Scottish UCAS applicants 2025 entry

[motheronthedancefloor]

i know there's a HE board but that's dominated by English parents/schools/unis.

I thought I'd start our own thread for Scottish parents of kids applying to UCAS this year. What are your kids applying for? Where are they applying?

I'll start!

DD is applying to primary teaching. Considering Glasgow, Strathclyde, and Stirling. We discussed UWS but its too far away to commute and as she'd be a young 17 (february born), I wouldn't feel comfortable with her so far away. She's academically capable, but in some ways still quite young.

She has BBBCC from S5 (bastard SQA and Higher HIstory). Doing 1 AH and 2 more HIghers this year. Qualifies for a contextual offer.

Personal statement draft all done. Teacher seems happy with it. She has work experience, did the Accerlerate Education challenge I think its called and is accepted onto Top Up. So her statement looks quite good.

What annoys me is that Strathclyde asked for something specific to be included in the personal statement but that's specific to Strathclyde and might not necessarily be accepted by other universities or what they want to see. Plus it doesn't seem to be mentioned on their entry requirements so other applicants may not know this for that particular course.

Also annoys me that they don't use UCAS Tariff points. That would make it so much easier as its not clear if DDs C grades are accepted or not.

DDs school will do the submissions in December. Then I'll probably post here like every day as an anxious mum or rather angry mum - why won't they give my DD a place? lol

waves hello (edited - oops you said what she was studying, must read properly)

Yes to the spam. DD is getting pissed off with thinking every email is an offer!

My child has applied to university of Edinburgh and has applied for two courses. They have been told they have to rank them in preference and that the uni will usually only give an offer on one of the courses. The one they really want is quite hard to get into and they don’t quite have the grades from S5 so it would presumably be a conditional place. The other course they’d be happy with and they have the grades with room to spare.

If they put their favourite course down, they might be asked to get a high AH grade. What if this is the case and they don’t get the grade? It would presumably mean they don’t get in to the course they like and have the grades for easily either. Anyone know how this process works? They need to go to Edinburgh as we can’t afford for them to move out.

I would contact Edi admissions for advice as they used to only give out one offer and unless widening access they are usually unconditional. When my DD applied 5 years ago they showed her the stats for the previous year for her course (20% chance of offer based on her achieved grades). I wouldn't hang everything on an Edi offer even if you meet the published grades for consideration.

Are the 2 courses related? Could she apply to the lower requirement course take the modules for the other course in 1st year and apply to switch? Switching usually competitive too so not without its risks.

If she needs to stay local how about HW or Napier or QM. Friends of my DC have had great outcomes from these unis.

I've never heard of having to state a preference? Is this the university coming back after the UCAS application was made and aking them to basically pick?

My DD has applied for 2 teaching courses at Stirling, 2 at Strathclyde and 1 at Glasgow...she's not (yet) been asked which is her preference. I didn't know universities could do that! I thought they'd just make separate offers!

I thought unis didn't know what your other choices were on the form? 🤔

That doesn't sound right.

Clearing is often a great option too.

I got at least two unconditional offers through UCAS years ago for courses I picked. But in the end didn't go ahead with any of them....and chose a completely separate degree through Clearing a few months later!

It all worked out fine in the end. I have said same to my DS, if he doesn't get his choice via UCAS there's always other avenues🤷‍♀️

Preference is an Edinburgh thing not UCAS. I think if you apply for more than one course they ask you to give your order of preference. I presume the consider you for each in turn and only give you max of 1 offer.

Difficult for the poster if you think you might not meet the first choice offer. I guess its helps them manage their numbers.

I'm new to all this.
My son submitted his UCAS earlier this week and already has two conditional offers. Does he have to pick one just now or can this all wait until August after results?

@decemberknows he can select a firm (first) choice now and an insurance (second) choice which makes sense to be one with lower grade requiirements.

However, best practice is to wait til all offers come in so if he's waiting to hear from more universities, he should hold off - what if an unconditional comes in?

UCAS require universities to send all their offers by May so he doesn't need to wait til August. He can accept sooner than May if all the offers are in before then.

They might match them up internally

He will have to pick his firm and insurance (or an unconditional offer if he receives one) by 4th June. He must not wait until his results come in. When his results do come in he could decline his offers and enter clearing if he wants another course. You might also want to check the accommodation situation at your preferred uni - there may be an advantage to firming an offer earlier in order to apply for accommodation (though this is unlikely to matter until after Easter)

https://www.ucas.com/applying/after-you-apply/types-undergraduate-offers/replying-your-ucas-undergraduate-offers

Clearing is often underrated but a fantastic way to also secure a place at uni in August/September. Depends on the course though.

Agree about clearing. However not so good for Scottish places.

I got in to a Scottish uni no problem via clearing but that was years ago. A lot has definitely changed since then.

DS still hasn't sent his form off yet, had a few wee tweaks done to it such as his LEAPS eligibility. Hopefully all going well, he will hear something in the New Year as his guidance teacher will send them all off in the final week of term.

Good luck to others at the last gasp too!

DD has got through to the next stage for Napier to do film—she needs to do a 3 minute film and an essay now.

I'm really unimpressed with Strathclyde admissions tbh.
Their widening access pages say that if you are contextual AND doing Focus West, the contextual grades can be reduced by one further grade. This applies across almost all courses.
Great - but what are the new grades for DD's choice? Doesn't say.
There's a 2025 spreadsheet with contextual grades that says what the contextual grades are if you're doing FW - I check it, it just says get ABBBC and a FW profile of BBB.
But that doesn't tell me what the grades are now lowered to. Surely it would be BBBBC or ABBCC?
I ask Strathclyde, they say the spreadsheet is still being updated - er....it says 2025, its already been updated, its just not accurate?
They keep saying 'its a busy time', 'we take a holistic approach', 'the spreadsheet is still being updated' - but not giving me an answer to the very simple question - what are the grade requirements reduced to?
Furthermore, DD is getting contrasting information about whether there are 1 or 2 additional subjects in Y1 alongside primary education. Webpages say 1, actual lecturers on the course are sayiing 2. Admissions won't clarify.
Its not giving the best impression of the university tbh. I am reluctant to question further as I don't want DDs chances impacted by a percieved pushy mum.

That's fantastic news - congratulations yo your DD. I am sure she will succeed at the next hurdle 👏

Hopefully more clarity will come as she gets her interview and more is said in person.

One relative got into Edinburgh Uni last September via the LEAPS programme, doing a business related degree. He was a straight A student in high school, but the LEAPS criteria helped too I think due to his home circumstances.

I don't know how it all works tbh, this is my first time going through it all!

I would give Focus West a call and ask them how it works for Strathclyde @motheronthedancefloor . We found LEAPS advisors very helpful the other day when we had a couple of queries.

That was fast! DS got his contextual offer through today from his chosen uni. He has an interview to attend. Awaiting more information but so happy that he has has some kind of acknowledgement already. Didn't think he would hear back until January!! Fingers crossed for others still waiting.

The UCAS form was sent only last Thursday! Very quick response😱😂

aw that's great, what uni and course?

I don't expect DD to get any more offers til after the UCAS deadline, so February probably.

Don't want to be outing but it's an arts related degree which he hopes leads on to teaching eventually. Think he needs to do a PGDE afterwards.

My son applied last Monday and had an offer by Tuesday 5pm! It's a conditional offer, but the condition is one C in anything which we feel very confident he will achieve.

It's Napier - Computer Science with a view to doing software development. He'd rather Heriot Watt but we will see what is offered.

I am very surprised. I fully expected him to go to college for a year to do an HNC/D and then join uni later on. The school reference with contextual info around a medical diagnosis during exams has done him a lot of favours, I think.

But, what a great result!

I wonder if the unis will start offering more places in January?

well done your DS! Yes the UCAS application deadline is 29th January and some universities/courses 'hold' applications til then, then decide who to make offers too. So I'd be surprised (but delighted) if DD got any offers before February at the earliest. Universities have until 14th May to make offers though!