Updated January 2025.
Clearing? Conditional offer? If all that jargon is making your head spin, use our dictionary of UCAS application terms.
Admissions cycle
The ‘admissions cycle’ is what people say when they mean the whole process of applying to university, from application to acceptance. The admissions cycle starts in September every year and application deadlines are usually in January.
Clearing
‘Clearing’ is a UCAS process. It offers courses that still have vacancies to students, straight after they’ve received their results. You may want to use Clearing if you didn’t meet the entry conditions for your chosen university or course. Clearing can also be used to apply for courses at the last minute.
Conditional offer
When a university gives you a ‘conditional offer’, they will accept you onto your chosen course but only if you meet the minimum grade and UCAS point requirements
Conversion course
You could apply for a ‘conversion course’ if you wanted a major change to the career you’d been studying for. You could do a conversion course to top up your skills and knowledge for a dream job. For example, if you had a degree in history but were looking to switch to a law career, you could take a graduate diploma in law. You wouldn’t have to take a whole new law degree. Conversion courses are usually available for students and graduates who want to move into law, medicine, IT, psychology, property, business and management.
Deferral
You can choose to delay your application by applying at the start of an admissions cycle for the following cycle. For example, if you were offered a place on your chosen course but wanted to start the following year – perhaps because you wanted to do a gap year – you could choose a deferral.
Degree apprenticeship
You can now apply for degree apprenticeships through UCAS. A degree apprenticeship is a vocational course that allows you to study towards a degree (that you won’t need to pay for), while working with an employer. This means you get to gain work experience in a real job and get paid. A degree apprenticeship usually lasts 3-4 years and you’ll spend 80% of your time working, and 20% studying.
Firm acceptance
A ‘firm acceptance’ is what you do to confirm the university course you want to attend once you’ve received an offer. You’re accepting the offer of a place, and you’re being firm about it.
Foundation degree
Some employers offer a flexible qualification called a foundation degree. It lets you study full-time or part-time, so you can fit it into your life. You can apply to study a foundation degree through distance learning (e.g. online) or work-based learning with an employer.
Gap year
You may want a year’s break between leaving school and your next chunk of studying towards a qualification. This is known as taking a ‘gap year’. You could choose to do a gap year because you want to travel, save money, or build up the work experience on your CV. There are lots of reasons for doing a gap year, if you want one.
Industrial placement
Many employers might offer you an industrial placement as part of your degree. It’s an extended period of work experience. It will be relevant to your degree course in terms of the skills and knowledge you’ll pick up. Industry placements are usually paid.
Insurance acceptance
More than one university may decide to offer you a place, but which course will you choose? It’s a nice problem to have! If you want to keep your options open and cover your bases, you can make an ‘insurance acceptance’ along with your first-choice firm offer. The university with the lower entry requirements will have to pass your insurance offer!
Sandwich course
Some universities offer a ‘sandwich course’. It’s one where you combine academic study with working for a year in a relevant industry. Sometimes your year of industry will take place abroad. See also: industrial placement.
UCAS application form
You’ll need to fill in a UCAS application form when you register with UCAS to apply for courses. To complete the form, you’ll need to include:
- Your chosen courses and universities
- Your education and work history
- A personal statement showing why you should be given a place on the course.
UCAS Extra
What happens if you applied to UCAS for a place in Higher Education but didn’t get an offer? Never fear – UCAS Extra is here. It’s open from February to July (in 2025), and lets you have an extra choice. It’s a way for you to apply for another course without having to wait until Clearing.
UCAS personal statement
You’ll need to write a (great) UCAS personal statement as part of your application. It’s all written in your own words, and it’s a way for course tutors to get to know applicants a little better before they make their final choices. The UCAS personal statement is a chance to express your interests, experience and skills in a way the tutors can’t ignore!
UCAS Tariff Points
UCAS points, or UCAS Tariff Points, are a value given to each course and qualification. The number of points you recieve for each qualification will depend on the grade you achieve. These tariff points are used as an entry criteria to university courses. For example, if you got an A at A Level, you would get 48 points for that grade. You can add up your points for each qualification you have.
UCAS has announced that apprenticeships at Level 3 (England, Wales, and Northern Ireland) and SCQF Level 6 (Scotland) will now carry UCAS Tariff points. This will apply to 2026 entry onwards. You can use the UCAS tariff points calculator to check yours.
Unconditional offer
‘Unconditional offer’ are the two words everybody wants to hear! When a university gives you an unconditional offer, that means it’s going to give you a place on your chosen course EVEN if you didn’t get your expected results. They essentially think you’re too awesome to lose.
Vocational course
If you’re choosing a course that relates to a special job or career, it’s known as a vocational course. It will train you up in the skills and knowledge needed for that job – and you’ll get real experience in a relevant working environment, too. A degree apprenticeship is an example of a vocational course.
Withdrawal
You can withdraw your UCAS application at any time you choose once you’ve applied. The catch? Once you withdraw, you can’t apply again until the next admissions cycle.
If you don’t want the full commitment of withdrawal but you’re having second thoughts, you may choose to defer your application instead. You can do that for two admission cycles before you need to either get on that course horse or get off it.
