UCAS - Types of offer

The different decisions that universities and colleges can send us

The time an applicant has to wait to receive decisions depends on when they applied and the courses they have chosen. Sometimes they will need to take an admissions test or attend an interview. Students applying for art and design courses, for example, might need to present a portfolio of their work. We give the universities and colleges a deadline which allows enough time for interviews and tests to be completed. This lets the applicant know when they should find out what decisions have been made.

Find relevant dates and deadlines

The university or college sends its decision to us and we display it in Track. All decisions are made by the universities and colleges. We have no involvement the decision-making process.

Invitations

Universities and colleges can use Track to send invitations to applicants asking them to attend an interview or audition, or to provide a portfolio of work, an essay or other piece of work. The invitations can be for any course. If the university or college sends an invitation it will show in Track and the applicant can accept or decline it. If the applicant needs to change the time or date they should contact the university or college. The institution can then update the details of the invitation so that the revised details are shown in Track.

Applicants should try to give advance notice of when they are not available because of exams or other commitments.

Decisions sent by universities and colleges

Conditional offer

A conditional offer means that the university or college will offer a place if the applicant meets certain conditions, usually based on exam results.

Applicants may be asked to achieve specific Tariff points (eg 200 points from three A levels) or grades in named subjects (for example, B in chemistry, C in physics). They may also need to obtain specific grades in the individual units that make up these subjects.

An applicant may be given a joint conditional offer, for example, a degree and HND. When their exam results are published, the university or college will decide which part of the offer is most suitable for the applicant.

Unconditional offer

An unconditional offer means that the applicant has met all the entry requirements and the university or college is happy to accept them. They may also specify other requirements, such as financial or medical conditions, that the applicant must meet before they can join the course.

Withdrawn application

A choice can be withdrawn by an applicant or the university or college. The reason will be displayed in Track. It may be withdrawn because the applicant has not responded to any letters or emails sent by the university or college, or because they have not attended an interview.

Unsuccessful application

This means that the university or college has decided not to offer the applicant a place on the course.

Universities and colleges can decline an applicant for many reasons, one of which could be that the course is full, so it may not be based on the quality of their application. The university or college may provide a reason for their decision either when they send the decision through, or at a later date. However, if the applicant has already replied to offers or no reason is shown on Track, they can contact the university or college to discuss why they were unsuccessful.