* Please join us on Tuesday, August 5th, 2025 at 8:30pm EST for a free webinar where Pam Gentry will discuss the UK university system and how to navigate the application as an American student. Registration details:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Hq10Ir_kSkmjaGbFCd-69A#/registration
More US students are applying to college in the UK
US high school students are applying to more universities in the UK. In the most recent application cycle, almost 8,000 US high schoolers applied to UK universities, a 14% increase versus the prior year and the most US applications the UK has seen since it began reporting the data in 2006.
The UCAS application vs. The Common App
This is Although a few UK universities (Cambridge and Oxford to name a few) accept the Common App, you should apply through the UK application system UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) if you’re serious about attending school in the UK. UCAS is the UK’s shared admissions service for higher education. It manages almost three million applications annually, from around 700,000 students, for full-time undergraduate courses at over 380 universities and colleges across the UK.
Setting up a UCAS application is relatively straightforward and not too different from a Common App account. US students will be familiar with many of the elements required: essays, recommendation, test scores, and some additional elements depending on the area of study.
How the UCAS Personal Statement differs from the Common App
Historically, there was only one essay required in the UK where students needed to cram as much information as possible into one document including:
- Explain why you want to study your chosen field and why it’s right for you
- Detail any volunteer or work experience in that area (not just any experience)
- Share your career plans in as much detail as possible
- Look at the university’s course content and identify what interests you (and why)
- Give evidence of skills and achievements to date that relate to your area of study and career plans
However, beginning in the 2025-2026 application cycle, the UCAS personal statement is being broken up into three different questions.
The new UCAS personal statement questions:
- Question 1: Why do you want to study this course or subject?
- Question 2: How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
- Question 3: What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
As you can see, UK universities are looking for the same information from an applicant as in previous years. They are just making it a bit easier for you to provide the details they are looking for. Each answer has a minimum character count of 350 characters, The 4,000 overall character limit (including spaces) remains the same as before.
UK Universities have more rigid requirements of applicants
The most common mistake American students make when applying to UK universities is that they do not meet the institution’s entry requirements which are rigid and clearly stated on each institution’s website. For example, the University of Edinburgh’s College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine is very clear that US students need:
Normally 3 APs all at 4 or above in Chemistry, Biology and one other subject would be required. However, we are also happy to consider a combination of APs and SAT IIs (700+) provided that they are in different subjects.
A US applicant who does not have this combination of AP classes, either completed or in progress (with expected scores of 4), should look for other options, as the University of Edinburgh would not be likely to offer admission.
Have more questions about the best ways to get into college?
Do you have questions about how to get into college? Let the experts at Great College Advice help you navigate the complicated and sometimes confusing world of college applications. We have several tiers of services we can provide that can fit any budget. With our years of experience in the world of college applications, we’ve helped thousands of students get into the college of their dreams. We can help you, too!
Contact us today for a complimentary consultation.
