UCAS offers before CAO offers

[Trabbling]

DD has applied to one of the universities in Ulster, and will find out on Tuesday if she has been offered a place. However as the CAO offers don't come out for several months, what's the story if she accepts a place but then gets an offer that she prefers through the CAO?

I can't find anything about it online except that it says accepting an offer is contractual and there may be penalties if you then cancel your place (after the 14 days, of course).

Anyone been in this position and able to advise? She emailed them yesterday evening to ask about this, but it might be a while before she hears back. Thanks 😊

Will it be an actual offer or a conditional offer depending on grades. Mine - many years ago-was conditional, the actual offer came through after my results were released in August so I had time to pick between it and my CAO offers.

It will either be an unconditional offer which means it doesn't matter what her grades are . These are not usual though unless she has applied for a very niche degree course. The other is acceptance provided she has the points for it . So it still depends on results in August .

Ah great, thanks very much 😊 I don't know whether it will be an actual or conditional, but hopefully conditional.

The actuals tend to be for the more niche courses, say where you might be applying with a portfolio for Art or along the lines of Music or Drama. If it's Humanities, Science etc it ll be conditional