UCAS

Central applications service for full-time undergraduate higher-education courses in the UK. Candidates can apply through UCAS for up to six courses at various institutions, and the applications and the responses from the universities and colleges concerned are coordinated through the applications service.

The universities and colleges in the UCAS scheme, and the courses they offer, are listed in the UCAS handbook, and full information on all courses is available from the institutions concerned. The candidate can then apply through UCAS to up to six higher-education courses. An applicant for 2000 entry would submit the application form in the autumn of 1999. The application is forwarded to the institutions themselves for consideration, and their decisions are returned to the applicant via UCAS. Offers may be either unconditional or conditional upon forthcoming examination results. When all decisions have been made the candidate replies to all the offers that have been received; they may accept one offer firmly and if that offer is conditional, they may provisionally accept a further offer with less stringent conditions.

After examination results are published the applicant receives final confirmation of any conditional offers, and if the conditions of the first choice have been met the candidate is now committed to take up the place. If the conditions of the first choice have not been met the candidate may take up the second offer.

Applicants who fail to meet the conditions of their offer or who have received no offers at this stage may make use of the clearing process, which aims to fill any remaining vacancies by placing suitable candidates who have been unsuccessful so far.