The UCAS reference is a statement about the applicant written by someone else, usually a teacher or adviser at the school or college, and UCAS normally needs it in the application before it can be submitted. It sits alongside the predicted grades for any qualifications still pending, and it is sent to every university and college the student has chosen. Students applying through a school or college do not see it, so the useful work is briefing the referee well and meeting the internal deadline the school sets.
Because the referee writes in a separate section, the personal statement and the reference tend to cover different ground, with the student describing their own motivation and preparation and the referee giving an academic judgement and any relevant context. UCAS guidance for referees asks them to avoid repeating what the student has already written, to avoid naming any particular university, and to share personal circumstances only with the applicant's consent.
What is the UCAS reference and who writes it?
The reference is a section of the UCAS application completed online by a referee, in English unless the applicant is applying to Welsh institutions and the rest of the application is in Welsh. UCAS says that someone in or recently in education should use a referee who knows them academically, which in a school or sixth-form college means a teacher or adviser there. Family members, friends, partners and ex-partners are not allowed as referees, and UCAS warns that an application using one may be cancelled.
In a school or college, the student enters the centre's buzzword at the start of the application and confirms that data can be shared. The centre then reviews the application, can return it for changes, adds the reference and predicted grades, and approves both. Only one reference is needed, although a university may accept an additional one if the applicant asks.
When does the reference need to be in?
The application cannot be submitted to UCAS until the referee has completed the reference and added it to the application. For students at a school or college, the centre submits the application by the UCAS deadline, so the date that matters first is the internal deadline the school sets; UCAS advises applicants to meet it so the reference and predicted grades can be added in time.
Independent applicants remain responsible for submitting by the UCAS deadline, and UCAS advises requesting the reference as soon as the educational history section is complete. The only exception is where every chosen university and college agrees that no reference is needed, which the applicant confirms on the reference page.
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Enquire about this tutorWhat does UCAS say the reference should cover?
UCAS says the reference should give academic information relevant to the courses chosen, together with predicted grades for qualifications that are still pending. Universities and colleges see it under three headings, and UCAS guidance for centres describes each one.
The reference has a limit of 4,000 characters including spaces, headings and line breaks, and UCAS advises keeping the entered text under 3,800 characters. UCAS describes the limit as a limit and not a target, asks for short, clear, factual statements, and notes that bold, italics and underlining are removed on submission. Predicted grades form part of the reference, and once it is sent UCAS cannot change either.
- Establishment details: a general statement about the school or college, which can include performance, progression rates, the qualifications offered and significant staff changes.
- Extenuating circumstances: information that contextualises the student's educational background, included only with the student's consent, with a tick box when there is nothing to report. UCAS says applicants are not disadvantaged if there is no information to share.
- Other supportive information: evidence of suitability for the course, such as performance and academic ability in relevant qualifications, relevant work experience, or an explanation for a gap year or reapplication.
How is the UCAS reference different from the personal statement?
The personal statement is written by the student and the reference is written by the referee, so the two give separate accounts within one application. UCAS describes the reference as the only part of an independent applicant's application that the applicant does not write.
The personal statement is built from three questions: why the student wants to study the course or subject, how their qualifications and studies have prepared them, and what else they have done outside education to prepare. It has a total limit of 4,000 characters across the three answers. The reference answers a different set of questions, namely how the school or college views the student's academic ability, what grades it predicts, and what context sits behind both.
How do independent applicants find a UCAS referee?
Independent applicants ask someone who knows them academically or professionally, such as a previous teacher or a current or past employer, to act as referee. UCAS suggests two routes: a previous teacher can link the application to their school or college using its buzzword, after which the centre must accept the link, or an employer can be named directly. Once a centre accepts a link, the applicant cannot unlink and has to contact UCAS.
The applicant should first secure the referee's agreement, then enter their details so that UCAS emails them a link and password. If they do not respond, the section offers an option to ask a different person. UCAS advises explaining to an employer that an academic-style reference is needed, because a standard employment reference giving dates of attendance is generally not accepted. Some providers accept employment references from applicants who have been out of education for a while, so each choice is worth checking.
What can a student do to help the referee, and what stays out of their hands?
A student can help the referee by agreeing the course choices with them early, sharing a draft of the personal statement, and passing on a list of subject-related activities and any circumstances they are happy for the referee to mention. Referees writing for independent applicants cannot see the whole application, and UCAS guidance tells them to ask the applicant which courses were chosen and what should be covered.
The student cannot see the reference when applying through a school or college, and independent applicants are only told when the section is complete. Applicants can request a copy of the reference and other personal information held about them under data protection law. UCAS says it cannot make changes to the reference or predicted grades once sent, so raising anything the referee should know happens before the referee submits.
- Course choices: tell the referee which subjects the student is applying for, since a reference cannot name a particular university.
- Personal statement draft: sharing it lets the referee comment on the application without repeating it, which UCAS asks referees to avoid.
- Super-curricular list: major achievements in the subject outside lessons are the kind of detail that Christ's College, Cambridge, asks referees to include, whilst it says unrelated hobbies are not assessed.
- Circumstances: the student decides whether to give permission for personal circumstances to be mentioned, because UCAS says they may only be included with consent.
- Time: giving the referee plenty of notice matters, because the application cannot be submitted until the reference is added.
How do universities use references, and what mistakes are common?
Universities set out their own use of the reference, and Christ's College, Cambridge, states that without one it cannot consider the application. It says it treats the referee's predicted grades as a gauge of how well the student is likely to do in their exams, that offer conditions usually reflect the demands of the course and any concerns raised at interview, and that it looks for detailed academic comment including cohort ranking and specific examples such as test results, homework or class contributions. UCAS adds that information about personal circumstances is used only to understand context and support needs, and is never used to decide whether to make an offer.
Several slips recur in the published guidance. Students name a family member or friend as referee, leave the request until close to the deadline, assume the referee can see the whole application, or forget to give permission before circumstances are mentioned. Independent applicants sometimes send an employer a request without explaining that an academic-style reference is needed. Referees, for their part, are advised not to repeat the personal statement, name a university or rely on formatting that is stripped on submission.
Related guides
- University application tutors
- Oxbridge application support
- Complete UCAS application guide
- UCAS personal statement: the three new questions
- How to write a personal statement
- What are super-curricular activities?
- Writing an Oxbridge personal statement
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Frequently asked questions
- What is a UCAS reference?
- A UCAS reference is a section of the application written by a referee who knows the student academically, usually a teacher or adviser at their school or college. It gives academic information relevant to the chosen courses and predicted grades for qualifications still pending. UCAS says the application cannot be submitted until the referee has completed it, and that only one reference is needed.
- Can applicants see their UCAS reference?
- Students applying through a school or college do not have access to the reference, and independent applicants are told when the section is complete but cannot read it. Applicants can ask UCAS for a copy of the reference and other personal information held about them under data protection law. The reference cannot be edited by the student at any point.
- Who can write a UCAS reference for an applicant who is not at a school or college?
- UCAS says independent applicants can ask a previous teacher to link the application to their school or college using its buzzword, or ask a current or past employer. The referee must know the applicant academically or professionally, and cannot be a family member, friend, partner or ex-partner. An employer should be told that an academic-style reference is needed.
- Can a UCAS reference be changed after it has been sent?
- UCAS says that once a reference has been sent it cannot be returned, and that UCAS cannot make changes to the reference or predicted grades. Referees are advised to use the preview option before submitting. If circumstances change afterwards, the guidance for centres says the adviser should inform each chosen university or college directly.
- Does the UCAS reference name the universities the applicant has applied to?
- UCAS guidance for referees says the reference should avoid mentioning any specific university or college, because the same reference goes to every choice. Referees writing for independent applicants cannot see the full application, so they are advised to check the chosen courses and the points to cover with the applicant before writing.
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