What are Entry Profiles?

UCAS entry profiles give applicants to Higher Education (HE) more information about the courses they want to study. They provide details about entry qualifications, selection criteria and desirable personal characteristics, much of which was not previously available. All of this is essential for making fully informed choices about entry to HE.

The profiles differ in the details of their content so that the unique features of each course can be described.

How can Profiles be used?

• to improve the match between pre-HE study and HE courses. Profiles give detailed guidance to learners as early as year 11, allowing them to tailor their post-16 study precisely to their HE needs

• to make the criteria for HE entry much clearer for applicants and their advisers by showing much more detailed information

• to show other desirable characteristics which would support HE entry, such as transferable skills. This encourages universities and colleges to indicate which factors help to make an application successful

• to inform applicants who have a wider range of post-16 qualifications and experiences.

• to support the widening participation in HE agenda.

UCAS believes that profiles are invaluable guidance tools for teachers, careers advisers and applicants, a belief fully endorsed by the people involved in the development so far.

How do I find Profiles on the web?

• All online profiles can be found via the UCAS course search

• When you find your courses of interest, look for the symbol after the course title on the results page. This shows it has a complete entry profile

• Courses without the symbol have qualification details only

• When you click on the course title you will go to the main course details page. You will find the entry profile link below the information required to complete the application form. This link will take you to the profile for that course.

The profiles are subject to a process of continuous development and updating. To help us with this task, we welcome your comments. Please send them to profiles@ucas.ac.uk. For further information, please contact Martin Eaglesham (tel: 01242 544819) or Jenny James (tel: 01242 544799).