What is UCAS?
UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service is an independent charity and the UK's shared admissions service for higher education.
UCAS Council
Our Council represents UCAS' customers and other key stakeholders, and advises the Board of Trustees. Membership of the Council has been developed through formal nominations of key stakeholders and partners, and by nominating organisations and bodies, as supported and agreed by our Nominations Committee and Board of Trustees.
We have broad representation on the Council from across the higher education sector in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, as well as representation from the independent and state education sectors, from further education and from the student community. Our Council Chair is a nominee from the Committee of University Chairs.
Members
UCAS Council Chair
Mike Nicholson, Director of Recruitment, Admissions and Participation and Deputy Head of Education Services, University of Cambridge
Representative Group Nominees
- UUK – Daniel Hurley, Policy Manager, Universities UK
- GuildHE – Dr Kate Wicklow, Policy Director, GuildHE
- Independent HE – vacancy
- AoC (Association of Colleges) – Sadie Skellon, Vice Principal Weston College, University Centre Weston
- NUS (National Union of Students) – vacancy
- School Leaders Scotland – vacancy
- The Careers and Enterprise Company – John Yarham, Deputy CEO, The Careers and Enterprise Company
- Independent School Council – Helen Pike, Master, Magdalen College School
- Sixth Form Colleges Association – vacancy
- Academic Registrars Council – Kevin Rogers, Chair of the ARC Admissions Practitioner Group
- UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs) – Dr Anthony Manning, Dean for Internationalisation, University of Kent
- HELOA – Reena Littlehales, UK Chair of HELOA
Advisory & Policy Group Chairs
- Providers Group – Claire Pryke, Associate Director Outreach, Recruitment and Admissions, University of Bradford
- Advisers Group – David Ruck, Head of Future Pathways, Bristol Grammar School, Chair of the AG Group
- Student Group – Nawal Bin-Sheikh, Solicitor Apprentice, Simmons & Simmons LLP
- England Group – Dr Eleanor Parker, Business Improvement Manager, University of Cambridge
- Scottish Group – Forbes Maginnis, Virtual Headteacher, Clackmannanshire Council
- N. Irish Group – David Cunningham, Head of Careers and Coordinator of the local Area Learning Committee, Royal School Armagh
- Welsh Group – Steven Minney, Head of Student Recruitment, Swansea University
- International Group – Ruth Jones, Deputy Chief Academic Officer (Registrar and Quality), NCUK
- Conservatoires Group – Catherine Jury, Registrar and Director of Student Operations, Royal Academy of Music
Provider and Adviser representatives
- Apprenticeship provider – Daniel Lally, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Sheffield Hallam University
- FE College – Neil Coker, Principal & Chief Executive, Barnet & Southgate College
- FE College – vacancy
- Undergraduate – vacancy
- Postgraduate – vacancy
- Apprentice – Jake Howarth, UG Engineer, Dyson Ltd
Education policy experts
- Nick Ratcliffe, Public Affairs Consultant, Moot Point Consulting
- Vanessa Kind, Professor of Education, Head of the School of Education, University of Leeds
- Pete Edge, QA Higher Education
Employers and Business representatives
- Phil Warnock, Founder, Ginger Nut Media
- Zac Aldridge, Executive Director at Accelerate People Ltd
Key documents
Key dates
2025 UCAS Council meetings
- Tue 11 Feb
- Wed 18 Jun
- Wed 24 Sep
- Wed 19 Nov
Corporate governance
We are governed by our Board of Trustees, Committees, and UCAS Council, details of which can be found through these links.