When you’re a parent, guardian or carer, you know that you are one of the most important sources of information and advice in a young person’s life.
 
Choosing a university is a major decision, and your young person will likely turn to you for guidance. To help, we have put together some advice on how you can support their decision-making.

University Application Timeline:

• September: UCAS applications open
• January: UCAS application deadline
• February – May: Universities sending offers, reply deadlines are specific to each student
• July: Clearing opens
• August: Results day

UCAS Offers and Deadlines

If your student has applied to UCAS before the January deadline, they will be waiting to hear back from their chosen universities from February to May.
 
Universities will send out three types of offers:

• Unconditional: this means they’ve met the university’s entry requirements already and are guaranteed a place.
• Conditional: this means there are certain requirements that need to be met, typically exam results, so they will have to wait until results day to know whether they have secured their place.
• Unsuccessful: this means the university can’t offer a place on the chosen course.

Students can apply for up to five universities through UCAS, and once all the decisions are in, there will be a specific deadline for replying to offers. Remind them that their UCAS deadline is unique and may differ from that of their friends or classmates.
 
UCAS will then prompt all students to make a firm choice, and an insurance choice once they have heard back from all universities they have applied to.

What’s a firm choice?

For their firm choice, students should select the university they most want to attend. If the offer is conditional, their place is guaranteed only if they meet the specified requirements. 
 
Sometimes students may be inclined to select an unconditional offer as their firm choice but be sure to ask them whether this is definitely a university they want to go to. They’re going to be spending three or more years there, so it needs to tick all their boxes!

What’s an insurance choice?

The insurance choice serves as their backup option. Encourage your student to choose an insurance option with lower entry requirements than their firm choice. 
 
If they then don’t meet the entry requirements for their firm choice, but meet the entry requirements for their insurance choice, then their place on that course is secured.

Advice for replying to offers

Before replying to their offers, there are a few things they will need to do:

• Understand the offer: As we mentioned, students can have conditional and unconditional offers. Before replying to any offers, it’s important that they fully understand the conditions they are required to meet.
• Attend an Open Day: One of the best ways to find out if a university is right is by attending an open day. All universities will run open days to give prospective students a chance to visit the university and facilities, speak with current students and staff and explore the surrounding area.

At Queen’s, if a student receives an offer, they will be invited to attend an Offer Holder Day, different to an Open Day, as it allows students to have a more in-depth tour of the university and their chosen subject area.

• Research university life: When comparing the different course offers, it’s also important to consider university life in that decision. Students should be looking at the experience outside of the classroom, taking time to research the local area, student accommodation, distance from home and family/friends, the social scene and opportunities during their time at university.
• Once exam results are released, students cannot choose between their firm and insurance choices. Their place will automatically be confirmed based on whether they meet the conditions of their firm or insurance offer. That’s why it’s important they genuinely want to attend both institutions.
• Be a sounding board: At this stage, your support in discussing their options can help them make a confident decision. Ask them questions like, ‘What do you want to get out of the course?’ ‘What do you want to get out of your university experience?’ ‘How do the offers you received align with your career goals?’ ‘Can you imagine yourself living and studying there?’.

What happens if they have no offers or no longer want to accept any of their offers?

If a student receives no offers or does not want to accept any of their current offers, do not worry, as they may be able to apply for other courses through UCAS Extra.

UCAS Extra is an opportunity for students to apply to another course without the need to wait for Clearing opening in July. To be able to use UCAS Extra, all five choices must have been used, and they must have no offers or have declined all offers they received. This service typically opens in mid-February.

Clearing is a way for universities to fill remaining places on courses, and it opens in July. Students can reject both their firm and insurance choices and enter themselves into Clearing or enter Clearing if they didn’t get the grades required for both their firm and insurance choices.

Supporting Their Wellbeing

At this time, young people are juggling academic pressure, uncertainty about the future and thinking about big life changes all at once. During this time, your emotional support is just as important as practical advice.

• Acknowledge the pressure they are under, let them know it’s normal to feel nervous, and most students will have similar worries at this stage.
• Create a space for open, judgment-free conversation. Listen rather than leading with advice, asking questions like ‘What’s worrying you most right now?’ or ‘How are you feeling about the offers?’, that will help them open up.
• Support their independence by encouraging them to do their own research, attend events, and engage directly with the universities, rather than taking over the process.
• Avoid projecting your own preferences, especially if you have strong opinions about locations.

Find out more

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Parents, Guardians & Carers

How to Help a Young Person Prepare for University

Zoe Mackey Staff Writer | Queen's Global Hi, I'm Zoe, and I'm proud to be part of the Queen's Global team.     Over the past six years, I've held roles that let me create content for a variety of audiences, from start-ups to larger organisations. At Queen's, I'm always exploring new and creative ways to bring fresh content ideas to our main website.   Outside of work, I love reading (I even run a local book club), spending time with my dogs, and never missing an opportunity for a coffee or brunch outing.