University Applications 2026 - Support Thread

[Ventress]

DS is applying to start university in Autumn 2026. He's done several open days and has a reasonable idea of where and what he wants to wants to study - History or History & Politics.

He loved UCL and Exeter, liked Warwick, didn't like Bristol. He's also talking about early application but can't decide whether to apply to Oxford or Cambridge. He's also muttering about Durham, which he didn't visit but others in his History class did and loved it.

Anyone join me for a thread to support our DC as they navigate this process? DS is my only child so this is all new to me!

@Roundabootperceptions are so personal aren’t they? DS though Warwick was too new and shiny compared to the other universities he visited. The new FAB is a wonderful working space and DS loved the sport. As you say, campuses aren’t everyone’s cup of tea.

I agree with @ArchitectureMumabout applying to an Oxbridge college. All the admissions webinars and lectures DS has had at school and open days has strongly recommended applying to a college over an open application. Yes, you may not end up with an offer from that college. One of DS’ friends was interviewed this year by three Cambridge colleges, none of which was the one he applied for.

i believe the My Cambridge app is for when they ask for the supplementary details, plus you can write a Cambridge course specific ps if you need to. Glad that your son’s application is in now @pinkdelight, DS says it is huge relief to have it done and to be able to go back to concentrating on NEA and course work.

Thanks @Ventress - the MyCam email arrived and he filled in those details, so it's all in and focusing on TMUA prep now - and NEA and the rest. All the best to your DS

Did you manage to sort the TMUA registration?

No. I got as far as writing to my MP. I am hoping for a consituency surgery appointment. DC thinks that would be cool fortunately.

I was a bit distracted as DC has various health issues and we have been having medical appointments and a complicated medical regime.

Next stop is letters to the Times and Telegraph.

I’m sorry to hear it wasn’t easily sorted, what a nightmare. Hope you manage to get it resolved at a higher level, it’s really unfair for young people to be put under additional stress for something like this. Hope all ok re the health issues too, sounds like a lot for you both to be dealing with. Good luck x

Hope you get a solution with the TMUA.

DD’s UCAS is paid for and officially submitted to her sixth form so another step on the journey complete.

Oh goodness @WhisperingAngelisnotbadhow awful. This should be such an easy thing to fix you would think.

If you don’t get this resolved is plan B a gap year? I do hope the problem is sorted out and you are able to book TMUA soon.

We had a similar saga with UAT-UK. Applied for access arrangements using diagnostic report and got an email saying it was granted after 2-3 weeks. Great. Booked exam (a million miles away as all the local slots had gone on day one of booking and the delay in getting access arrangements granted meant we missed out). But what we missed was a second email later the same day stating the access arrangements were only provisional and that we needed to send a copy of the JCQ access arrangements form or a letter from the college evidencing what they had applied for and that, as they knew it was the holidays, they would allow us until 6pm on 8th September to obtain and upload this.

I contacted them to explain this would not be possible… the college didn’t start back until the 8th Sept and I had no reason to expect that amongst 2000 students, our admin needs would be a priority. They EVENTUALLY wrote back to say that we could have an extra week. It was eventually sorted, but by then only left 3 weeks to prep for an exam that my DS had been so stressed that he wouldn’t be able to sit, he’d not really started revising. So, we cancelled it and are now hoping to book for January instead.

Am hoping the agreement to give access arrangements is valid for those exams. It would have been so much easier to phone and speak to someone…

DS is not planning a gap year- maths does not welcome gaps, I understan

I guess technically he could sit in January if applying to maths? Although also having a d/c applying to maths inc Oxford I understand the desire to get the TMUA results ahead of putting all choices on the application form, which is only possible if sitting TMUA in October, and also the desire just to get it out the way x

2nd time round for me, I have one at Uni of Notts in their final year. My second is wanting to do Biomedical Science at Edge Hill, Uni of Notts, Notts Trent or Sheffield Hallam. Their application was submitted from his college on Thursday, so hoping to hear from one or two soon. He does a Btec and 2 Levels, so although he is predicted much higher grades ucas points than he needs its uncertain if they will accept the btec. All courses were in clearing this year, so we are hopeful.

The email change has been sorted out 😅!

The email change has been sorted out 😅!

Wonderful news @WhisperingAngelisnotbad!

Oh, hooray!

How did you do it! Well done ❤️

Ds has mainly been revising for the MAT. Does anyone have any idea how different the TMUA is?

Please may i join? DS wants to study CS. He will be taking the TMUA exam soon.

Good luck with all these MATs and TMUAs.

DD is in that limbo land of waiting for her college to submit her UCAS. I guess an advantage of the early application deadline as we know they will do it by next Wednesday at the latest.. (they had better do it by then anyway!). I remember waiting weeks for DSs to go in after he had submitted it to the school.

Well done to everyone who’s got their application in already. I think ds’s will be in on Monday 🤞🏻

Then he’ll sit his TMUA next week and MAT the week after. Hopefully get his cast off during half term and back to the driving practice as he’s got a test booked before too long 🤦🏻‍♀️

DC has got the email address changed. He is booked for the TMUA on Monday.

He has the special considerations form filled in, with supporting evidence.

However, there is no sign of the access arrangements that have been approved on his "dashboard".

I am wondering if these got lost with the email change [sigh].

Yet more emails to UAT.

Do you think if he turns up with the email confirming his access arrangements, that these will be honoured?

What are the access arrangements? Easy ones like separate room? Trickier ones like a scribe?

Just 25% extra time for neurodivergent conditions.

The access arrangements replicate what they’ve been given before in GCSE. We had to send a report evidencing the diagnosis but they also wanted a copy of the form the school/college completed [or a letter in lieu which we were given] stating what arrangements they are usually given. In our case DS is usually given 25% extra time so this was what we asked for (you get the options to tick on the website) on the basis that this is what we can evidence him being given usually.

You have to have the access arrangements agreed before you book the test, though, so I’d recommend sorting those out now so that when booking goes live (on 27th Oct for the Jan sitting), you still have the full choice of exam centres/times.

ETA - the exams are done on a computer, I understand, so not sure how a scribe might work? A separate room might be possible though?

Hard to say. It's so wrong you're both having such difficulties with this, so stressful.