and University

In the UK, you can apply for up to five courses in a single application cycle – or four if you are applying for Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Medicine.

This limit means your choices need to be carefully considered, ideally including a mix of aspirational, solid and safe options. Start by identifying the subject you want to study – or a combination, if a joint honours degree appeals to you.

Because UK universities do not follow a national curriculum, similarly titled courses can differ significantly in structure, content and assessment. For this reason, exploring modules, teaching methods, placement opportunities and independent study expectations should form a core part of your research.

Once you have a sense of the courses that interest you, begin narrowing down universities. Entry requirements, location, size, cost of living, accommodation, graduate outcomes and the type of campus are all factors that will influence your experience.

Tools such as course comparison websites, league tables, and student forums are a useful starting point – but don’t stop your research at the online stage!

Open days remain one of the most reliable ways to gauge whether a university is right for you; seeing the campus, speaking with lecturers and meeting students can give you a level of insight that online prospectuses cannot.

Understanding UK Entry Requirements

Entry requirements help universities assess whether you are academically prepared for your chosen course. Most institutions base their offers on post-16 qualifications such as A-levels, BTECs, Scottish Highers, or the International Baccalaureate, as well as specific GCSE results, usually in English and Maths.

Some universities use UCAS Tariff points, which allocate numerical values to grades. For example, an A* at A-level equals 56 points, an A equals 48 and a B equals 40. This system allows universities to compare different types of qualifications more easily.

Certain courses require additional evidence of suitability. Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine frequently require applicants to sit admissions tests such as the UCAT, and many medical schools also interview applicants using structured formats like Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs).

Law applicants may need to take the LNAT, while Oxford and Cambridge typically require subject-specific admissions tests and may ask for examples of your written work. Creative and performance-based courses often require auditions or portfolios. International students must also demonstrate English language proficiency using tests such as IELTS or TOEFL, with required scores varying between institutions.

Deadlines and Application Processes

While most UCAS undergraduate applications are due in late January, some courses require you to apply earlier. Oxford and Cambridge, alongside Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine, all follow a mid-October deadline. These highly competitive routes may also involve admissions tests, interviews and the submission of written work, so early preparation is essential.

Applications submitted by the January deadline receive equal consideration. You may still apply after this date, but universities are not obliged to review late applications. After 30 June, any new application is automatically entered into Clearing rather than being sent to universities in the usual way.

Registering and Applying Through UCAS

The UCAS Hub is where you complete every part of your application, including adding your course choices, entering your personal details, uploading your education history and responding to the structured questions replacing the old personal statement.

All qualifications from secondary school onwards must be included, even those for which results are pending. If a qualification does not appear in UCAS’s list – common for some international credentials – you can add it manually.

Your application must also include a reference. Students applying through a school or college will usually receive an academic reference from a tutor or teacher, whereas independent applicants may use an employer or training supervisor depending on university requirements.

Your school will submit your application only once the reference has been added; independent applicants can submit as soon as their referee’s contribution is complete.

Writing Your Personal Statement

UCAS has introduced a new structured-question format for personal statements from 2025 onwards. Instead of writing a single long essay, you will answer targeted questions designed to give admissions tutors clearer evidence of your motivation and readiness for the course.

These questions focus on why you want to study the subject, how you have prepared academically and what experiences – such as wider reading, projects, relevant work or volunteering – have strengthened your interest.

The strongest responses use specific examples to demonstrate genuine intellectual engagement rather than vague enthusiasm. Each answer should introduce new information rather than repeating previous points, and answers should always link back to the skills or knowledge the course requires. Avoid generic claims, clichés and overly broad descriptions of “passion”; admissions tutors value clarity, substance and insight over elaborate writing.

Dukes Plus’s personal statement review service provides four detailed reviews of your statement by an Oxbridge-graduate tutor who specialises in your subject.

Admissions Tests for Certain Courses

Some courses use admissions tests to assess skills not captured by grades and further sift between applicants:

• Medical and dental schools typically require the UCAT, which assesses reasoning, judgement and problem-solving.
• Law applicants to certain universities take the LNAT, which tests critical thinking and essay-writing ability.
• Oxford and Cambridge use a range of subject-specific tests designed to evaluate academic potential and determine which applicants will be invited to interview.

At Dukes Plus, our admissions test tutoring is proven to improve students’ scores and boost their chances of acceptance. Our average student increases their score by 25% after just 4 hours of tuition.

Submitting Your Application

Before submitting your UCAS application, review every section carefully. Ensure all qualifications, predicted grades and course titles are correct, as errors can delay decisions or result in universities requesting clarification.

UCAS charges a single application fee that covers all course choices. Once submitted, your application is checked by UCAS and then forwarded to your chosen universities. You can track decisions and updates through your UCAS Hub.

Interviews and Auditions

Interviews are a key part of the process for certain courses, particularly Medicine and all courses at Oxford and Cambridge. They take place after the mid-October deadline – usually in December for Oxbridge and from December to February for Medicine.

These interviews are academic in focus and are designed to assess your understanding of and enthusiasm for your subject, and your ability to problem-solve and think on your feet.

Creative degrees like drama or music, meanwhile, may use auditions or ask for self-tapes. Top drama schools or conservatoires are likely to have several rounds of auditions as the application process is highly competitive.

For expert preparation with your interview or audition, take a look at our:

• Oxbridge interview tutoring
• Medicine interview prep
• Drama audition coaching

Understanding Offers

Once decisions have been made, your UCAS Hub will show whether you have received conditional offers, unconditional offers or rejections.

• A conditional offer means your place is secured if you meet the required grades when your A Level or equivalent results come out on Results Day.
• An unconditional offer secures your place immediately, though you may still need to complete administrative steps such as DBS checks.
• Unsuccessful applications may include feedback, and applicants without any offers may be eligible for UCAS Extra.

Once all decisions are in, you must select a firm choice and, if appropriate, an insurance choice. Your firm choice becomes your confirmed place if you meet the required conditions; your insurance offer is considered only if you don’t.

UCAS Extra and Clearing

UCAS Extra, which runs from late February to early July, allows applicants without offers to apply to additional courses one at a time.

Clearing opens in early July and continues until October, enabling applicants who do not hold an offer – whether due to missing grades, declining offers or applying late – to find available university places.

Universities list Clearing vacancies through UCAS, and applicants can speak to admissions teams directly before adding a Clearing choice in their Hub. Importantly, even if you miss your conditions on Results Day, your university may still accept you, so always check your Hub before assuming you need Clearing.

Student Finance and Funding Options

Most UK students can apply for government Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans to cover fees and living costs, with repayments made only once income exceeds the threshold.

Universities also offer scholarships and bursaries, which support students based on academic achievement, talent or financial need.

International students often face higher fees and must show proof of funds when securing a study visa, though some may be eligible for scholarships or sponsorships.

Working part time as a student during term time is common at most universities (though prohibited at Oxbridge), but universities recommend balancing employment carefully with academic commitments.

Preparing for Results Day

Results Day is the day when you receive your A Level or IB results. As most university offers are conditional on you achieving certain grades, Results Day is the day when most students discover whether their offer has been confirmed.

Your UCAS Hub updates early on A Level or IB Results Day, often before schools release grades.

If you meet your firm offer’s conditions, your place is confirmed automatically. If you fall short, you may still be accepted depending on available spaces.

If neither your firm nor insurance choices confirm your place, you can enter Clearing to explore alternative courses. Those unhappy with their grades can discuss reviews or resits with their school and may decide to reapply the following year.

Speak to an Expert

For expert, personal advice and preparation on your application to Oxbridge and other leading UK universities, book a free consultation with our friendly team or explore our UK & Oxbridge application support to learn more.

Our Oxbridge success rate is 4x the average and since 1999, we’ve helped more than 10,000 students get into Oxford and Cambridge – 10x as many as our closest competitor.