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What’s happening in Scotland?

Tue 13 December 2022 - 11:23

By Holly Brown, Policy Adviser, UCAS in Higher education

After two years of educational disruption linked to COVID, the higher education (HE) sector seems to be entering a period of natural reflection. Those across the education sector are asking how we can ensure that individuals accessing education can thrive, and what needs to be changed going forward.

At UCAS, we want to take this opportunity to look at the broader picture in Scotland through our end of cycle data, before covering the key points from our response to the Scottish Government’s National Discussion. Our response to the consultation is very much shaped by the wider context of the significant uplift in student numbers that we are anticipating in the next few years. By the 2026 admissions cycle, we’re projecting that we could see up to one million applicants, around 27% more than in 2021, and twice as many as in 2006. In Scotland specifically, we expect a 10% increase in...

Are we at a crossroads for access and participation?

Wed 9 November 2022 - 10:00

By Carys Willgoss, Principal Policy Adviser and Ellie Rowley, Fair Access Programme Lead in Widening access and participation

Supporting disadvantaged students is at the heart of UCAS’ charitable objects – we are committed to helping students from all backgrounds in progressing into and through education. Our origin story itself – the merger of Universities Central Council on Admissions (UCCA) and Polytechnics Central Admissions System (PCAS) in 1992 – was designed to create equality of opportunity for aspiring students, streamlining two systems into one.

Most recently, UCAS has significantly invested in this area through the launch of the Fair Access Programme to build on our existing work and add additional value to the work already underway across the sector. Through our response to the...

From insight to action – building the South West nursing workforce of the future

Mon 3 October 2022 - 15:03

By Carys Willgoss, Principal Policy Adviser, UCAS in Higher education

The past 18 months has seen UCAS accelerate its ambition to be the go-to place for higher education data-driven insights. We’ve published no fewer than ten policy reports during this period, sharing our insight to drive positive change. One such report was our deep-dive into nursing, ‘Next Steps: Who are the ‘future nurses’?’ The report, published in January 2022 in partnership with Health Education England (HEE), painted a picture of the next generation of nurses who have been inspired by the pandemic.

Rather than filing these reports into the data archives, we want to ensure their longevity and utility. That’s why, last week, UCAS took the opportunity to host a roundtable event, in conjunction with regional nursing specialists from the South West. With thanks to the 40+ colleagues who attended – the learnings were fivefold.

1. The data story - rising demand masks regional inequalities  ...

How accessible is university for learners with SEND?

Tue 27 September 2022 - 08:15

By Alex Grady Head of Education and Whole School SEND, nasen in Widening access and participation

What do you understand by ‘SEND’ or ‘special educational needs and disabilities’? There can be an assumption (probably an unconscious one) that learners with SEND will not be on a pathway to higher education, as they have ‘learning difficulties’. This is a misconception. There are many reasons why a young person is on the SEND register, many of which should not and do not mean that they don’t have the academic potential to access HE.

Take the young person with autism, who achieves highly in their chosen subjects but may find social interaction and change or transition challenging, and so is anxious about moving on to HE and doesn’t apply. Or the young person with a physical disability who communicates via eye gaze technology, but has exceptional ability in science (Stephen Hawking, anyone?). How about the young person who has recently been identified with dyslexia, which helps to explain why they have struggled to get their essays in on time – their potential in history...

Applicants love to hear from students so how we capture their views matters

Wed 31 August 2022 - 12:26

By Carys Willgoss, Principal Policy Adviser, UCAS  in Higher education

The latest consultation on changes to the National Student Survey (NSS) could be summarised as evolution, not revolution. This phase covers several thematic areas, building on findings from earlier stages of the review, dating back to 2020. Nonetheless, applicants consistently speak of the value of hearing from current students. For example, when we asked this year’s applicants how important certain factors were in deciding which universities or colleges to apply to, 88% told us that good student reviews were ‘extremely important’ or ‘important.’

This means that ensuring that the NSS remains fit for purpose as an information tool will be critical to UCAS’ objective of inspiring and...

Five reasons to find a place in Clearing this year

Thu 18 August 2022 - 14:02

By Sam Sykes, Digital Learning Manager in UCAS advice

If you’re thinking about reapplying next year, here are five reasons you may want to consider going through Clearing this year instead:

  1. There are still thousands of Clearing places available. With so many options available, there’s still a place out there that could be right for you. Revisit all the research you did – whether that was open days, notes on league tables or modules on offer for inspiration. Those courses and unis were on your shortlist for a reason.
  2. You can stick to your plan. Think back to why you applied to uni in the first place. You made a plan to experience a new place and meet new people this year. Uni is still a great way to discover new things and embrace some independence. You could use UniBuddy to chat to students currently at uni to get their insight into what they like about their course and where they study.
  3. It is likely to be...

Time for some post-match (consultation) analysis

Thu 11 August 2022 - 12:17

By Carys Willgoss, Principal Policy Adviser in UCAS advice

In June, we had a hint from then Universities Minister, Michelle Donelan, announcing that ‘no-one is talking about limiting the overall number of people who go to higher education.’ However, ministerial changes since then mean that details remain unclear.

Both leadership campaigns have made pledges related to education and skills and, once in post, figuring out the next steps for higher education reform will be high on political agendas. By way of reminder, here’s an overview of UCAS’ evidence to date.

What’s happening with demand for HE and training?

UCAS projects the 2026 cycle could see one million applicants – around 27% more than in 2021, and double those seen in 2006. About 55% of this increase will be attributable to a growth in demand from UK 18-year-olds (...

Strengthening advice and guidance on technical pathways will allow all young people to make the best decision for their future

Mon 8 August 2022 - 08:11

By Holly Brown in UCAS advice

Here at UCAS, we know that this experience can be even more challenging when the pathways to access these different options aren’t always clear, and we are conscious that this is an issue facing many today. Our research into what influences the choices school leavers make found that two in five young people reported that more information and guidance would have led to them making better choices.

Information about apprenticeships needs to be provided equally to all groups of students

This same UCAS research found that, in particular, information on vocational and technical pathways is often lacking - almost one in three school leavers said they did not receive any information about apprenticeships from their school. Similarly, over half of the pupils we...

A year in the life of a data scientist at UCAS

Tue 5 July 2022 - 09:24

By Emily Bennett in UCAS advice

In the Policy Unit at UCAS, I’ve had the opportunity to lead our research and identify key insights on student progression, and help tell their stories. Over the past twelve months, we have delved into the depths of the data held here at UCAS to pick out behaviours and traits of applicants to UK higher education that haven’t been explored before.

Back in September 2021, we took a closer look at applicants who shared an LGBT+ identity in the UCAS application form – a first of its kind release. This piece of work provided brand new insights into the differences, and similarities, between LGBT+ applicants and their non-LGBT+ peers, including their experience in education to date, their likelihood to share a mental health condition, and their likelihood to be from less advantaged backgrounds. It also highlighted the more challenging...

Disabled students make diversity and inclusion a priority when making their choices

Fri 1 July 2022 - 11:03

By UCAS in UCAS advice

Whoever you are, whatever your motivations, hitting ‘submit’ on your UCAS application is a big moment. It is the culmination of months (sometimes years) of research, soul-searching, discussions about the right choices … not to mention the work that goes into crafting your personal statement. Everyone responds differently: some students feel absolute certainty in their decision, others feel more trepidatious. As the decisions roll in and the start of the course looms closer, anticipation and nervousness can set in because starting university or an apprenticeship can feel daunting – it marks a significant change in your life, after all. Ultimately though, it’s a time of excitement: there is the promise of a fresh start where you can be yourself and open yourself up to new experiences, both social and academic.

Higher education is about more than the academic side. Developing new friendship groups and support networks...

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