Apply for university
You need to register in the UCAS Hub before you can apply for university.
UCAS is the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. They handle applications for undergraduate courses at universities and colleges in the UK.
To register, create an account using your:
- name
- date of birth
- address
- email address
There’s no minimum age to apply through UCAS. But check with the university or college you're applying to, as they may have their own age requirements.
Once you've registered, sign in and complete your application. You'll need to provide:
- the rest of your personal details
- funding for your course
- your course choices - you can choose up to 5 courses
- what you've studied up to now and your exam marks
- a reference from a tutor, teacher, employer or volunteering supervisor
- where you've worked including full and part-time jobs
- a personal statement describing your ambitions, skills and experience
There's guidance on writing a personal statement on the UCAS website.
Find more information about how to apply on the UCAS website.
Fees
You pay a fee for applying with UCAS.
For 2026 entry, the fee is £28.95 for up to 5 course choices.
When to apply
Most courses have a January deadline, but some may be earlier.
The deadline is 15 October for applications to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and for most courses in:
- medicine
- dentistry
- veterinary medicine and science
Check the deadline for your course or courses on the UCAS website. You can also ask your school or college to check.
If you're applying through your school or college, they may give you an earlier deadline. This gives them time to write your reference and send your application.
If you apply after 30 June, your application will be entered into Clearing.
Clearing is the system universities and colleges use to fill empty spaces on courses. It runs from July to October.
Tracking your application
You can track your UCAS application by signing in to your UCAS Hub with your Personal ID and password.
Tracking lets you:
- find out if universities have made a decision
- manage your course choices
- receive interview invitations
- reply to offers
- add extra course choices
When to reply to offers
If you get all your offers by:
- 31 March 2026 – you must reply by 6 May 2026
- 13 May 2026 – you must reply by 3 June 2026
- 15 July 2026 – you must reply by 22 July 2026
If you do not reply in time, your offers may be declined.
If you want to defer your university place to take a 'gap year' you need to contact your university. They may consider your application for deferred entry.
Other applying options
After you submit your UCAS application you still have additional options to choose from. This depends on your circumstances and what offers you get.
UCAS Extra
If you've used all 5 choices and:
- do not receive any offers
- decline all your offers
You can use UCAS Extra from 26 February to pick one extra course choice at a time.
UCAS Clearing
UCAS Clearing starts on 2 July 2026. You can use Clearing if you:
- apply after 30 June
- did not receive any offers (or any you wanted to accept)
- did not meet the conditions of your offers
- declined your firm place
Support with your options
If you want to talk through your options you can contact a careers adviser through Skills Development Scotland.
Part-time or distance learning
If you want to study part-time or through distance learning you need to apply direct to the university.
You can search for part-time or distance learning courses on the UCAS or Discover Uni websites.