So, we’ve put our heads together to share five practical tips to streamline your set-up and ensure a hassle-free start when the adviser portal opens on 6 May 2025.
Full details on getting set up
1. Check your school or college contact details
Staff changes are common, so it’s crucial the UCAS registered centre correspondent verifies contact details are accurate. This individual is the main point of contact, receiving essential information and agreeing to the adviser portal terms of service for your organisation.
Take a look at the 
2026 Adviser Guide (5.15 MB) to refresh your understanding of roles and responsibilities.
2. Review your application fee payment options
Head to ‘Centre Management’ in the adviser portal to select the best payment method for your students. Options include:
- invoice to your centre
- students paying online (credit/debit card)
- a combination of both
New this year: Enable the FSM application fee waiver option for UK applicants, ensuring eligible students don’t miss out. This can be used alongside existing payment methods.
Keep your central finance contact updated – this must be a central contact not a named individual (e.g. finance@payables.yourschool.ac.uk). Contact us if you need to make changes.
3. Update your qualifications shortlist
Creating a tailored qualifications shortlist helps students select the correct qualifications when applying, especially when similar ones cause confusion.
To keep things accurate, collaborate with your exams officer to review and update the shortlist. You can adjust the list at any point during the cycle if things change.
Check out our education section blog for more tips.
4. Maximise group set-up
Effective group set-up makes managing applications much easier. Here's how:
- Organise students: Create groups to help you manage applications. We recommend creating a group for former students to easily distinguish them from current applicants.
- Check staff permissions: Ensure all staff members have the right permission for each group and appropriate level of data necessary for their role. They must be added to both the staff list and relevant groups to view and manage the students in the group.
- Set groups up early: To save you time, create groups before students link to your centre using the buzzword – they can then choose the group when they start their application. If not, they’ll end up in the ‘Default’ group list.
- Edit anytime: Groups and permissions can be edited anytime during the cycle, so if they need to change or you need to adjust things don’t worry.
5. Manage staff access and details
Keeping your staff list up-to-date is crucial for data security and effective communication.
Referee contact details made easy:
- Keep details current: Regularly check and update referee details under ‘Centre Management.’ If referees need portal access, add them through ‘Staff Management.’
- Check who’s listed: Make sure the right referees are listed, as universities and colleges may contact them for additional student information.
- Use official emails: Always add official email addresses linked to your centre’s domain for each referee listed, in case they need to be contacted.
Managing staff made simple:
- Keep your team updated: Remove staff who have left or are no longer supporting students through the application process.
- Review permissions regularly: Regularly review and update permissions to maintain data security.
- Have enough support: Make sure you have more than one member of staff with full permissions.
- Permissions are just the start: Remember, setting permissions alone isn’t enough—staff must also be added to relevant groups for access. When staff register, they must use the same email address added in ‘Staff Management’
Bonus tip: Getting students registered
When students start applying from 13 May, remind them to use a personal email address to receive year-round updates from UCAS and their university choices.
Join our next webinar
Don’t miss our 6 May webinar, covering how to make the most of the adviser portal.