UCAS, the UK’s shared university admission service, is an independent charity working for the public benefit. Last year they handled over 3 million applications by over 750,000 students to 380 universities and colleges in the UK.
UCAS’ new strategy ‘The Next Chapter’ was launched earlier in 2025 and outlined four strategic objectives:
The next chapter for admissions | UCAS
To help deliver this new strategy UCAS launched a consultation ‘to revisit and gain consensus on topics which are regularly debated within the sector’.
On the 24TH November I participated in the first of four UCAS consultations that brought together a wide range of stakeholders to discuss four specific matters pertaining to the current UK application system. Over 100 people participated in my session, including advisers at UK schools and colleges, university admissions personnel, UCAS administrators and several International school counsellors and consultants. We worked in 9 breakout rooms, each led by a UCAS staff member who later presented the conclusions of each group to all participants.
The first two topics discussed were about two ‘dates’ or deadlines. The Early Application Date (EAD) of October 15 and the Equal Consideration Date (ECD) of January 14.
EAD Discussion-
UCAS informed us that several top tier, highly competitive UK universities, (unnamed but presumably LSE, Imperial, UCL plus others?), have expressed interest in using the October 15 early cutoff. This is currently only used by Oxford and Cambridge universities, (students can only apply to one), and Medical/Dental/Veterinary applications (students have 4 choices instead of usual 5).
The reason behind the early date is that these universities and courses have more involved selection processes including additional testing and interviews of all candidates. Oxford and Cambridge also commit to communicate decisions to students on a set date in January.
However, other top tier universities have also started using additional assessments and interviews, both because of the recent technological ease of doing so, and also due to increased competition requiring additional tools to differentiate applicants. In that context we also learned that applications to higher tariff institutions are rising, and are now around 45% of the total.
There was broad agreement against increasing the number of universities using the earlier date with the main reasons being:
Additional stress on advisers and students just returning after long summer break
Earlier predictions will be even less accurate overall including impact of staff turnover
ECD Discussion-
Last year the ECD was 27th January; the date after which courses may be filled and no places available. (in fact UCAS continues to accept applications for available courses up until October.) This year the ECD is two weeks earlier than last year, on January 14,2026..
We were asked to consider whether it should be earlier, or later?
There was complete agreement that the ECD should be no earlier than mid- January, with the main points raised including:
The need to give school personnel enough time to collate Predicted Grades
Advisers also wanted more commitment from unis to a timeframe for responses to students. There was broad agreement that May responses are very stressful for students involved in final exams. The possibility of then receiving an RBD (Rejected By Default) reply was roundly condemned as highly demoralising, with a strong recommendation it be abandoned as a university response.
UCAS personnel likewise regretted late responses and regularly pressured university admissions departments for earlier decisions.
The two questions considered in the second half of the session, after a five minute break, were:
Are Five Choices Enough or Too Many?
Currently students can make five choices of courses on their UCAS application.
Both applicants and providers are conscious of the considerable waste built into this system; both for universities making offers to students who will not accept them, and to students applying to universities they will not attend. UCAS research has shown that typically students are interested in only three of their five choices.
There was strong agreement between all of us that three was too few, given the need for a range of choices and the erratic nature of predicted grades, but an acceptance that four was a possible option.
What about Firm and Insurance Choices?
Again with the intention of streamlining the system and reducing work for providers, should there just be one choice to hold, with the whole idea of insurance being pushed into Clearing?
Most participants were very alarmed by this idea and felt that the existence of an Insurance choice was, by its very name, a psychological security net. And that giving students only one choice, still only conditional, was precarious and would have a negative impact on mental health.
Conclusion–
Overall there was remarkable consensus about what changes should be considered or avoided, and no evidence of friction or conflicting interests. The reason for this consensus was that we all shared the same priority: to avoid placing any more stress on students and staff involved in the process
UCAS staff emphasised that change was not required and the purpose of the consultation was not to make change, but to consider multiple viewpoints and ensure that the system works as well as possible for all stakeholders. Unanimity on each point with no person negatively impacted was also not realistic when providing such a massive service and they are looking for best-fit solutions rather than ones that ticked every single box.
This was the first consultation, after which participating UCAS members write up a report to be presented to the UCAS Board. Any changes they may decide upon will not be reflected until the 2028 cycle.
All in all it was a very informative and convivial afternoon, I found the 150 minutes to be very purposeful, well-organised and smoothly run. I appreciated the points raised by various participants and the mutual respect, understanding and empathy shown regarding each person’s role in the system.
