Studying in the UK: What to Expect Once You've Sent Your Application?

Study Abroad Guide

Whilst most students around Europe are already aware of their fate for the next academic year, UK students will receive their results in August. This year, A-level exams were cancelled and have been replaced by teacher-assessed grades results day is two weeks earlier than planned. Bringing results day forward is intended to provide more time for students to appeal against any results that may have affected their university application. And I certainly wished it was the same when I applied.

Back in 2019, I received my Swiss Maturity results in late June and had to wait until late August to know whether I would attend university in England or not. Traditionally, students can pick up their results anytime from 8 am and then log onto UCAS and manage their options. However, for international and European students, you’ll have to send your results to each university individually via their student portal. In my case, I had to have my official transcript professionally translated before sending it through and I was glad I had a couple of weeks ahead before the craziness of results day began.

Once you have received your results, there are a few possibilities:

1. You’ve met your firm offer

Then, congratulations! Once your status updates (this might take a few hours on results day morning as the system gets busy) you’ll be sent a confirmation email post from your firm choice. You will most likely receive an unconditional offer that will allow you to enrol on your course.

2. You’ve just missed your predicted grades

While it’s disappointing, you may still get an offer from your firm choice. It often depends on the places available for your course and you’ll have to contact the University and ask them to reconsider. Some Universities might offer you a ‘change of course’ (e.g a foundation year).

3. You’ve missed your firm offer

If you can’t negotiate your way into your firm choice after missing your predicted grades, you might consider:

• Accepting your insurance place

• Applying to different universities through Clearing

• Retaking A-levels

• Reapplying for next year

4. You’ve met your insurance offer

Even if you are very confident, having a plan B can't hurt. Your insurance offer is your backup plan and once you’ve confirmed your place, you’ll be able to sort out your student accommodation. Make sure to update everything (such as your student loan) and wait until you get an email confirmation before planning your move!

5. Your grades are much lower than predicted

If you are in this situation, I am very sorry but know that it happens to the best of us. Don’t beat yourself up over this because you’ll a solution. You might consider retaking your A-levels in the autumn or next summer and reapplying next year for uni. It might be the opportunity to take a gap year which will allow you to gain some work experience by getting a job, traineeship, internship or even travelling. If you’re set on going to university, I would suggest you apply through Clearing.

To apply for a new course through Clearing you will need:

• your UCAS ID number (and log-in details)

• your UCAS Clearing number – this will only be available on UCAS Track if you’ve been rejected by both your first and insurance choices and become eligible for Clearing

• Clearing phone numbers for universities you’ve applied to or have your eye on – you can find these on their website

• working pens and paper – sounds obvious, but you'll get lots of information on the spot

• your personal statement – universities you speak to in Clearing will be able to see this and may ask you questions based on this

• GCSE results – they might come up.

Results day can be unpredictable and everything you’ve been dreaming of and planning for can change in the course of a couple of minutes. When I applied to university, I aimed high and only applied to Top 10 unis. I worked like crazy and actually ended up with better results than I anticipated. However, the Swiss system has a lot more subjects (about 10/year) than A-Levels (about 3-4/year) usually do and my transcript showed grades I didn’t get examined for. I had an average of 5.2/6 (between A and A*) for my exams but only a 4.2/6 (B+) on my overall transcript. For this reason, I failed to receive unconditional offers from the Universities I applied to and due to the popularity of my course (English Lit.), there was no room for negotiation. Naturally, I balled my eyes out for a couple of hours before I found out about Clearing. So, what is Clearing?

"Clearing matches applicants to university places that are yet to be filled. It’s available to anyone who has made a UCAS Undergraduate application and doesn’t hold any offers. Running from 5 July to mid-September, you’ll be eligible for Clearing if:

• you apply after 30 June

• you are not holding any offers from universities or colleges you’ve applied to

• your place is not confirmed after exam results are published”
  

My advice would be to ring the Universities you’re interested in as soon as possible after receiving your marks. Cancel your pity party, pull yourself together and don’t waste time feeling sorry for yourself, you’ll have plenty of time for this later. Moreover, you must be sure of your choice once you receive an offer as UCAS only allows one option for Clearing applications. You might decide to deal with your applications via email/phone first to give yourself some room to think. When I first applied, I was set in going either to Edinburgh or London. I was heartbroken to see that things hadn’t gone my way and that all my plans were ruined. I remember emailing King’s College and calling them, trying to argue my way in without results. At some point, I decided to save myself some additional embarrassment and started looking for the late admissions process. Still very set to study in London, I looked at my options but couldn’t find any interesting courses through Clearing. When I found my course (English Literature & Media) I didn’t know much about Brighton. My cousin had spent a couple of weeks there about 10 years ago and one of my classmates had been there a few times over the summer. The youtube scene was relatively scarce compared to all the London vlogs I had consumed over the year but both seemed to have liked it enough so I gave it a go.

I rapidly booked my student accommodation and about three weeks later I was on my way to Brighton. A few years ago, I read a book in which the author said “not everything happens for a reason, sometimes life just sucks” and up until August 2019, I agreed. Today, I couldn’t imagine my life any other way. Despite not being the biggest fan of Brighton at first, I was happy to see that I could get to London whenever I felt like it and my mom was relieved to know the youngest in a safer city than the capital. I met extraordinary people and I happened to enjoy my course a lot more than if I had only been doing Literature. I am so glad things didn’t turn out the way I planned because I wouldn’t have learned half of the things I know now.

Failure is a part of life and not only it builds character, but it also redirects and teaches you valuable lessons. Not getting into my dream uni showed me that things do not happen to you but for you. Sometimes rejection truly means redirection and it’s okay. Now, it’s alright to feel upset and to mourn the possibilities of what could’ve happened but don’t let school determine your value because if you made it up until here; you’re smart, worthy, talented and good things will come, you must trust the process.