UCAS Applications for 2026 Entry

[gethighlikeplanes]

Following on from the very supportive thread for 2025 entry, I thought I would start a new one for 2026 as once more into the fray I go . . .

This will be a totally different experience for me this time as DC is applying for Art courses which require a portfolio to be submitted. She meets the standard grade requirements for all courses but I expect so much will be dependent on the portfolio?

Until recently she has been adamant that she doesn’t want to move away which greatly limited her options as there is only one university within commutable distance however I’m led to believe this Uni is very difficult to get into. She has now said that she’s “open to the idea of moving away” (too soon for me to be thinking of that, I’m still not used to the older one being away from home!)

I would love to hear from anyone else who has a DC applying for 2026, which subject they are applying for and which universities they are applying to ☺️

Finally, Edinburgh offer has come in. This is what my DD wanted.

Congratulations! My son going there too!

Congratulations to everyone on their offers! DD still waiting on Edinburgh 😳

We are waiting on an offer for this same course. I expect if she gets one it will be a conditional as her 5th year higher could have been better.

And that's the last offer from Edinburgh in. A clean sweep of 5 unconditional offers. So chuffed for DC. All the hard work last year has paid off.

My DS has a conditional offer from Edinburgh. He needs to get a B in Classics which should be fine as he got 99% in his prelims!

I was very nervous for him as he doesn’t have the top results most on here seem to have - he has AAADF and is on route to A for his higher and 2 A's for Advanced Highers. He only applied to Edinburgh 😱as he didn’t want anywhere else. What a daftie. Thankfully it’s paid off. We're in Edinburgh and he wanted to stay home.

It's all becoming real, offer accepted, accommodation applied for and accommodation offer in.

I'm so not ready for this

So overall what’s the verdict on the published grades v offers given? Have any youngsters got accepted without getting the grades? Or did any get turned down despite having the grades? Interested.

My DD got unconditionals from 4/5 places she applied to. She didn't get an offer from Edinburgh, but then again she didn't have the grades, it was a long shot.

My DN has one unconditional, one conditional, two rejections and still waiting on one. They had the grades for all the places they applied for. They are a bit gutted about the rejections. Both from Strathclyde.

DD has accepted her place now. I am happy for her. She hasn't gone for the most prestigious place, but I think she will be happy. Haven't applied for accomodation yet. The halls aren't great. There is the option for private halls, dos anyone have any experience of private halls as a first year? Would she be in amongst postgraduates and groups of 2nd years that have chosen to live together?

DC had 5 unconditionals from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Strathclyde, Aberdeen and Dundee with AAAAC. I think the subject that the C was in helped as the As were all in more relevant/academic subjects. Different universities had different entry requirements from AAAA, AAAB and AAABB at the end of S5, so she did have slightly higher than the standard entry requirements for all.

My son got 4As and a C and didn’t expect an unconditional from Edinburgh who for computer science recommends 5 As. Got rejected from St A with unconditional usually 4As and a B! Less
places in St A for computer science! All
others were unconditional!

My DS got accepted everywhere (including Aberdeen, Edinburgh,Heriot-Watt) he had the grades for but anecdotally I’m hearing quite a few kids have not been accepted where they did have the published required grades for other courses. Does anyone know if this is a large cohort or if scotgov funding has been cut? My heart goes out to the kids who’ve done so well and not got one of their top choices.

My DD’s friend got rejected from Strathclyde for competitive course weeks ago but kept emailing them. Few days ago they offered her an unconditional place! She had the required minimum grades so was initially upset to be rejected .This is time lots of students firming so maybe the odd vacancy going. Worth a shot

my dd has accepted her offers now and we’ve applied for accommodation…although looks like the first deadline for Glasgow Caledonian was a few weeks ago. It’s frustrating as I didn’t realise you could apply for accommodation before putting in your firm choice. Oh well, I hope she gets it as it is right on campus. What a price though!! An extra 1k a year for en suite…I take it we can pay monthly and it doesn’t have to be paid in one. Would only be over 9 months though presumably?

Not sure but does anyone know about having to send a copy of their certificates for Edinburgh? My son has tried but says it’s not clear where to upload them?

I don’t know about GCU specifically but most have payment options of full year, term, or monthly - be aware that monthly will likely be 8 payments and not 9, I fell foul of this last year!

Also, just a note re en-suite, my DD2 was adamant that she needed en-suite. After speaking to a student advisor she decided to take the cheaper option with shared bathrooms and it’s been absolutely fine - fair enough if there’s medical reasons but they mostly have to share bathrooms from Y2 onwards anyway.

DD2 says you upload them via MyEd, it should be listed under Outstanding Actions.

DS got an unconditional from Edinburgh without getting the grades ( an A short). He got a conditional from Glasgow (they want one more A, that should be doable). Glasgow is his first choice, and he keeps Edinburgh as his insurance.

My Ds got a conditional from Glasgow asking for a B and conditional from Strathclyde asking for an A. We expected it to be the other way round, going by the published grades. He was very happy because Glasgow is his first choice and unconditional from Edinburgh is his back up.