UCAS Firm - what happens if Firm choice uni offers a different course on results day?

[BobtheFrog]

A UCAS process question, sorry cant find answer in google

What happens if you apply to Uni A for Course A, on results day the grades aren't what you hoped and they offer you a different course instead - but you don't want to do that course and would rather go to Insurance Uni

Do you get a choice of taking alternate Uni A course or your Insurance? Or do you lose the Insurance Uni offer because your Firm Uni has offered you something?

That happened to my eldest. She had better grades but in the wrong order so instead of Main Subject + X, she was offered Main Subject + Y and was also offered her insurance choice.

thanks GU24Mum- so to be clear you eldest got the choice of alternate course or Insurance course?

Do you remember how that worked in UCAS?

Yes - they both came up in her UCAS account and she had the choice of which one to accept. I hadn't heard about that happening before so was surprised.

She wasn't the peak Covid years but just after it so numbers were still high. It must have been that the main course would have taken her but had enough (too many?) people who'd met the offer.

I'd rather not put the actual subjects here but am happy to give you the details if helpful and you want to message me.

Brill, thank you - don't need the details just to understand how it might work this year.

I think UCAS processes tend to be quite prescriptive (i.e. they work how they work, even if you don't like it) but not always clear and transparent with edge cases like these - though I assume it (alternate course offers from Firmed Uni) must happen quite often

@GU24Mum ’s answer should generalise.

The applicant has Firmed a particular degree programme and the contract is with that programme. The new offer is not contracted, so the Insurance offer should also be available.

Just to add, what you are describing is a ‘changed course offer’ - this is the term that will come up on UCAS