How UCAS works, explained for Indian parents and students

Every UK undergraduate application goes through one website: UCAS. Your child fills in one form, picks up to 5 courses, writes one personal statement and pays one fee of £34.50 for 2027 entry. The school adds a reference, and the whole application goes to all chosen universities at once.

What goes into the application

• Personal and contact details. Use the student's own email, not a school one, so no update is missed.
• Education. Every completed and pending exam from Class 9 onwards, entered exactly as on the mark sheets.
• Up to 5 course choices. More on the rules below.
• A personal statement. Three short answers, explained below.
• A school reference and predicted marks. Written by a teacher who knows the student.
• The fee. £34.50 for 2027 entry, paid by card. It is the same for 1 choice or 5, and covers Extra and Clearing later.

The 5 choices, and the rules

Your child can apply to up to 5 courses. Two limits apply:

• At most 4 of them in medicine, dentistry or veterinary science.
• Only one course at Oxford or Cambridge, not both.

Universities cannot see where else your child applied. The order of choices on the form also means nothing. So there is no "first choice" at this stage.

The personal statement: one, for all 5

The same statement goes to every university. Since 2026 entry it is three answers, not one essay:

1. Why this course or subject?
2. How have your studies prepared you for it?
3. What else have you done outside school, and why does it help?

All three share 4,000 characters, with at least 350 in each. Universities read them together as one statement. UCAS runs every statement through software that checks for copying, so it must be your child's own work. If your child is applying for very different courses, the statement needs extra care.

The school reference and predicted marks

The application can't be sent until the reference is in. It should come from someone at school who knows your child's work well. Predicted marks are what the school expects your child to score in Class 12 boards.

If your school is registered with UCAS, it gives your child a code word to link the application. If not, your child applies on their own and asks a teacher to write the reference. Ask the school early, because teachers get many requests before the deadlines.

What about CBSE, ICSE or state board marks?

UCAS points (called the Tariff) are not given for Indian board exams. Each university sets its own entry marks for Indian boards. Check every course page for its Class 12 percentage and English test needs.

Offers: what each one means

Offer type	What it means
Conditional	A place, if your child gets the stated marks in Class 12 boards.
Unconditional	A place now. There may still be non-academic conditions, such as a visa or medical check.
Unsuccessful	No place on that course.

Once all replies are in, your child picks:

• Firm choice: the course they want most.
• Insurance choice (optional): a backup with lower marks needed, in case the firm one doesn't work out.

All other offers are then declined. Your child must reply by the date in their UCAS account, or UCAS declines every offer for them. After accepting, there are 14 days to change their mind.

If plans change

• No offers by February? Extra lets your child add one more course at a time.
• Marks lower than needed? The university may still accept, offer a different course, or say no. Clearing then lists courses with places left, from early July.
• Changed their mind? Your child can release themselves from a place and use Clearing, but that place is gone for good.

What parents can do

Your child can name you in the application so UCAS may speak to you if your child can't call. Clearing calls with universities must be made by the student, not a parent.

If anyone helps with the application, including us, the login stays with your child. A helper should never ask for the password or change the school's reference.

Dates for every step are in our UK deadlines guide.