Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS) is the central organization in the United Kingdom (UK) that processes applications to a range of college, university, and Higher National Diploma courses.
UCAS publishes a book of available courses of study. A searchable, regularly updated list is also available from the UCAS website. Prospective students complete an application form, which is sent to UCAS for processing and passed on to the relevant universities or colleges for assessment. UCAS informs the applicants whether their chosen universities or colleges can offer them a place to study. If a student receives no offers, he or she becomes eligible for clearing, a process in which UCAS helps the student find places on suitable courses with vacancies.
UCAS was established in 1993 through the merger of the Universities Central Council on Admissions (UCCA), the Polytechnics Central Admissions System (PCAS), and the Standing Conference on University Entrance (SCUE). Its headquarters are in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. UCAS is also involved in educational research, statistical and analytical services, consultancy, publishing, and advisory activities aimed at helping all users of the higher education systems.
