UCAS Update: Key Changes for Teachers and Advisers to Support Students in 2025 and Beyond

1. Student Access to Entry Grades Data for A-Level and BTEC qualifications

UCAS is enhancing transparency by providing students with access to entry grades data directly on course details pages within the UCAS search tool. After an extensive 18-month testing program, this feature was confirmed to be both motivating and informative for students.

Students applying for 2025 entry will see the grade profiles of those who have been accepted onto courses, along with offer rates. This data empowers students to make more informed decisions by allowing them to add their predicted grades, giving them a contextualised view of their chances based on historical data. This update is designed to help students assess their options more effectively and set realistic expectations as they navigate the application process.

2. Free School Meals (FSM) Students’ Application Fee Waiver

In an effort to support underprivileged students, UCAS has announced a significant change: students who have received free school meals (FSM) at any point during the last six years will no longer have to pay the application fee. This initiative starts from the 2025 application cycle and aims to remove financial barriers for eligible students.

What You Need to Do:

• Encourage eligible students to declare their FSM status in the ‘More about you’ section of their UCAS application.
• Ensure students select the ‘Apply with Waiver’ option when submitting their application from 3 September 2024.

For Registered Centres:

• Check that your application fee payment method in ‘Centre Management’ activates the invoicing option. This is crucial to ensuring that UCAS can apply the fee waiver correctly.
• Use the Adviser Portal to provide agreement for those students who have declared they received FSM within the last six years.

It’s important to review your fee payment settings to avoid any issues where eligible students might inadvertently end up paying by card, which would nullify the waiver.

3. UCAS Outreach Connection Service 

UCAS has developed the Outreach Connection Service specifically for UK teachers and advisers, offering a streamlined online tool to support disadvantaged and underrepresented students in their journey towards higher education.

This service allows trusted providers and third-party organisations to highlight their outreach opportunities. Teachers and advisers can then connect their students with relevant opportunities, helping to ensure that these students have access to the resources and support they need. Students can also formally record up to two of these activities on their UCAS application under the ‘extra activities’ section, further demonstrating their engagement and commitment.

4. Changes to Personal Statements for 2026 Entry

UCAS is revamping the personal statement process for 2026 entry onwards, shifting from a single long-form statement to a more structured format with three distinct sections. Each section will have a minimum character count of 350, and a total character counter will be visible to help students stay on track.

The New Questions Are:

1. Why do you want to study this course or subject?
2. How have your qualifications and studies helped you prepare for this course or subject?
3. What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

The updated format aims to provide clearer guidance to students, helping them focus their responses on specific areas and better showcase their readiness for higher education.

To help you effectively guide your students through these changes, we encourage you to book the Advancing Access session on “Supporting students to write personal statements.” 

This session, which forms part of your Continuing Professional Development (CPD), is designed specifically for teachers and advisers. It equips you with the tools and insights needed to support your students as they prepare their applications to higher education. The session can be delivered either in your school or online, providing flexibility to meet your professional development needs.

Final Thoughts

These updates reflect UCAS’s ongoing commitment to improving access to higher education and ensuring students are well-supported throughout their application journey. We deeply appreciate the vital role you play as teachers and advisers in implementing these changes and guiding your students every step of the way. Your dedication makes a huge difference in helping students make informed decisions about their futures.

Thank you for everything you do to empower the next generation of students.

Useful links:

•  https://www.ucas.com/advisers/news/adviser-lives/ask-us-anything/ask-us-anything-resources
• Book our CPD sessions on UCAS references and Personal Statements here: https://www.advancingaccess.ac.uk/request-cpd