Your UCAS reference gives universities evidence and context from someone other than you. The route differs if you apply through a school or college, so arrange it early and give the right person the information they need.
A UCAS reference is the part of your application written by a school, college or referee rather than by you. It gives universities a concise account of your academic context, relevant strengths and any circumstances that help explain your education. It is sent to every university or college on the application, so it should support the courses as a group rather than make a case for one named choice.
If you apply through a UCAS registered school or college, the centre manages the reference. You join the centre with its buzzword, submit your application to the centre by its internal deadline, and it checks the application, adds the reference and approves it before sending the application to UCAS. The school or college may ask a teacher, tutor or another member of staff to gather information, but the centre remains responsible for the final reference and submission.
Your centre's deadline matters as much as the UCAS deadline. A school needs time to check your qualifications, obtain predicted grades where needed and complete the reference. How to Complete Your UCAS Application explains the rest of that centre-linked application process.
Before the centre begins, tell the person coordinating your application about your intended subjects, the courses you are considering, relevant academic work or experience and any deadline that applies to an early application. A centre reviews the application, but a useful reference still depends on the person writing it understanding the evidence they can support from their own knowledge and records. Giving useful information is not the same as drafting a reference for them.
What the reference contains
UCAS now presents undergraduate references in three sections. A centre-linked reference starts with brief establishment details, such as the qualifications available to the cohort or disruption that affected the whole centre. For an independent applicant, the first section instead explains the referee's relationship with the applicant and how long they have known them.
The second section records extenuating circumstances that affected education or achievement, where there is relevant information and the applicant agrees to it being shared. It can explain the impact of illness, bereavement, caring responsibilities, disability or another significant circumstance, rather than merely naming it. If an examination board or awarding organisation has already considered the circumstance, the reference should make that clear.
The third section gives concise, evidence-based information about the individual that is relevant to the courses. It can include performance in a subject or project, academic potential supported by evidence, relevant work or volunteering, transferable skills, or context around a gap year or reapplication. It is not a second Personal Statement and it does not need to repeat material already in the application unless the referee can add informed comment.
No circumstance is required for a strong application. UCAS makes clear that applicants are not disadvantaged when there is no information to enter in the extenuating-circumstances section. Sensitive personal or health information must not be included without your agreement. If a serious change happens after submission, tell each university or college directly instead of trying to add it retrospectively to the reference.
Predicted grades and the reference
Predicted grades are supplied through the reference for qualifications you have entered as pending. They are not grades you type into the education section and they are not achieved results. A school, college or appropriate independent referee provides them using professional judgement based on the evidence available.
If a centre cannot provide a predicted grade for a pending qualification, it leaves the grade blank and explains why in the reference. The independent-referee form takes a different approach: a referee unable to provide any predicted grades uses UCAS's specific unable-to-predict option, which prompts UCAS to notify you. Neither situation is a reason to leave a pending qualification out of the education section. How Predicted Grades Work in UCAS Applications explains how universities use predictions and what you can do if you are concerned about one.
Getting a reference as an independent applicant
If you are not linked to a school or college, choose someone who knows you in an academic or professional capacity and can speak credibly about your suitability for study. A previous teacher, current tutor, course provider or employer can be appropriate, depending on your background and the course. A family member, friend, partner or former partner cannot write the reference, and you cannot write it yourself.
Ask the person first and make sure they have enough time before entering their email address in your UCAS application. UCAS then emails them a link and password for the online reference system. You cannot submit the application until the referee has submitted the reference.
An independent referee cannot see your full application or your course choices. They see only the qualifications that require predicted grades. Give them a short, accurate outline of the subjects and courses you are applying for, why they fit your plans, the relevant evidence they may be able to confirm and anything you would like them to consider for the circumstances section. Do not ask them to mention a particular university, because the same reference goes to every choice.
A standard employment reference that merely confirms dates and job title is not usually enough for UCAS. If an employer knows your work well and can explain your capability, motivation and transferable skills in relation to study, they can be a suitable referee. Before relying on an employer, ask each relevant university or college whether it accepts that type of reference for the course. If it does not, a former school or college may be better placed to provide the academic context.
If you have left education, ask your old school or college whether it can link to your application for a reference. You may be able to use a reference-only link, which lets the centre add the reference and predicted grades without taking over your whole application. How to Apply Through UCAS Independently covers the wider independent route.
Visibility, timing and corrections
You do not see the reference in your UCAS application. UCAS notifies you when it has been completed, but that notification does not show the text or predicted grades. Under data-protection law, you can ask UCAS for a copy of the reference and other personal information it holds about you. That right does not make the reference editable inside the application.
For a centre-linked application, raise any factual concern before the centre sends the application to UCAS. The centre can return the application for an education correction and can unapprove a reference to amend it before submission. Returning the education section can remove predicted grades already entered, so the centre must add them again before it sends the application.
The independent route is less flexible. An independent referee must submit the reference in one online session and cannot amend it once submitted. If you discover a problem before sending your overall application, contact UCAS for instructions rather than submitting and hoping it can be corrected later.
After UCAS has received the application, it cannot change the reference or predicted grades. If new circumstances arise, or a genuine error affects how a university understands your application, contact every university or college considering you and follow its instructions. Do this promptly and provide supporting evidence only where it is needed.
