Exam Results: Going to University?

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Thinking of going to university?  Your next steps:

• Accept your firm or insurance University offer.
  Congratulations! You’ve got an offer.  You need to choose a uni and secure your place. Your chosen uni will direct you on what to do next.
• Enter the clearing process.
  Don’t be disheartened – if you did not receive any offers or declined the ones you have, you can find a course through Clearing once it goes live on the UCAS search tool: UCAS search tool
• Appeal for your grades
  Are you unhappy with your grades?  Do you think that they need reviewing?  Talk to your school to know your options and how to submit an appeal to the exam board. You’ll need to inform your uni to see if they can hold your place or if you need to enter Clearing while waiting for your appeal.
• Defer
  Do you feel ready for uni?  Inform your uni immediately if you choose to defer your studies. Most unis will hold your place for a year if you’ve met all conditions for entry. Be prepared to explain your decision.
• Consider an apprenticeship.
  Have a career in mind already? A degree apprenticeship might just be the path for you: apprenticeships

The UCAS process:

• Check UCAS Track once you have collected your results to check your offers. Your track will have updated, so you should know if you have received an offer from your firm choice or not.
• If you have not had an offer on your ‘firm’, you may have got a place on your ‘insurance’ choice.
• In some instances, if you have not quite met the conditions of your offer, a university may still offer you a place on your chosen course.  So always check UCAS Track, even if you have not done as well as expected!
• Some universities may offer you a place on an alternative course.
• If you have done better than expected, you may be able to go through adjustment if there is another course you are interested in – www.ucas.com/adjustment
• If you have no offers, or reject the offers made to you, you will be eligible to go through Clearing –  www.ucas.com/clearing
• There could be delays with the system updating and your status changing due to the volume of people trying to access it – try and be patient 😊

 Clearing – Steps to follow:

1. Seek Advice – speak to your school/college careers adviser.
2. See what courses are available – you will find these on the UCAS website.
3. Talk to universities and colleges directly. All universities and colleges have Clearing hotlines open throughout results day. Make sure you have your clearing number (which will appear on your Track home page) and your UCAS ID Number. You must have a verbal offer of a place before you can add a choice online.
4. Add your choice – click ‘add a clearing choice’ and fill in all the details of the course.
5. Don’t panic. Do your research.
6. If you change your original university choice, don’t forget to contact Student Finance and Accommodation to update them too!

Alternatives to HE:

If you don’t want to go to university and have not applied for an apprenticeship or a job, it’s not too late. Seek advice from your school/college careers adviser first.  Some alternative options to a degree at university include:

• HND/HNC via a local further education college
• Foundation Degree
• Apprenticeship
• Employment
• Gap year

Need help? Not sure what you want to do next?

If you need further support after A Level results day, your school should be your first port of call for advice.  If you need help with making future career choices, exploring options, or getting advice after receiving your results, our local teams are here for you.

Email: [email protected]

Visit: https://careerconnect.org.uk/get-support/

Remember: Don’t Panic! There’s always a way to reach your goals, and there are people ready to offer help and advice. Just stay positive, ask for help, and you’ll find the path that’s right for you. Best of luck! 😊