2026 UCAS - Offers, Rejections and Waiting to Hear

[EducatingRosemary]

For those whose DC have submitted their UCAS application without having yet taken the A-level (or equivalent) exams…

How are your DC getting on with hearing back from the universities?

4th offer through today, from Exeter (2 grades lower if put it as firm, 1 grade lower if insurance choice due to EPQ). Just waiting for Durham now @Ventress although think it will be really complicated if they offer a place and a lot of pressure to get PGs as Durham seem to rarely accept lower than predicted grades, so secretly I'm thinking it's better to go with Bristol/Warwick and have Exeter as insurance - but let's see what happens.

Great news @CautiousLurker2 !

Heads up for anyone wanting Bath offer holder days / department visits. The engineering invites have gone out this morning.

DD has applied for Graphic design at Cardiff Met, Plymouth, USW, Leeds and Oxford Brookes. She had offers from Plymouth, Leeds and USW before Christmas and She had her portfolio interview with Cardiff Met yesterday where they made her an offer during the call!

Has anyone else heard from Oxford brookes?

Last year DS1 had his offer from his firm and insurance choices and so withdrew from Bristol and Bath has he had not heard from them by March and Accomodation applications for his first choice opened on 1st April and they allocate on date application placed so wanted to get in there. It is annoying that some unis open accomodation applications before the deadline for all offers to be sent out - means the kids have to make some choices without having all thier offers!

@BrieAndChilli well done to DD on that Cardif Met offer. She must be feeling ten feet tall after such a successful interview!

And understand you DS withdrawing by 1st April last year - I truly think they should hold off opening accommodation until everyone has been offered/rejected. At KCL they did this - the portal opened on 1st June and tranches of accommodation were released each day. Took the stress out of worrying about getting anywhere (or being stuck with the really expensive options). I think it’s in the back of my mind re my DS this year and may be feeding my OTT anxiety on his behalf!

Well done @Fabfabfab ds has Exeter and Warwick offers too. Both are really good history courses. Durham doesn’t seem to do clearing except for grades in hand. Exeter (AAB) and Warwick (BBB) were both in clearing last summer so I think DS is going to hold out for clearing if necessary.

Great offers @TodayIsatrickyoneand @CautiousLurker2!

my DC still not had a response from Bath for engineering! I hope they run more OHDs later in the year (website says "March to May") in case an offer comes his way

There are some in mid and late April and they said they were aiming for end of March (UCAS advisory is 14th I think) for all offers so fingers crossed! Hopefully later than that will be rare.

What engineering has yours applied for? X

Yay finally an offer from York . One very relieved DS.

4 year mechanical, how about yours?

@BrieAndChilli I didn't realise this was the case, thought the Universities allocated much later. Does anyone know when Bristol, Durham and Warwick allocate accommodation? It's a shame this has to come into the equation when deciding on which Uni to firm.
@Ventress Interesting about Exeter being AAB in clearing as that is the standard offer for History anyway. DC got a BBB offer if it's down as firm (which it won't be). Sorry to hear about Oxford, hope your DC isn't too disappointed. Has the UCL offer come through yet or is Durham the top choice now?

MEng with possible placement year in aerospace or integrated mechanical and electrical. So maybe they will end up meeting at some point!

It depends on Uni and campus. DS went to Exeter but the campus in cornwall - there they allocate based on first come first served (which is same for Cardiff Mat where DD wants to go. However if DS course was at the campus in EXeter they allocate on a lottery system and you dont find out what you have been given until september!

it was probably ABB in clearing @Fabfabfab- sorry. DS was offered a grade lower if he firmed, so ABB too- not sure. Great that your DC got a BBB offer!

I don’t think ds’ll firm however much he liked Exeter. I’m pretty sure Warwick was BBB in clearing too, which is three grades lower than their standard offer and very good.

The lottery sounds exciting! I know they had some issues with accommodation last year as lots are being refurbished.

I don’t know when accommodation is being allocated except that many guarantee accommodation if the university is firmed so I’m holding on to that 😊

I think Oxford was always a very long shot - DS doesn’t seem too upset anyway. Plus the Durham offer came at a good time for DS. Still waiting for UCL but I don’t think anyone has heard from UCL about history yet. It’s definitely between Durham and UCL. DS needs to go to the offer holder day at Durham as he didn’t go to the open day.

What universities would your dc like to firm and insure?

great news on the York offer @iwonttaketheeasyroad!

Bristol and Warwick both allocate after results day although you apply before then. Both unis have active parent Facebook groups if you have an exact accommodation query. The Bristol accommodation selection process changed in 2025 so ignore any MN chat pre 2025.

@hockeyfun and @BrieAndChilli those are the main Universities DC is considering so good to know it doesn't happen early
@Ventress DC will go to Warwick's offer holder day but at the moment Bristol is the top choice (although possibly Durham is an offer comes through). Exeter or York as insurance (ideally Exeter but accommodation issues puts us off).

I'm pretty sure the answer is no, but is it possible to go through clearing if you end up with the insurance choice? Warwick had such low grades in clearing last year but might be too risky to put as insurance as offer is AAA (DC's PG is AstarAA). Bristol (likely top choice) is also AAA so probably not a good idea to have a University with the same grades as insurance.

Yes you can reject your insurance place after results and be released into Clearing.

@HighburyHope ah ok, that's good to know then! That means DC can keep Warwick in mind instead of Exeter/York if something goes unexpectedly wrong with PGs (if Warwick goes into clearing like last year and this is obviously no guarantee). And who knows, after the offer holder day DC might decide to firm Warwick instead of Bristol in any case. DC also really liked Exeter so it's all looking really positive :)

For those waiting for Bath, DS got an Econ offer in March (applied oct for Oxford). Went on an OHD late April.

Because Warwick and Exeter were in clearing this summer DS is likely to firm and insure Durham (they’ve asked for this college preferences now but no offer holder day infor yet) and UCL. If he screws up his a levels then he’s talking either gap year or entire rethink.

Exeter do good parent support sessions @Fabfabfabwhere they cover accommodation if you are worried or have concerns. My friend’s daughter has just finished her history UG degree at Exeter and absolutely loved it. I really liked Warwick too. Their FAB was amazing as was their history offering. DS didn’t like Bristol so hasn’t applied there. We did go to the open day but DS wasn’t a fan of the city or the course. Again, his choice. It would have been a vast amount closer than Durham though!

I’m also a bit worried that Durham and UCL are both aspiration pgs. But I have to leave that to DS.

@Ventress think UCL is AAA (?) and Durham AstarAA, so if your DC has a bad day and drops a couple of grades UCL should still be viable. If he has to look at clearing options, would he prefer Exeter or Warwick?

So DD is now waivering between Cardiff Met (up til now her first choice) and USW (Univeristy of South wales) because USW have told her if she attends the holders day they will convert her offer into an unconditional offer! I am worried she is going to make the decision based on the fact that her place would be guaranteed rather then where is best. On the other hand we did really like USW but the cardiff campus is very small.
Anyoone else heard about offers being made unconditional if you attend the holders day? wondering how common it is!

Oh… that seems a little naughty and manipulative? Not sure how I feel about that as it may encourage young people to choose based on the security of the offer and not on the basis of which is the best fit for them. Obviously she chose it as one of her five, so liked the course and campus enough, but I’d really chat this over with her college tutors after the OHD?

Does it become unconditional only if she firms it, or unconditional but could still insure with it? She should go to the offer holders'day to see it again.

No, cant use it as an insurance and if accepts it as firm can no longer have an insurance option.

@puddock@SilverBlue56 DS applied to Bath for engineering a couple of years ago and he didn't get an offer until end April! Also applied early (Camb) so it was a long wait. So hold in there...
(Oh and there was an offer holder day he went to in early May)