If you’ve used all of your available UCAS choices but are currently not holding an offer, there are still some options available. If you’ve declined your offers or you didn’t receive any from the universities you applied to, you could still be starting a university course in September. Here’s how:
What is it?
You can use it to apply for any course where there are still vacancies and hopefully secure an offer. There’s no limit to the amount of UCAS Extra choices you can make, but you can only have one application being considered at a time.
Who is eligible?
Students who are not currently holding an offer but have used all of their choices (either they were unsuccessful, they declined the offers they received, or a combination of both).
How does it work?
Eligible students will be able to ‘Add an Extra choice’ in the ‘Your choices’ section of UCAS Track, up until the end of June. You will need to check which universities/courses have vacancies either through the UCAS website by filtering courses as ‘available through Extra’, or by contacting the university directly.
What’s the catch?
You can only hold one offer, so you can’t have an insurance choice as a backup.
What is it?
Clearing opens on A level results day, when universities try to fill any remaining spaces they have on courses, sometimes with lowered entry requirements.
Who is eligible?
Students who apply after 30 June, who didn’t receive any offers (or none that they wanted to accept) or didn’t meet the conditions of their offers.
How does it work?
UCAS will have the official vacancy list online, but you have to call the university you are interested in to confirm vacancies and to gain a verbal offer. Once you have this verbal offer, you can ‘Add Clearing choice’ on your UCAS track.
What’s the catch?
Not all universities or all courses will go into the clearing process.
