Sometimes, just sometimes, it’s great to get another opportunity; another
chance to make a decision you potentially should have made the first time
round.
If you have applied to start university in September, you may think that your
chance to change your mind has gone; passing in the blink of an eye on
January 15 – the deadline Ucas gives for the majority of applications.
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For those of you who applied to the January deadline and who are still waiting
to hear back, universities have until May to make an offer, so don’t give up
hope of receiving a reply just yet.
However, for those that have either received no offers or who have declined
those that have been received, don’t despair; from today, February 25, Ucas
Extra opens for prospective students who used all five choices in their
initial round of applications – in other words, it's your opportunity to
have another go.
Extra – for those who don’t know – gives candidates the chance to apply for
places on courses that still have vacancies. The system doesn’t require any
extra charge and stays open until July 2, giving you plenty of time to make
a decision.
If you decide to apply through Extra, check out the Choices section of Track.
The option ‘Add Extra Choice’ will become available if you are eligible to
apply. Click this option and enter the relevant details of the new course
and university you wish to apply to.
However, while Extra opens today, you don’t have to be ready to enter the
process immediately. If you’re still waiting to hear back from certain
universities, or you are still debating whether to accept an offer, you have
until July 2 to enter a course in the system.
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You could, if you should desire, cancel any outstanding applications in Track,
which will make you eligible for Extra. However, you will not be able to
reinstate these options later on, so you should give this decision some
careful thought before going ahead.
As with Clearing, it’s important to do your research. You can only enter one
Extra choice at a time, so it’s worth making sure the first one you enter is
your best choice from the options available.
It may take the university some time to process your application and decide
whether to make you an offer. So, despite the fact that there is no limit –
accept the time available – to the amount of Extra applications you can
make, you wouldn’t want to miss out on your first choice, by not doing
enough initial research.
A university has 21 days to reply to your application, after this deadline you
can add a different choice. Some institutions may take longer to reply, but
after this deadline, it’s up to you whether you decide to apply elsewhere.
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Remember, you can only apply for one new course at a time and this entirely
depends on whether the university has places to offer through Extra. If the
course does have places available, a grey ‘X’ will appear next to the
subject in Course Search.
It’s also worth noting that there is no option to change your personal
statement. If you feel that a different course is for you and you want to
apply through Extra, you should contact the university admissions team to
explain your decision. You can then offer to send an updated personal
statement relevant to your new subject choice.
Once you’ve completed the steps above, applied for a place through Extra,
received a new offer and accepted the place, this is just as much a
commitment to the university as if you had accepted an initial offer.
You will be offered a place on the course if you meet the conditions of the
offer on Results Day in August. If not, you will be entered into Clearing.
However, before blindly entering details of new courses, now is the time to
have a serious think. If you didn’t receive any offers first time round, it
might be worth reassessing your subject choice.
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Take a good look at your qualifications and make sure they match the entry
requirements of the course you have applied to. Take a close look at your
personal statement; does it really show enthusiasm for the course and have
you demonstrated your commitment to the subject? If not, maybe you should
consider a different degree, or indeed, an apprenticeship.
It might be that a similar or related course at another university might
better match your skill set or your long term ambitions. Arrange a meeting
with your tutor or careers adviser at school, or sit down and have a chat
with someone at home who you can trust to give you honest advice.
Extra is another opportunity to get a place at university; make sure you
really do your research beforehand. Check out our University
Course Finder and University
Guides before you apply.
Visit ucas.com for more
information.