Do the unis know if you've applied to some other unis?

[maria_88]

Hello everyone!
I am wondering about whether the universities you are applying to know that you've applied to three others as well? And does the university know whether it was your first or second preference? Hope someone can help!

I've heard of people being rejected from Imperial and UCL just because they've applied to Oxbridge, but is it actually true that the unis get to know about where you're applying?

[Huw Davies]

Universities don't know about any course that you've applied to at another university, but if you apply to multiple courses at the same university these will be visible.

It seems unlikely that UCL\Imperial would rejected presumably promising applicants simply for applying to Oxbridge, even if they did know they had done so. After all, most Oxbridge applicants are not accepted and so many of the rejectees will be strong candidates worth giving a chance.