How many courses can I apply to within a single university?

How many courses you can apply to within one university depends entirely on which country's system you are using, so your answer changes based on where you are applying. The UK, the US and Canada, and Australia and New Zealand each handle this differently, and knowing the rules before you start saves you from wasting a valuable application slot. Here is how each system actually works.

Application Rules by Country

What to Check Before You Apply

• In the UK, you can technically use multiple UCAS choices for the same university, but only for closely related course variants like a BEng versus MEng.
• In the US, if you are rejected from a competitive major, some universities automatically review you for your second choice or undecided status.
• In Australia and New Zealand, your first preference gets priority, so rank your genuine top choice first rather than a safer option.
• Certain specialised faculties inside one big institution block you from submitting more than one application in the same term, so check individual program pages.

My Advice

If you are torn between two subjects at a US style university, apply to one as your primary choice and explore an internal transfer or double major after your first year rather than trying to force two applications through. If you are using UCAS, spend your five choices on genuinely different backup options across universities rather than duplicating within one institution.