Connecting the world to UK education.

UCAS had made moves into the international student market before, but without the cohesion or cut-through needed to drive lasting engagement. Their previous product, Myriad, provided valuable insight into user needs and expectations, but also revealed gaps in awareness, trust and relevance. At the same time, UK institutions were becoming increasingly reliant on global recruitment, and needed clearer tools to support it.

This wasn’t just a branding exercise. It was a reset. UCAS needed to articulate a clear, compelling international proposition that could speak to three very different audience groups: international learners navigating the UK system for the first time, advisers and agents acting as intermediaries, and UK universities looking to streamline recruitment while improving quality and diversity. The goal was to bring these groups into one unified ecosystem – anchored in UCAS’s legacy, but adapted for a global stage.

Our previous work together established UCAS as an essential voice in UK higher education, demystifying the application journey and empowering students to make informed decisions. But the world has moved on. International education is now one of the most competitive, complex and high-growth areas of the global student market. And while UCAS remains a household name within the UK, the challenge ahead was clear: how can that same clarity and authority translate to new audiences abroad – many of whom aren’t yet familiar with UCAS, or why it matters?

Our work began where it always does: with the audience. We carried out in-depth workshops, surveys and focus groups across all key user groups, gathering insights from international students, school counsellors, education agents and local institutional stakeholders. These conversations helped us pinpoint the emotional and functional drivers that matter most: trust, transparency, simplicity, and tailored support across a complex journey.

From there, we developed a full strategic repositioning for UCAS International. The new proposition reinforced UCAS’s role as an independent facilitator in the international space, connecting students, advisers and providers through smart tools, credible data and decades of sector experience. We created clear messaging frameworks and a compelling tone of voice for each audience, ensuring that the brand could speak confidently and consistently across all platforms and formats.

UCAS International now has a clear and confident voice in the global education market. With a proposition built around real audience needs and a look and feel that sets it apart, the brand is well positioned to support students, advisers and institutions alike. The internal response has been strong, with marketing and engagement teams equipped to bring the brand to life across channels and formats. For audiences outside the UK, UCAS now feels more relevant, more connected – and more essential than ever.

This latest phase builds on years of shared progress. And it marks an important new chapter in UCAS’s journey: one that reaches beyond borders, while staying true to the values that made it trusted in the first place.