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We’ve got lots of resources and information dedicated to helping parents and guardians support students apply to uni.
UCAS for parents – open days
UCAS for parents – funding and finance
UCAS for parents – applying
UCAS for parents – Clearing
How the application works
BSL Parent Guide
UCAS for parents in under 90 seconds
Helen, a UCAS adviser whose son is making his application to university this year, explains how an open day visit will help your child choose the right course, and gives her tips on how to make the most of the visit.
UCAS for parents in under 90 seconds
Helen, a UCAS adviser whose son is making his application to university this year, explains how to find out what it's going to cost.
UCAS for parents in under 90 seconds
Helen, a UCAS adviser whose son is making his application to university this year, explains how you can help your child with their application.
UCAS for parents – Clearing
UCAS adviser Helen explains how Clearing can help if your child doesn't get their results they need to get into their chosen uni.
How the application process works
This video explains how students apply, make choices, and how you can help them.
How to support your child
If you're a parent or guardian of someone applying through UCAS, this signed video will help.
Parent newsletters – sign up
Get updates and all the information you need, along with timely explanations of the application process.
- Download in-depth information:
Parent Guide 2018 entry (8.57 MB) or Parent Guide 2018 entry — Welsh (11.18 MB)
The Parent Guide 2019 will be available from the end of June 2018.
- Check the latest definitions of all the terms used in higher education.
- Applying from outside the UK?
- Download our International undergraduate guide for parents.
- We've also created a guide on applying to study an undergraduate qualification in the UK, in 13 different languages.
- Download our
Do you have limited internet access?
You can download and print our PDF guide to the application form (1.37 MB), to see what’s required for the application process – including help text. But, we do not accept paper applications.
Important – students will still need to register and complete their application online.
What you need to know about the application process
Most courses start in September, and some require applications to be submitted almost a year in advance – unless they’re for part-time courses.
There are a few different stages to the process – and deadlines vary depending on the course – so the earlier the application is started, the better.
We've created a handy tool to guide you through the application process, so you can stay up-to-date with what applicants need to do when. It contains links to useful pages of the website, which you can share to point students in the right direction.
Go to the parent information tool
Know your rights!
Choosing the right course at the right university is an important decision, involving a significant investment of time and money. Did you know that students have specific rights under consumer law? Universities have obligations to provide the information students need to make informed decisions, as well as obligations to treat them fairly during their studies.
To find out more, take a look at the information on our website.
Top ten tips
- Start research early – there are a lot of higher education options to choose from!
- Know the deadlines – for some courses, the application deadline is almost a year in advance of when the course starts.
- Browse through courses – so they can work out what they would enjoy or be interested in.
- Go to UCAS events and course provider open days – speak to us and higher education staff to get answers to their questions.
- Check entry requirements – make sure they can get the grades they need to get a place on a course.
- Redraft their personal statement – get plenty of feedback and refine it until they’re happy.
- Understand student finance – so they can make the best arrangements to fund their studies.
- Be prepared for results day – make sure they’re prepared for all the possible outcomes.
- Understand how Extra and Clearing work – different ways to apply for more courses.
- Visit our Facebook and Twitter regularly to get advice and ask questions.