Unique Candidate Identifier (UCI)
Every student has one 13-character code that's unique to them. It's used to collect results for each student across time and different exam boards, schools or colleges.
All students need a UCI. You need to make sure that you add a UCI to every entry you make.
Create a UCI
Before you create a UCI for a student, check that they definitely don't already have one. If they do, keep using it – do not create a second one.
If you're making entries through EDI, your management information system (MIS) should be able to create a UCI automatically or find out a student's existing UCI. It goes in positions 60-72 in the entries and amendments detail record.
The JCQ website has in-depth information about UCIs along with a calculator tool to check UCI characters.
If you're making entries in Centre Services, you'll need to create a UCI manually using the guide below.
How the UCI works
Character position | Meaning | In example UCI |
|---|---|---|
1–5 | Your school or college centre number | 999990140001X |
6 | 0 (zero) for AQA exams | 999990140001X |
7–8 | The last two digits of the academic year when the UCI is allocated, eg 14 for the 2014/15 academic year | 999990140001X |
9–12 | Student candidate number | 999990140001X |
13 | A 'check' character used to verify the other digits. Don't type this when you're creating a new UCI: it will be generated automatically by your MIS, or Centre Services when you save your data. | 999990140001X |
Students with two UCIs
If you find out that a student has more than one UCI, let us know as soon as possible: fill in the UCI merge request form on Centre Services or email entries@aqa.org.uk. In the meantime, use only their earliest UCI.