Applying through Ucas: important terms explained

University applications have many steps, so it’s important to know what all the relevant terms mean

January 15 2024

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Students who wish to study in the UK will have to familiarise themselves with Ucas, the central application system that is used to apply for all universities in the UK.

As you go through the process, you will see lots of terms, phrases and steps that may not all be familiar to you, so here are the important Ucas terms you may need to know.

Ucas terms and phrases explained

Term	Meaning
Advanced Higher	A level 7 academic qualification and the Scottish equivalent to A levels. It is usually taken by students aged 16 to 18 after completing their Highers. It is not a compulsory level, so not all students will sit an Advanced Higher level.
Adviser	A person who can give you information or advice and support you as you apply to university. For most applicants, this person is a teacher, tutor, school counsellor or agent.
Agent	This person can also be referred to as a consultant or education adviser. They represent UK universities, colleges, English language centres or independent boarding schools around the world. They are usually contracted by one or more course provider who pays the agent a commission for each student who joins their course.
A level	An academic qualification in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Its full name is the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level, sometimes called the GCE A level but more commonly known as A level. This is completed by students who want to study further at the tertiary or university level.
AS level	Common term for the Advanced Subsidiary, which is the first part of the A-level qualification. Some courses do not offer AS levels any more.
BA	Common abbreviation for a Bachelor of Arts degree.
BSc	Common abbreviation for a Bachelor of Science degree.
Bachelor’s degree	A three- or four-year course, also known as an undergraduate degree and the first degree you’ll complete when you start university. Most courses offered at university in the UK are either Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees.
Buzzword	When you start your Ucas undergraduate applications, you will need to link your application to the school, college or centre that is supporting you. To do this, they will give you a word that will link your application profile to them. You do not need this if you are applying independently.
Centre	A college, school or centre that can help you during your application to university.
CertHE	This stands for Certificate of Higher Education. Students who achieve this level have completed a one-year full-time course or a part-time course, usually taken over two years at high school. It is equivalent to the first year of an undergraduate degree.
Changed course offer	If you have not met the conditions of your offer or if your university has made changes to the course, you may receive this response to your application. It could mean a different start date or point of entry, or even a completely different course.
Clearing	If you’re applying to undertake an undergraduate degree, you can use this service once you have received your results to look for alternative courses. You may consider process this if you didn’t get an offer or the grades you needed or if you want to consider a different course after the deadline for Ucas applications has passed. Clearing will let you apply to courses that still have places available.
Clearing Plus	Clearing Plus is an added service that students may use. If you choose Clearing Plus, Ucas will analyse your original choices and your grades to match you with the right course. You will then see a button that says “see matches”, which will show you all the courses suggested for you. You can choose any you are interested in, and then the university will contact you directly. If you are not interested in any of the suggestions, you can choose to go through clearing in the normal way.
College	An institution that provides further and higher education, but it is different from a university. If students choose to attend college, they will usually do this before going to university.
Conditional offer	You have been offered a place at university, but you must meet some conditions to secure it, usually related to exam results. This a common type of offer for prospective undergraduates who don’t yet have their final exam results.
Confirmation	You have met the conditions of your offer and received your place.
Conservatoire	An institution that offers courses in performance, such as dance, music or drama.
Course	The subject and programme you are going to study, ranging from foundation degree to PhD.
Course and training providers	An institution that offers higher education courses. This can be a university, college, conservatoire school, School Direct school or private provider.
Deferral	The decision to start your degree the following academic year instead of the year you have applied for.
DipHE	A qualification awarded after two years of full-time study at a university or higher education provider. It stands for Diploma in Higher Education.
Entry requirements	The qualifications, subjects, grades and test results required to enter a specific course. Remember, even if you have all these, your offer is still not guaranteed.
Extra (Ucas Extra)	A Ucas service that allows you to apply for alternative places if you do not have an offer from your first five choices.
Fresher	A slang word for university students in their first year.
Firm choice	The university or course offer you accept as your first choice.
First-class honours	Most higher education providers in the UK use a class system for degree awards. A first-class honour is the highest level you can achieve. It is also known as a “first”.
Further education	A level of education completed at school or college as a precursor or alternative to a university degree. It can include technical and practical qualifications such as hairdressing, plumbing or social care.
Gap year	A year that some students take between completing secondary school and starting university. Students can travel, work or volunteer during this time.
GCSE	The General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification in England, Wales and Northern Ireland sat by students aged 14 to 16. It is more commonly known as the GCSEs, and students will usually take between nine and 10 exams in their chosen subjects.
Graduate	A student who has completed and passed a university course or degree.
HEP	Higher education provider such as a university, college or conservatoire.
Higher	A Scottish level 6 qualification taken by students aged 16 to 18 (equivalent to AS levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland). This is the first year of the two-year Advanced Higher (the main qualification students sit to achieve a place in higher education).
Higher education (HE)	University-level education, including undergraduate, postgraduate, master’s and PhD courses.
Higher National Certificate (HNC)	A qualification in the UK that is vocationally focused and takes approximately one year to complete. It is equivalent to the first year of university and can be used to get a place on a second-year university course.
Higher National Diploma (HND)	A vocationally focused qualification in the UK. It is equivalent to the second year of a three-year university degree and can be used to enter a third-year university course.
Honours	Most first degrees come with an option to achieve an honours level, usually through achieving consistently high grades throughout your study.
Insurance choice	This is the university you will select as your second choice if you do not get accepted into your first-choice university.
Invitation	When a university asks you to attend an interview or audition, or to supply a portfolio, essay or another piece of work.
League table	A ranking of course providers by reputation, courses, and so on. You can see our list of the best universities in the UK here.
MA	A common abbreviation for a Master of Arts degree. At universities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, this is a postgraduate qualification; but it is an undergraduate qualification at Scottish universities.
MSc	A common abbreviation for a Master of Science degree. At universities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland this is a postgraduate qualification; but it is an undergraduate qualification at Scottish universities.
National 5	The academic qualification in Scotland taken by students aged 14 to 16 (broadly equivalent to GCSEs elsewhere in the UK).
Ordinary degree	A degree passed without reaching the conditions to receive an honours classification or a degree course offered without honours from the start.
Personal ID or Ucas ID	The 10-digit number you receive when you start your Ucas application. It will be included on all Ucas emails, and you must use this number whenever you contact Ucas so they can identify you.
Personal statement	A short essay describing yourself and your strengths that is sent to the universities on your application. You will write one personal statement, which is sent to all the universities that you apply to.
Point of entry	The year when you will start your course.
Postgraduate	A second degree that students who have completed an undergraduate degree can go on to study. This can be in the same or similar subject that you studied at undergraduate level, or it can be in a different subject if you meet the entry requirements.
Postgraduate research (PGR)	A research-based course for graduates who have previously completed an undergraduate degree.
Postgraduate taught (PGT)	A taught course for graduates who have previously completed an undergraduate course, which includes a combination of coursework, lectures, seminars and so on, as well as a supervised dissertation or project.
Predicted grades	Grades that a teacher, tutor or other adviser thinks a student will achieve based on their earlier academic performance.
Referee	A person who supplies a reference for you.
Reference	A recommendation about you, your academic and personal potential, usually written by a teacher, adviser or professional.
Sandwich course	A course where you spend an extra year working in your chosen profession as part of your studies.
Scheme code	Used with your personal ID to find your application on Ucas.
Second-class honours	The second-highest level you can achieve at a UK university. Second-class honours is broken down into two further classifications – upper (2:1) and lower (2:2). A 2:1, or upper second-class honours, is usually the lowest grade recommended for postgraduate study.
Tariff	The Ucas system of allocating points for students’ qualifications. This is assigned to your school grades but can also include outside interests such as sport, or in-school achievements such as being head boy or head girl.
Third-class honours	Typically the lowest degree classification you can achieve at a UK university.
Transcript	An academic record provided by a school, college, university or awarding body that sums up your grades throughout your time there.
Ucas	The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. It is the central system used to apply to universities in the UK.
Ucas Conservatoires	The application service for courses in performance-based subjects or institutions.
Ucas Hub	The main area where you can search, save and review your application options and start applying to your choices.
Ucas Postgraduate	The Ucas application service for postgraduate courses.
Unconditional offer	An offer of a higher education place with no further requirements; if you accept it, your place will be confirmed at once.
Undergraduate	The first level of study in higher education.
University (or uni)	A provider of higher education courses.
Unsuccessful	An application that received no offers or did not meet the set requirements.
Withdrawal	When a university or college removes a choice before an offer has been made.