How to use the UCAS Course Search

With over 50,000 undergraduate courses on offer from over 300 universities and colleges, finding the right course for you can feel incredibly overwhelming and you may be wondering where to start. Fortunately, UCAS are on hand to help you discover the right degree programme for you. The best place to go is the UCAS Course Search where you can browse the full range of subjects and start to get an idea about what you want to study at university. Whether it is Physics or Art History, on UCAS Course Search you will be able to see all the available courses.

UCAS Course Search

UCAS Course Search is simple to navigate – you simply type in the subject you want to study and add geographical preferences if you have any. You are then presented with a full list of courses related to your search enquiry and the universities that offer them. You can even see degree programmes on related subjects which you may not have considered before, so feel free to investigate these different options! University is an exciting opportunity to pick up a new subject, or go in a direction you haven’t explored before.

First of all, you need to think of a subject to search. What do you want to study?

It’s a good idea to start with a subject that you have enjoyed studying at school such as Mathematics or have come across in your wider reading or extra-curricular activities, like Computer Science. Sometimes you may wish to study a subject that you have not studied before or was not offered at your school, so make sure you lots of research to make sure this is the right course for you. You can gain a good sense of a subject from reading related books, attending lectures and seminars, or doing work experience in a relevant sector. Don’t worry if this is the case – universities know that some students will be taking up new subjects, especially if the subject is not widely studied in secondary education.

You may also want to consider what type of career you want to have. An obvious example is if you want to be a doctor. Whilst you can convert and pursue this path later in life, it makes sense to study Medicine. Or if you want to be a pharmacologist, you may want to study Pharmacology. Attracted by a career in finance? Then an Economics or Finance degree might be your best option. Choosing a degree based on the job you want can be helpful for some applicants. Applied degrees are designed to help students develop the skills and knowledge necessary for successful careers. Many careers such as accountancy, medicine or veterinary medicine require practitioners to have gained academic qualifications in the appropriate subject. For others, however, this is not the case.

If you are not sure what you want to do after university, that’s okay! Think about what subject you enjoy. You are likely going to spend the next three years or so studying this subject, so you need to make sure it is something you actually want to study. A degree requires many hours of reading and lectures, so it’s a good idea to choose a subject you are passionate about. Subjects such as Geography and History may not seem directly relevant for certain careers, but these courses develop many of the transferrable skills sought after by employers.

The vast range of subjects available presents numerous exciting opportunities to branch out into new academic territory. However, it is best not to apply to too many. For example, if you apply for French at one university and Physics at another, it will be difficult to sufficiently address each subject in your personal statement. On the other hand, some subjects differ between universities, so don’t worry if you are applying to International Relations at one, but Politics at another as an example. Think about the cohesiveness of your personal statement.

To come up with your shortlist of the five universities you are going to apply to, you are going to have to compare multiple courses. Here are some things to think about when choosing what to apply to:

• Modules. Have a look at the course description to see what modules are on offer. Are there any that particularly excite you? Do some modules bear special relevance for the career path you want to take?

• Entry requirements. Universities will require different entry requirements even for the same subjects, so double-check that this course is attainable.

• Teaching style. Some courses have more in-person tuition than others. Do you prefer lectures or seminars? If you want to pursue a science degree such as Chemistry, you may want to consider how much lab time is on offer.

• Assessment. Will you be tested through presentations, examinations, or coursework? Is there one that works better for you?

• Content. Course content varies from institution to institution and often depends on the teaching staff. Make sure that there are lecturers you want to learn from.

Which university?

It is also important to think about where you want to study. The UCAS Degree Search allows you to filter results based on location, so if you only want to study in London, for example, you can do so. Each university has its own unique character, strengths, and flaws, so make sure you take time to think about the place as well as the course.

When deciding between universities, it is worth thinking about the reputation of a particular school. Many places specialise in a particular subject or area and therefore devote a lot of resources to this. If a university specialises in History, it may not be the best place to study Physics. Do your research and look at league tables.

You may also want to think about opportunities to study abroad or go on a placement.

Do they have good facilities? If you want to continue playing sports, have a look at whether the university has good sports facilities.

Think about the location. Do you want to study in a city? Have you thought about studying in the countryside? Some universities are campus-based, others are spread out across a town or city. Which is the best for you?

Accommodation is another important factor to consider. Ask students there already how accommodation works and if it will suit your budget. You may need to seek further financial aid if this is the case.

The UCAS website also allows you to search when open days are. The importance of looking around a university, whether in person or virtually, cannot be stressed enough. You want to make sure you like the place you will be living for the next three years!

Entry Requirements

You will notice on the UCAS Search system that every course has entry requirements. These are often the minimum grades admission teams will accept and include any language qualifications international students need to study at that particular institution.

Some universities do not accept A-levels or equivalents in certain subjects such as General Studies, to it is imperative you do your research to make sure your application is valid.

It’s sensible to be realistic. By the time you submit your UCAS application, you should have received either your exam results or predicted grades. If you are applying with predicted grades, be realistic about what you can achieve. You don’t want to waste one of your choices on a course with requires A*AA if it is very unlikely you will achieve those grades. In this instance, if you were predicted AAA, for example, it is a good idea to discuss applying for a course with higher requirements with your tutors or teachers and see what advice they can offer.

You can only apply to 5 universities or colleges. You may have heard about ‘firm’ and ‘insurance’ choices – these are the final two offers students have accepted before their exam results. The firm choice tends to have higher grade requirements than the insurance. When choosing what places to apply to, it’s a good idea to have a range of entry requirements. Depending on the advice of your teachers, maybe look at choosing one or two options which are slightly higher than your predicted grades but still attainable. Then pick a couple or so that match your predicted grades. Just to be safe, students often choose one or two ‘safety nets’ depending on their other choices. ‘Safety nets’ are courses which have slightly lower grade boundaries and are there in case your exam results don’t go as expected. If this is the case, you can alternatively go through Clearing on results day.

The advice of your teachers and supervisors is valuable, so make sure to get their opinion before you submit your final choices!

If you do not receive any offers or do not want to accept any that you have received, don’t worry, you still have plenty of options to explore! UCAS Extra Search allows you to apply to another course if you have not received any offers. You are only eligible to use UCAS Extra if you have already submitted your 5 choices unsuccessfully. Then, a button will appear in Track, allowing you to search for courses which still have vacancies. Bear in mind that you can only apply to one course at a time through Extra. If you accept an offer, this is now your firm choice and you cannot apply elsewhere. If you still do not receive any offers through Extra, you can use Clearing later on!

It is also worth noting that you can only apply to either Cambridge or Oxford at undergraduate level – you cannot apply to both. If you are considering Oxbridge, research the courses as well as the university thoroughly before making a decision. Oxbridge applications also tend to require more than just your UCAS application, and you may be asked to complete further assessment tests or an interview.

There are different types of undergraduate courses available for study:

• Foundation Years – these include one year of full-time study and are designed to prepare students with the skills and knowledge required to study that subject at degree level.

• Foundation Degrees – two-year full-time study programmes to help students gain entry to a full degree programme. This is particularly useful if you didn’t meet the grades required for a degree or take the relevant exams

• Apprenticeship Degrees – combine academic study and practical work.

• Bachelor degrees – the most common undergraduate programme. These are often 3 or 4 years of full-time study, whilst modern languages may be longer. You can do single or joint honours, or even more depending on the subjects and where you are studying. Some allow students to study aboard or take a year out in industry on placement.

UCAS Postgraduate Search

The UCAS Postgraduate Search system is similar to the undergraduate but is slightly different. If you are considering applying for a master’s programme, for example, you need to register with UCAS Postgraduate. You can use this service to apply for some courses. However, some universities prepare students to apply directly to them, so make sure you check in advance.