Making a UCAS application

​Applicants who wish to study at Loughborough University will need to apply through UCAS. Loughborough’s institution name is LBRO, and our institution code is L79. The course code will depend on the degree to which you are applying.​ You can find the course code on our course pages.

Register with UCAS

Before you can do anything, you will need to register with UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). This is the official application route for the majority of full-time undergraduate courses.

If you are applying for our Art and Design Foundation, you will need to apply to us directly and not through UCAS. Take a look at our website for more information about how to apply for this course. 

If you are at school or college, you will be given a buzzword which will associate your account with your institution. It will also allow your teacher to input their reference.

The application consists of six sections:

  • Section 1: Personal Details
  • Section 2: University Choices
  • Section 3: Formal Qualifications
  • Section 4: Employment History
  • Section 5: Personal Statement
  • Section 6: Reference

These sections can be completed in any order, but it’s important that you check each section of your application thoroughly before you submit it, to ensure there are no mistakes.

Section 1: Personal details

This section is relatively straight-forward but take care to ensure that your name and nationality match your official documents, and your contact details are correct.

You have the option to add a nominated contact who may speak to universities on your behalf. This is usually a parent, guardian or teacher, and if you want, you can add more than one name. If someone contacts us about your application on your behalf, but they are not listed as your nominated contact, we will not be able to speak to them. 

Section 2: University choice

In this section, you can choose up to five courses which you want to study. At this point in the application process you do not need to sort them in order of preference but do double check that you have entered the correct institution and course codes. You can apply for more than one course at a particular university if you want to. 

Loughborough’s institution name is LBRO, and our institution code is L79. The course code will depend on the degree to which you are applying. 

As well as the course codes, our course pages include details of our typical offers. It is important to research the typical offers for the courses you’re interested in and that you feel they are achievable. At this stage don’t be afraid to make a mixture of aspirational choices and ones with more comfortable typical offers. Also check that you meet any GCSE requirements that are stated, or contact the Department to see if they accept retakes.

Section 3: Formal qualifications

You need to enter all formal academic qualifications that you have already completed as well as those you are currently working towards. We like to find out as much as we can about our applicants, so if you have any graded music, drama, dance, Duke of Edinburgh or sport leadership awards you should include these – they will help to demonstrate the breadth of your learning and that you have sought to develop skills that will be useful for higher education study.

All our courses have minimum GCSE English language requirements and some have GCSE maths and science requirements so make sure you have included these, especially if you are re-taking.

If you are an international student or have alternative qualifications check the English language requirements for the courses you are interested in applying for. 

Section 4: Employment history

If you have any previous or current employment history, this is where you would list this information. This includes any work experience, volunteering, internships and part-time work. Not everyone will have employment history, which is why you have the option to leave this section blank. If you are applying as a mature student, remember that we will want to see everything that you have been up to since leaving education.

Section 5: Personal statement

We normally suggest that you complete this section once you have selected your university course choices, as this will allow you to tailor your personal statement.

Your personal statement is a crucial part of your application, within which you should explain your motivation for applying to University. It is important to showcase your drive and passion for the subject area in question, and any skills or experience you may have which will help you be a successful student. It can be hard to write a statement which encompasses a diverse range of courses, so if you are applying for four courses in one subject area and one course in another, you should focus your statement towards the majority. Loughborough University will always accept an emailed additional statement which you can tailor appropriately, giving you a chance to explain why you have applied to study in a different subject area.

Section 6: Reference

If you are at school or college, a teacher or tutor will normally write your reference for you so you don’t need to worry about this section. If you are applying having already finished your studies, you will need to add the name and contact details of a suitable person (normally, a former teacher) who can be contacted by UCAS to provide a written reference. If you have previously attended a different university, your reference should be from your course tutor. Please note that, Loughborough University requires a reference from all applicants.

For further guidance on your application, head over to the UCAS website.