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?

Ahh ok. So Durham were a bit flexible. My daughter has 2 BTECs which are both equivalent to an A, a C for the A Level she did and a the required 6 for maths GCSE. The course benchmark is AAB so I do think there are flexible with grades in hand but not sure how much and if it's the total amount of UCAS points or the grades.

@aCatCalledFawkes he is applying to unis around his sport so that is the rather random nature! Durham although was not on his list last year but I am trying to keep a low profile at the moment!!! He would be happy at Reading I think and had an offer from them last year as well.

Anyone with experience of Southampton? DS got his offer for Physics MPhys/MSci a few weeks ago (standard offer as published A**AA) but today got an email inviting him to an optional interview day to ‘get to know you better’ and which might lead to a lower offer.

Wondered whether anyone had gone through this process with them and could tell me:
-do they nearly always reduce the offers in exchange for you attending the interview/visit day?
-how much do they reduce the offers by?( eg. one grade or can they be more generous?)
-and are they made on the proviso you chose them as your firm offer?
-ie if you put them as your back-up do you lose the reduced offer?

Sorry - not clear in the extensive email!!

Anyone got anything from Birmingham? Sociology specifically.

Still waiting for Birmingham too. Got an acknowledgement email and one a few weeks later thanking us for our patience while they review the application. (Physics)

Ds is still waiting for Birmingham (Geography)

DS has had Birmingham - end of November. (Maths, stats and data science)

Anyone heard back from Imperial yet?

Still waiting on Birmingham and Leeds ( Law)

Birmingham offer in just now. Fingers crossed they are having an admin day and yours all follow this afternoon!

Great news. Are they still waiting for anyone else?

Yes… just Warwick. But I think DS is not actually bothered about Warwick now - he is thinking of accepting Manchester as his firm and Southampton as the insurance place if they lower their offer. He has to go to interviews for both, though, which is a [gulp] moment.

Has anyone had a non- contextual offer for either Durham or Edinburgh for economics?

My DD has had reduced grades from Exeter, Cardiff and Newcastle but her first choice would be either of the above. Her predicted grades are A*AA in economics, maths and politics.

At last…just got their first offer, Warwick 😀
No, haven’t heard from Imperial yet.

Nothing from imperial yet.
Just got Warwick.

Congrats on the Warwick offer!!

Great news! Great offer to have in the bag while you wait to hear back from Warwick.

Congrats to your DC, great news!

Still waiting to hear from Imperial for maths here, but I don’t think they offered until about March last year so could be a bit longer still to wait.

Obvs meant while you wait to hear back from Imperial!! 🤦🏽‍♀️

We have not heard from Durham yet. Edinburgh is not our list.

Great news!!

Great news @Llangewydd57. Your poor DS has been waiting ages!

Still waiting for LSE here

Any one with offers from St Andrews?

Anybody got anything from Durham for Engineering?

My DD has had an offer from St Andrews, Aberdeen and Sheffield, still waiting on Edinburgh