UCAS Predicted Grades

Deciding to apply to university as an adult is a big step. You might have been working for a few years, raising a family, or simply waiting for the right moment to go after the course you have always had in mind. Whatever has brought you here, there is one part of the application process that tends to catch adult learners off guard, and that is predicted grades.

If you are studying A Levels independently rather than through a school or college, you may not have anyone in a position to give you a predicted grade. That can leave your application stuck before it has really got going. This guide walks you through what UCAS predicted grades are, how universities use them, why they matter so much for private candidates, and how you can get one if you are studying on your own.

UCAS Predicted Grades Helpline: 020 4634 1407

What Is a Predicted Grade?

A predicted grade is an estimate of the grade you are expected to achieve in an A Level, based on how you have been getting on throughout your studies. It is not a guess plucked out of thin air. A good predicted grade reflects your real attainment, drawn from the assessments and work you have completed along the way.

For students in a school or college, a subject teacher usually provides this as standard. For adult learners studying independently, the estimate normally has to come from somewhere else, and that is the part that can feel tricky if you do not know where to start.

How Universities Use Predicted Grades

Predicted grades are submitted as part of your UCAS application, and they play a central role in how universities make offers. Admissions teams compare your predicted grades against the entry requirements for the course you have applied to, and use them alongside the rest of your application to help decide whether to make you an offer.

Put simply, your predicted grade gives a university a sense of whether you are likely to meet their requirements by the time you finish your studies. If you would like to see how the process works from the admissions side, the UCAS predicted grade guide is a helpful place to start.

Why Predicted Grades Matter for Adult Learners

This is where things can get frustrating. School and college students have a teacher on hand who tracks their progress over time and can provide a predicted grade with confidence. Adult learners studying as private candidates often have no one in that position.

Without a predicted grade, a university application can stall before it has really begun, which is the last thing you want after putting in so much effort to get this far. It is not a reflection of your ability or your commitment. It is simply a gap that independent learners need to find a way around.

The good news is that this gap can be closed. With the right support, private candidates can receive the same kind of evidenced predicted grade that school and college students get as standard, putting them on an equal footing when it comes to applying to university.

How to Get a Predicted Grade as a Private Candidate

If you are studying independently, one option is to choose a provider that offers a predicted grade service alongside your course. Pass Learn, for example, offers A Level predicted grades with its A Level Exam + Course bundles.

The way it works is fairly straightforward. As you work through your course, your progress is tracked through your assessment results, your course completion percentage, and the amount of time you have spent studying. That information is used to produce an accurate, evidence-based predicted grade drawn from your actual course performance, rather than a rough estimate. Your predicted grade is then submitted directly to UCAS as part of your application, in good time for your UCAS application deadline.

There are requirements you will need to meet within a set timeframe to receive your predicted grade, and these are explained when you enrol on the service. It is worth reading them carefully at the start so you can plan your study time around them, especially if you are fitting learning in around work and family life.

Which Subjects Come With a Predicted Grade?

Not every subject or exam board comes with a predicted grade option, so it is worth checking before you commit. Predicted grades are available on a good range of subjects, including A Level Maths, Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and more. Some subjects do not list a predicted grade option, so double check the specific course you are interested in.

You can browse the full range of Pass Learn A Level courses to see what is available for the subject and exam board you need. The exams themselves are taken at an exam centre local to you.

Planning Your University Application as an Adult Learner

A little planning goes a long way when you are balancing study with everything else going on in your life. Start by looking up the entry requirements for the university course you want, so you know exactly which A Levels and grades you are aiming for. From there, check that the subject and exam board you choose comes with a predicted grade option if you need one for your application.

It also helps to start your course as early as you can. Because your predicted grade is built from your progress and assessments over time, giving yourself plenty of time to work through the material means there is more evidence of your ability for your grade to be based on. Keeping on top of your assessments as you go, rather than leaving them to pile up, will make the whole process feel far more manageable.

Most importantly, remember that studying outside of school does not have to put you at a disadvantage. With an accurate predicted grade in place, you can apply to university on the same footing as students coming straight from school or college.

UCAS Predicted Grades Helpline: 020 4634 1407

If you’re still unsure about anything to do with predicted grades or your university application, give our friendly team a call using the helpline above. They’re always happy to talk things through and point you in the right direction.

Written by

Pass Functional Skills Team

We help thousands of students each year with revision, courses and online exams.