Universities and Colleges Admissions Service

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS ) is a charity and private limited company based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, which provides educational support services. Incorporated on 27 July 1993, the company's main role is to operate the application process for British universities and colleges. The company is funded by fees charged to applicants and universities as well as advertising income; it was formed by the merger of the former university admissions system Universities Central Council on Admissions and the former polytechnics admissions system Polytechnics Central Admissions System. Services provided by UCAS include several online application portals, several search tools, and free information and advice directed at various audiences, including students considering higher education, students with pending applications to higher education institutes, parents and legal guardians of applicants, school and further education college staff involved in helping students apply and providers of higher education (universities and HE colleges). While UCAS is best known for its undergraduate application service (the main UCAS scheme), it also operates a number of other admissions services: UCAS Conservatoires - application and search service for performing arts at the UK conservatoire UCAS Teacher Training (UTT) – for postgraduate teacher training schemes UCAS Postgraduate – application and search facility for some postgraduate courses Location UCAS is based near Marle Hill in Cheltenham at the junction of the B4075 (New Barn Lane) and the A435 (Evesham Road), near Cheltenham Racecourse and a park and ride. It is situated just inside the parish of Prestbury, Gloucestershire.