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 ☺️

Still waiting for computing for DS st Edinburgh,
st Andrews ans heriot watt. He keeps getting correspondence from Edinburgh but think that is random

Same here with the emails from Edinburgh. DC wishes they would stop spamming with emails and just update UCAS 😂

Dd is still just waiting for Edinburgh, her brother has all his English offers. She is definitely a little frustrated.

We are still waiting for Edinburgh too.

My brother works for St Andrews Uni (one of the departments) and he says they have sent out 30 offers so far, and another 30 are coming out this week or next from his dept. So things are moving, albeit slowly!

Eldest DD now has a conditional offer from Abertay for computer science for second year entry) - she has to pass her HNC, which I have no doubt she will. She’s thrilled because that is her first choice.

Youngest DD (fine art) hasn’t heard back from any of her choices, so she’s stressing out a bit! It’s her 18th birthday on Sunday, fingers crossed she gets a nice surprise!

The not knowing and waiting is so stressful for them! Mostly everyone I’ve spoken to that applied for anything art based (esp Fine Art/History of Art) in previous years have said that it was at least March before they heard anything. Big happy birthday to your DD for Sunday 🥳🎉🎉

Has anyone had offers from Edinburgh for Theology or Divinity?

DS is applying for business related courses at the moment but has a planned gap year overseas so is applying now for deferred 2027 entry.

So far he has an unconditional from Robert Gordon and Heriot-Watt, and conditionals from Aberdeen and Napier. He is still waiting to hear from Stirling. He is at the moment most keen on Heriot-Watt, with Aberdeen as second choice.

Happy birthday to DD!!💐

Has anyone had a response from Stirling on Psychology or primary teaching? Waiting not so patiently.

We are still waiting to hear from Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews for economics and business. It is tense.

Congratulations to all the DCs with offers.

It does seem like Glasgow is taking its merry time on conditionals. I can't believe it's nearly March and we still haven't heard. My DC is beginning to worry ever so slightly and even mentioned accepting the Edinburgh unconditional offer (which is second choice) just to have certainty, which we managed to persuade was a bad idea!

Also still waiting for St As, Edinburgh, glasgow
Impatience turning into annoyance!!!

Youngest DD still hasn’t heard anything. She’s starting to worry that her portfolio wasn’t good enough. It’s awful to watch!

It’s hard to hold your nerve isn't it? Especially since some accommodations have started taking applications. My DD got a conditional from Glasgow last week (vet med) and still waiting on one more.

Still waiting on St Andrews, heriot watt and Edinburgh

We are exactly in the same situation! Really annoying!

Congrats to everyone who got offers, hopefully there won't be long until everyone gets all of theirs.

We’re still waiting on Strathclyde - but given HW accommodation opens next week he’s thinking of withdrawing the Strathclyde application and just accepting HW which is probably his first choice anyways. It’d be much harder a decision if he’d had his heart set on Strath - I wish they’d all release the offers at the same time.

My DC has finally got their Glasgow offer - it's a conditional as expected but one of the conditions is to attend their 4 week summer school programme (in addition to gaining a further Higher A or equivalent (B in AH). I'm not sure whether this is usual and DC is now worried about passing that as well as exams, in addition to the significant time commitment in what is supposed to be his 'last free summer'.

I've had a look at the summer school criteria and he doesn't seem to fit any of them. Wondering whether it's worth contacting the university about this - DC is predicted to get the grades that would meet the standard entrance requirements for the course, so the summer school feels a bit of overkill particularly as DC is doing (and predicted a B in) an AH in the course so is likely to have covered the material in the relevant summer school course.

One of my youngest DD’s friends has been given an appointment for an interview for art at Glasgow, so fingers crossed that offers for art are starting to come out now!

We got a conditional offer from Glasgow too ( for his first choice). DS needs one more A (or B for AH) and he's predicted to get that. Almost there...

Glad things are beginning to move a bit for people. There was a flurry of offers in early January, and now a complete lull for February, so fingers crossed March everyone gets offers, so at least they can decide and move forwards. Being in limbo is always the worst.

@BirdyBedtime I've never heard of a condition including a a summer school. Seems a bit strange. Is it free? Otherwise I would say its a money making exercise.

My eldest DD got a conditional from Glasgow a couple of years back with the summer school condition and one B. She really struggled with her MH through high school and she made that clear on UCAS. It actually made me reassured because I was worried about her going to uni at all. She’s 2nd year now and thriving there in a way I could t have imagined when she was applying. I think the summer school offer is a good thing. Hers was online with a couple of days on campus. It’s free and won’t cost you anything except maybe travel.

Congratulations to those with offers, exciting times ahead!
Has anyone heard from Edinburgh, Glasgow or Strathclyde for Law?

How on earth can they require the summer school? What about those of us who don’t live the central belt? It would cost a lot more than just travel costs to participate and feels very discriminatory. Plus, like many kids, my son will be working full time all summer to afford university and four weeks less earnings is significant. (This makes me even more pleased he’s just firmed up Heriot-Watt).