Alternative Offers
Everything you need to know about how and why we make alternative offers.
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What is an alternative offer?
Our alternative offers are usually for a course in a similar subject and are designed to help you get into university if you were unsuccessful in securing a place on your first-choice course.
Alternative offers may include a different USW course, such as a Certificate of Higher Education (Cert HE), a Foundation Year, a Foundation Degree or an HND.
Take a look at our coursesWHY DO WE MAKE ALTERNATIVE OFFERS?
We want you to succeed when you study at USW so if we can offer you an alternative route that supports you in gaining the qualifications, skills, or confidence needed for higher education, we will always aim to make the best possible offer to guide you on your journey.
How we make alternative offers.
We consider each applicant on an individual basis, considering interests, qualifications and any relevant work experience.
Any offer we make will aim to be as close to your original choice as possible or be the stepping stone to you getting there in the future.
Accepting your alternative offer
If you applied to us in the normal UCAS application cycle and have been made an alternative / changed course offer on UCAS Hub for any of the above types of courses and would like to accept this offer, you need to log into your UCAS Hub and accept the change of course.
You will have 5 days in which to accept the change of course offer on your UCAS Hub or UCAS will decline this on your behalf. If you do not want to accept the change of course, you can decline our offer by logging into your UCAS Hub. If you are not holding any offers, you will be eligible to look at other courses or universities through Clearing.
To guarantee your place and be able to apply for accommodation and student finance in plenty of time, you should accept as soon as possible.
If you have been made an offer to study on one of the above courses through Clearing, then you will receive an offer e-mail explaining your next steps.
If you are interested in applying for a USW course in Clearing, contact us and one of our experts will be happy to help you.
What happens after I accept my offer?
Enrolment and induction information will be sent out via e-mail from mid-August onwards, as well as instructions on how to set up your IT account. Once you’ve enrolled, your timetable will download into your student Outlook calendar.
If your course has changed, and you have already applied for funding for the 2024/25 academic year, you will need to update your online funding application as soon as possible with the new course information.
You can do this by logging into your online application, at the relevant website below, and completing a 'Change of Circumstances' process with the new course information. You will need your Customer Reference Number (CRN) and password in order to log in.
If you cannot remember your password or CRN, you can reset your login details by following the instructions online:
Students from Wales
Students from England
Students from Northern Ireland
Students from Scotland
Please note that if your course choice changes to a further education course, you can contact the Student Money Advice Team on 01443 483778 for further guidance regarding your funding options.
If you have received a changed course offer and have already applied for a place in our halls of residence, then your application will remain unaffected. You should speak to the Accommodation Team for advice, however, if the changed course is taught at a different campus.
Pontypridd Campus:
If you have applied for halls, you should have received an email containing your self-assignment date. You should still be able to complete your room assignment on the designated date. If you experience any difficulty with this, please contact the Accommodation Team on [email protected] for assistance.
Cardiff Campus:
Applications for our Cardiff campus are made directly through our partner Unite. If you have already booked and confirmed your place, you won’t need to do anything further.
Newport City Campus:
Applications for Newport Halls are made directly through our partner CLV. If you have already booked and confirmed your place, you won’t need to do anything further.
Apply for Accommodation:
If you have yet to apply to us for accommodation, you can find out about late availability of accommodation.
We offer 4-year degree programmes with an integrated Foundation Year in a number of subject areas for applicants who do not meet the entry criteria to go directly onto a degree course at the University of South Wales.
Foundation Degrees combine work-based learning and academic study. At least a quarter of your time will be in the workplace, learning skills valued by an employer. Entry qualifications are varied and we will take into account any relevant skills and experience you have already.
It takes three years to complete a foundation degree part-time, where you can use your work experience as part of your degree, or just two years for full-time study.
On completion you could have the opportunity to “top-up” to an honours degree. Please note some STEM courses require a two-year top up rather than one.
For applicants who may be unsuccessful for Nursing, we offer a Certificate in Higher Education in Community Health and Wellbeing. This one-year programme teaches students about health and social care, public health and wellbeing in the community. You would need to make a new application for Nursing in the future if you wished to apply for consideration again and there is no guarantee of an interview.
