Key dates you need to know
There’s a lot to do between your child applying for university and arriving on campus to start their higher education. Here are some of the key dates to remember.
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This is the deadline for submission of most applications to UCAS, however the earlier they apply the better. Some aspects of funding, like scholarships and bursaries, are also tied to this date.
If your child misses the deadline, it may not be too late to apply, contact us to see how we can help.
Once child has applied, they’ll start to receive their offers. The types of offers are Unconditional, Conditional or Unsuccessful. If your child does not receive any offers, they will need to look at UCAS Extra (see February – June below).
Once your child has received all their offers of university places, they will need to decide their firm acceptance, which is the offer they accept as their first choice. In addition, they can make an insurance acceptance (second choice), in case they do not get the grades needed for their first choice.
It is important that the entry requirements for their insurance course are lower than those of their firm acceptance course. Finally, they can send a Decline, which means that they decline the offer made by a university.
Students have until the beginning of May to reply to all offers.
Now is the time to apply for financial support or scholarships. UK students can make a student finance application, although what is available is slightly different for each country.
If your son or daughter receives no offers from their five UCAS choices, or if they choose to decline all the offers they are made, they will have the chance to enter UCAS Extra. This is a second chance for some students who were not successful with their initial applications.
However, they will only be able to apply for courses at universities that still have vacancies.
Applying for student finance
- Finance for Welsh students
- Finance for English students
- Finance for Scottish students
- Finance for Northern Irish students
If your child hasn’t secured a place at university after receiving their results, or if they failed to meet the entry requirements for their firm and insurance choices, they can enter a system called Clearing. This matches students with spare university places.
If they have done better than expected, and met or exceeded conditions from their firm choice, they can apply for an alternative course through a process called Adjustment.
Check the UCAS website for details.
After months of researching universities, organising to go to different events, exams and stress, the time has finally come for them to go to university.
Whether they’ll be living at university accommodation or staying at home, you can continue to support your child as they settle in and complete their studies.