Offers and options

University offers and your options explained 

For those of you planning on heading off to university, school is nearly over and the next chapter of your lives is about to begin. Hopefully your exams will go really well, your results will be event better than expected, and you’ll get an offer for your dream course. But what if that’s not the case? We’re here to guide you through the university offer process and what to do if things don’t go quite to plan.

When can I expect to receive an offer?

The first thing you probably want to know is when you’ll receive the news about your university offers. In most cases, you’ll need to wait until results are released before you’ll know whether or not your application is successful (unless you’ve applied for early entry).

Here’s when most school leavers can expect to receive their first offers to university:

What if I change my mind about the course I applied for?

Once you submit your application, it’s not set in stone. Universities will often allow you to change your preferences, allowing you to re-order the existing courses on your list or even add and remove courses.

If you’ve applied through a centralised or tertiary admissions centre, there is usually a set date you need to change your preferences by to ensure you still receive an offer in the upcoming round. Here are relevant change of preference closing dates for school leavers:

If you’ve applied directly to a university, you will need to get in touch with them to discuss your options when it comes to changing your preferences. As long as you contact them early, they will usually be able to help.

Find out more about change of preference

Still confused about change of preference? Lots of universities hold special events leading up to the first round of offers to guide you through the process and answer any questions you might have.

You can see upcoming change of preference events on our website here – simply click the “change of preference” filter on the right-hand column.

What are unconditional and conditional offers?

If you receive an unconditional offer, congratulations! This means your place in your chosen course is secured, and you (usually) don’t need to do anything else to accept.

If you receive a conditional offer, this is still great news! This means your place in your chosen course is yours pending any conditions that come with the offer. The most common condition is waiting for your final results to be released and seeing if they meet the course requirements. Other common conditions include:

• Needing to submit other documents to complete your application
• Completing a bridging course before your first Semester
• Securing financial aid or support to ensure you can pay your course fees

What if I don’t receive an offer in the main round?

We know it can seem like the end of the world, but you still have time and options on your hands, so don’t stress.

Admissions centres and universities will release offers over multiple rounds, so even if you miss out the first time, you might receive an offer in a subsequent round. If you’re still happy with your course choices, just sit tight and be patient.

If you want to maximise your chances of receiving an offer, you can always change your preferences to put a course with lower entry requirements at the top of your list.

If you’ve applied through UCAS and didn’t receive an offer, you can still apply for courses with available places through Clearing. CAO also has a similar system called Available Places.

What if I don’t receive any offers?

If all the offer rounds have passed and you still don’t have an offer, it doesn’t mean you have to give up. There are lots of alternative pathways you can take to get into your dream course. Here are just a few:

• Complete a tertiary preparation course
• Take an alternative entry test, such as the STAT
• Study a lower qualification, like a Diploma, and use this for entry
• Wait a few years and re-apply as an adult with work and life experience

Our top tips for university offers

 Here are some of our top tips to keep in mind as offer season approaches.

• You usually have some time before you must respond to an offer, so don’t panic and think things through before making a decision.
• You can sometimes accept an offer as a backup, then withdraw from it later if you receive another offer that suits you better.
• If you do accept multiple offers, make sure you withdraw from all but one before any key dates.
• Admissions centres and universities are more than happy to answer any questions you might have, so don’t be afraid to get in touch.
• Remember to keep your contact info up-to-date to ensure you don’t miss any important information.

You’ve got this

The wait between applying and offers can be daunting, but in the meantime, you still have time to study hard and do your best on your exams. Remember, no matter what happens, there are options open to you and people who are more than happy to help.