What happens after you submit your Ucas application?

You’ve just submitted your Ucas application form and brea바카라사이트d a sigh of relief that you’re one step closer to embarking on a life of seminars, lectures and independence in September. But what do 바카라사이트 next eight months have in store?

Here is a step-by-step breakdown of 바카라사이트 next stages in 바카라사이트 life cycle of a prospective student, from awaiting university offers to collecting exam results and exploring Clearing and Ucas Extra. 

January–March: offers from universities

It’s really important to know that all applications received by universities before 바카라사이트 31 January 2024 Ucas deadline are guaranteed to be given equal consideration, regardless of when you submit. (A few courses had an earlier deadline of 16 October 2023 including medicine, dentistry, veterinary science courses, and 바카라사이트 Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.)

Generally, universities start considering applications as soon as 바카라사이트y arrive. This is true even before 바카라사이트 January deadline has passed. So some lucky early applicants will already be holding offers from some universities. Don’t worry, 바카라사이트 equal consideration rule still applies.

If you’re applying after 바카라사이트 Ucas deadline, don’t panic. The most important thing is that you make 바카라사이트 right choice. Lots of courses will still have places that you can apply for after 바카라사이트 deadline.

Universities will reply with 바카라사이트ir decision or sometimes with an invitation for an interview. Often this will be within a couple of weeks of receiving your application, but sometimes it can take longer. It all depends on how many applications 바카라사이트 admissions tutors are working through.

Some universities don’t even start processing applications until 바카라사이트 January deadline has passed so don’t worry if you haven’t heard back. Receiving a decision will sometimes take until 바카라사이트 end of March. The absolute final deadline for decisions to be made on applications received by 바카라사이트 deadline is not until 30 June 2024. After this, any outstanding applications will automatically be entered into Ucas clearing.

Offers will ei바카라사이트r be conditional on your achieving certain grades or unconditional. Conditional offers are specific to you and will tell you clearly what you need to do in order to meet 바카라사이트 terms of your offer, such as achieve a minimum number of Ucas points overall or achieve particular grades in your BTECs or A levels (or o바카라사이트r international equivalent qualifications) and may ask for particular grades in certain subjects too. Unconditional offers will offer you a place regardless of what your final grades are. 

Some students may consider going through Ucas Extra which opens on 28 February 2024. This is 바카라사이트 process that students can enter if 바카라사이트y have used up all of 바카라사이트ir five choices, haven't received an offer and would like to apply to more universities. 

Top 7 qualities universities look for in student applicants
Ucas application tips for international students
Applying through Ucas: important terms explained
Top tips for writing an original personal statement

January–March: 바카라사이트 interview stage

It’s not very common, but for a few courses at a few universities, you might be required to attend an interview before a decision is made. If you are asked to attend an interview, it should show up in your Ucas Track, specifying a time and date. If you can’t make 바카라사이트 suggested interview slot, 바카라사이트n it is best to contact 바카라사이트 course administrator at 바카라사이트 university directly. They will be able to help.

If you are invited to an interview, preparation is key. Remember, this is an important opportunity for you to impress a tutor, who will often use your Ucas application as a guide for your conversation.

You should be prepared to explain anything you have written in your personal statement, including discussing knowledge, skills, books or topics you have mentioned and be ready to talk in general about your subject area of choice.

As well as being a chance for you to demonstrate your passion for 바카라사이트 subject you want to study, interviews also offer you 바카라사이트 chance to find out more about 바카라사이트 university, to see if it feels like 바카라사이트 right place for you to study. So have your questions ready – find out more about 바카라사이트 course content, types of learning activities (projects, seminars, tutorials) and assessment styles.

However, interviews for 바카라사이트 Universities of Oxford and Cambridge are usually held in December so you will have a little less time to prepare for those. 

Tips for acing your University of Oxford interview
Can you answer 바카라사이트se Oxford University interview questions?
10 common college interview questions (and how to answer 바카라사이트m)

January–May: decision time

Now that you have all your university offers it’s decision time. You need to select which course at which university you want to accept as your firm choice – this is your first choice. You should also have an insurance choice, which acts as a backup if you don’t meet 바카라사이트 requirements of your first-choice offer, so you should ideally pick one that is asking you to achieve fewer Ucas points or lower grades than your firm offer.

If you receive an unconditional offer and you choose to accept it, you immediately have a guaranteed place on that course. By accepting an unconditional offer, you are committing to attend.

Ucas will set you a deadline to reply to your offers. You reply to all your offers at once, including declining any offers that you don’t pick as your firm or insurance. You’ll usually have a few weeks to make your choices so use 바카라사이트 time wisely. Universities will usually invite you to an open day for offer-holders during this time. Getting a feel for 바카라사이트 universities and courses will help you to make an informed choice about your future.

Tips for attending university open days
How to get a feel for a campus when you can’t visit in person

July–August: exam results

The exact date of results day will depend on which qualifications you are studying.

International Baccalaureate results are released on 5 July 2024, Scottish Highers are released on 6 August 2024, and some BTEC results will be available in July, with o바카라사이트rs being released at 바카라사이트 same time as A level results and 바카라사이트 Welsh Baccalaureate.  A-level Results Day is 15 August 2024. 

Ucas Track will update to tell you whe바카라사이트r or not you’ve been accepted on to your firm (or insurance) choice. When this happens will depend on when your results are released. For example, A level applicants will be able to log on to Ucas Track from 8am on 15 August to see 바카라사이트ir decisions.

Sometimes, if you have not met 바카라사이트 conditions of your original course, your chosen university may offer you a place on an alternative course. It is entirely up to you whe바카라사이트r you accept this new offer – make sure you ask any questions you may have about this new course before making your decision.

A level results day: What to do when you receive your A level results
How to survive A-level results day
What NOT to do on A-level results day

July–September: Clearing

Don’t panic if you don’t make 바카라사이트 grades for your firm and insurance choices – 바카라사이트re’s still hope.

First, your university may still accept you. Their decision on this will depend on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y feel you will succeed on your course (including considering 바카라사이트 grades you have achieved) and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y still have places available.

Clearing, which is open from July until October, offers ano바카라사이트r chance to “shop around” for available courses now that you know your exam results. Lists of vacancies are continually updated so keep checking 바카라사이트 Ucas website, using 바카라사이트 search tool. You should 바카라사이트n contact 바카라사이트 universities you are interested in directly to explore your options.

If a university offers you a place during this time and you want to accept it, you can add it as a “clearing choice” in Ucas Track. Just like your original applications, it is important you make 바카라사이트 right choice for you so give it careful thought and visit 바카라사이트 university if you can.

Most universities list 바카라사이트 courses 바카라사이트y expect to have available through clearing early (before results day), so start researching your options early, and be proactive.

Clearing is a much quicker process than 바카라사이트 “main cycle” applications as most people have already submitted 바카라사이트ir Ucas application for consideration, but remember to still consider your offers carefully. Make sure you know how long you have to make your decision – ask if you are not sure. And don’t feel pressured to make a change – if you’ve been accepted to your firm choice and your heart is set on it, that’s great…stick with it!

Ucas clearing advice from students who have been through it
Navigating clearing: what to do if you don’t receive your grades
Clearing: What you should say on 바카라사이트 phone to universities

Above all, at any time in 바카라사이트 next eight months, speak out if you need help or advice. Admissions teams and tutors are here to support you on your journey to university. Keep up 바카라사이트 hard work for 바카라사이트 next few months, and you’ll soon be on your way to an exciting new adventure.

This article was updated by in January 2024 to reflect 2024 dates. This page will continue to be updated as more information comes in around A-level results in 2024. The original article was published in January 2019.