Information for applicants

When we receive your application, we will contact you by email to let you know the next steps.

Don’t worry if you don't know what to expect – we know that this is likely to be the first time you have applied to university so we’ll help guide you through the process. And if you have any questions at any stage of the application process, please do ask us – we’re here to help support you and we’re always happy to help.

We will send you an e-mail confirming your username and password for the UCA Applicant Portal when we receive your application. The Applicant Portal enables you to view the status of your application online and gives you easy access to the following information:

• Advice on preparing your portfolio (if your course requires a portfolio)
• An online portfolio upload task (if your course requires a portfolio)
• Our decision on your application 
• A link to apply for accommodation
• Information and advice for international applicants on how to pay your deposit and apply for your visa
• Information on how to enrol on your course

In addition to the information in the Applicant Portal, we will also email you with updates, so please check that we have the most up-to-date contact details for you.

Once your application has been received, the majority of applicants who live in the UK will be invited to attend an Applicant Day.

You will receive an email when your Applicant Day has been scheduled. Once you receive this email, you should log in to the Applicant Portal and read your Applicant Day Guide. Your Applicant Day will take place where your course is taught.

If you live outside of the UK, we will ask you to send us your portfolio of work via the Applicant Portal.

If your application has been successful, you will receive an offer email from us. Details of your offer can also be viewed via the Applicant Portal.

If you have applied via UCAS, you can accept your offer by logging into UCAS Track.

If you have applied directly to UCA, you can accept your offer in the UCA Applicant Portal by following the instructions in your portal inbox.

If you are successful in getting an offer, it might be an “unconditional” or a “conditional” offer.

An unconditional offer doesn’t have any conditions that you need to meet before you can start the course.

A conditional offer will come with conditions that you do need to meet before you can start the course. This might be academic conditions, where we’ll ask you to achieve certain grades in your exams/qualifications and/or you might be asked to provide a portfolio of work or other information.  

You may be asked to provide a portfolio to showcase of your thoughts, processes and passions. If you’ve never put together a portfolio please check out Portfolio Advice webpage, which includes a range of subject-specific videos guides.

If you have received a conditional offer from us, you should send proof that you have met the conditions of the offer as soon as possible.  All qualification results should be in English; if your qualifications are not in English they should be accompanied by a certified translation.

UCAS applicants studying A Levels

If you have applied via UCAS for a full time undergraduate course and you are currently studying A Level qualifications, we should receive your results automatically from UCAS in August. We don’t need you to send us copies of your A Level results. If you are an international applicant, you will need to obtain a letter from your school confirming your grades – this will be submitted as part of your visa application.

If you have already completed your A Levels, please email us copies of your results to qualifications@uca.ac.uk (UK applicants). For EU and International Applicants please upload your qualifications via the applicant portal. You should include your name, student reference number and course you are applying to in your email.

Direct Applicants/UCAS Applicants not studying A Levels

If you have applied directly to UCA, or if you have applied via UCAS and you are not currently studying A Levels, please email copies of your results to qualifications@uca.ac.uk (UK applicants). For EU and International Applicants please upload your qualifications via the applicant portal. You should include your name, student reference number and course you are applying to in your email.

If your offer is conditional on you gaining an English language qualification, please email us a copy of your results to qualifications@uca.ac.uk (UK applicants) or internationaladmissions@uca.ac.uk (EU and International applicants).

If you do not meet the English language condition of your offer, you may be eligible to take our Pre-sessional English course.

Applicants who do not require a visa
Please refer to our Non-UK equivalent qualifications section for full details of our English language requirements.

Applicants who require a visa
Please refer to our English language requirements and support section for full details of our English language requirements.

Once you have firmly accepted your place with us, you can apply for campus accommodation via the Applicant Portal. You will be able to do this from March and you will be notified when this is open.

For detailed information about accommodation, please see our Accommodation section.

Throughout the admissions process you will be given an equal opportunity to demonstrate your skills, achievements and potential. You will be treated on an equal and fair basis and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality, religion, disability or age.

In accordance with this, we have policies and procedures that we adopt throughout the admissions process.

Before you accept your offer at UCA, we also recommend you view our terms and conditions and the student regulations and policies which will apply once you join your course.

For more information about tuition fees, student loan information and financial support, see the fees & finance section.

Current and future term dates (if available) can be viewed on the term dates web page.

For more information on the help, guidance and support we offer to our students, see the Student Services section.

If you are an international applicant, please also see our International Study section for information on tuition fees and deposits, applying for your visa and information specific to your home country.

On receipt of your application, we will send you an email with your username and password.  If you forget your password, you can request a new password on the Applicant Portal Login page. Alternatively, you can contact our Admissions Team on 01252 416110 or email admissions@uca.ac.uk (UK applicants) or internationaladmissions@uca.ac.uk (EU and International applicants).

It is very important that we have the correct contact details for you.  You can update your details via the “Edit your Contact Details” link on the Applicant Portal homepage or email us at admissions@uca.ac.uk (UK applicants) or internationaladmissions@uca.ac.uk (EU and International applicants).

You can defer your offer for one academic year. If you need to defer your offer of a place, you should email admissions@uca.ac.uk (UK applicants) or internationaladmissions@uca.ac.uk (EU or International applicants) specifying your reason for deferral.

Your request to defer will be considered and you will be notified of the outcome by email.

As a consequence of deferring your entry to the following year, you accept that we may be required to make changes to your course before you enrol. Should this be the case, we will notify you of any variations as soon as reasonably practicable.

We’ll get back to you as soon as we can, which is usually within 2 working days.

If you are applying from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan or Sri Lanka, please email southasia.admission2@uca.ac.uk.

If you are applying from India or Nepal and enquiring about PCI's or refunds, please email southasia.admission2@uca.ac.uk. For all your other enquiries, please email southasia.admissions@uca.ac.uk.

If you are applying from anywhere else, please email internationaladmissions@uca.ac.uk.

Tel: +44 (0)1252 416110
Email: admissions@uca.ac.uk