Adjustment – If you have met and exceeded your conditions and you’d like to see if you can get on a course with higher entry requirements – while still holding your original confirmed place.
Adviser – The term UCAS uses for someone who provides you with information, advice, and support with your application. Usually your Guidance Counsellor, but could be a teacher or other agent.
Apply – This is the name of the UCAS online application system. (For postgraduate courses, Apply is combined with Track.)
Buzzword – Your school or college will have a buzzword for UCAS Undergraduate applications so you can link your application to them. It's a word you add to your application when you register to make a UCAS Undergraduate application (unless you're applying independently).
Changed course offer – You might get one of these if you haven’t met your conditions, or if the university or college has made changes to the courses they run. It might involve a different start date or point of entry, or a different course altogether.
Choice – a choice is a course you apply for – you can select up to FIVE courses on your application.
Clearing – is similar to Available Places in the CAO system. You can use it to look for alternative courses. If you didn’t get a place on a course, Clearing allows you to apply for courses that still have vacancies.
Conditional offer – This is an offer of a place on a course subject to conditions. To be accepted on the course, you’ll need to meet the conditions – usually related to your exam results.
Conservatoire – These are providers of performance-based music, dance, screen, and drama courses.
Deferral – This is what you do if you’d like to carry an offer over to start it in the following academic year. Always check with your college.
Entry requirements – These are what the course provider recommends you need to do/have to get on the course – from qualifications and specific subjects or grades, to interviews, admissions tests, and medical requirements. You aren't guaranteed an offer if you meet or already have these.
Extra – Extra is a service you can use to apply for alternative places if you do not hold an offer from your first five choices.
Firm choice – This is your preferred course that you accept from the offers you receive.
HEP – Higher Education Rrovider – a University, College, or Conservatoire.
Insurance choice – This is your second choice that you accept from the offers you receive– just in case you don’t meet the conditions of your firm offer.
Personal ID – This is the ten-digit number you get when you register to Apply. It will be on all UCAS correspondence and you will be asked for it if you need to get in touch with the Customer Experience Centre.
Personal statement – This is a piece of text (Approx. 600 words) that applicants write to show why you want to study a course and why you feel that you would be a great student for a course provider to accept.
Predicted grades – These are the grades that your subject teachers believe that you will achieve in your exams, they form part of your UCAS application.
Referee – This is the person who provides a reference for you, generally your Guidance Counsellor, school manager or a teacher.
Reference – This is a written recommendation to accompany your application. Generally from your Guidance Counsellor, school manager or a teacher .
Sandwich course – This is a course that includes an additional year where you work in the profession you're studying for.
Scheme code – This is used along with your Personal ID to identify your application.
Tariff points– UCAS Tariff points are typically only used for Ulster University courses and some Higher Education courses in regional colleges. They are calculated from your Leaving Certificate results.
Track – This is where you can see how your application is progressing. It is also where you can reply to offers and make amendments, like changing your email address etc.
UCAS – Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the UK.
UCAS Conservatoires – The application service for performance-based courses.
UCAS Postgraduate – The UCAS application service for postgraduate courses.
UCAS Teacher Training – The UCAS application service for postgraduate teacher training.
Unconditional offer – This is an offer of a place on a course with no conditions – the place is yours if you want it.
Unsuccessful – This is when you haven’t been made an offer or you haven’t met the conditions of a conditional offer.
Withdrawal –Before the decision has been made to make you an offer or not, either you or the university/college can withdraw a choice.