How does it work with UCAS points for music exams you haven't yet taken when you complete your forms?

[theribbonroom]

DS is hoping to get his Trinity Music Grade 8 performance but not sure when it will be through?
Grateful for any advice how these work.

Most universities won't include it in their offer anyway - they usually specify, "AAB from three A-levels or equivalent" which excludes all of the music and DofE stuff.
Some courses and unis do make points-based offers, eg "112 points", but they usually expect these to come from A-levels or equivalent. A few of these will say, (eg) "maximum of 12 points from other qualifications"

For most applicants, music, DofE, etc are only worth putting on the form as a way of saying you've done them without using precious personal statement characters.

It's all about the academics.

You gain UCAS points for grades achieved (I think for levels 6-8). You should only put down grades achieved rather than working towards. It won't make any difference to offers to be honest.

Although for many it won't make any difference for some it might. My daughter was a non standard entrant, she only took 2 A levels because she trained as a dancer at ballet school & dance college before having a change of direction & going to university and a couple of the universities she applied to (Brighton & LJMU) did want to see her dance grades.

My son applied for music degrees and although he had enough UCAS points a couple of the places he applied to would take ABRSM & Trinity grades to count towards the total.

I "think" that if you haven't yet passed an exam you have to mention it in your personal statement and send the result directly to the univesity.

Thanks this is helpful

Not many (if any at all) of the top universities couch their offers in terms of UCAS points so only likely to make a material difference in exceptional circumstances

As others have said, it's only in fairly rare circumstances that non academic UCAS points are actually significant. Unless your DS is applying for a related degree which specifically states that points from music exams will be included in the offer I probably wouldn't even mention it. If it may be of significance it's possibly worth a line in the personal statement but you can't include a qualification that you don't actually have at the time of application.
In all honesty, the majority of universities don't care about extracurriculars unless they can be used to demonstrate some specific skill or experience that is directly relevant to the intended course of study, so it's probably not worth losing sleep over.

I thought you would put the exam down and in the drop down menu select pending provided DC will definitely sit exam.

Just had this very convo with my daughter. In her UCAS application absolutely no where to put this info. It is all about the academic grades. We were sort of sold that getting to highest grade was equivalent to an A-level.

There is somewhere to put it so you may as well, but as stated upthread is it rare that it will matter