The Student Room Group

UCAS Extra 2015 - FAQ **here**

What is Extra?
The Extra application route is for people who have either received no offers or have declined the ones they did get, and who have no choices left to use. See UCAS Extra and the TSR Wiki.

How does it work?
From 25 February until 2 July, the UCAS course listings will show which universities/courses are still accepting applications. Your Track screen will show whether you are eligible to use Extra. If you are, you will be able to make a further choice up until 2 July. However, you should always check with the uni first to make sure the listing is correct, and also whether they will accept a revised PS/updated predictions etc, particularly important if you are applying for a different course from your original choices. After 2 July the course listings still show which unis were still in Extra at that point but no more applications can be submitted through that route.

How do I find out what's in Extra?
Go to UCAS Course Search, complete the boxes as appropriate, and choose "show courses in Extra" from the menu on the left hand side. If you want to narrow your search right down, you can use a course code rather title in the 'course' box.

Sometimes it seems from the UCAS listings that a uni will accept a new application, but won't consider someone applying through the Extra route. If in doubt, ring and check. Unis can close a course at any time, but presumably can also 're-open' it, for example if more people than they expect decline offers already issued. There's nothing to stop you from ringing a uni to check whether this could happen for a particular course, but use your common sense. The 'closed' status clearly isn't going to change at LSE for economics :smile:. **the listings in the first day or two of Extra in particular can be very inaccurate, so don't take anything you see at face value**

Anyone can check the Extra listings; you do not have to be eligible to apply through Extra to be able to see what's there.

Do unis lower the entry requirements for courses in Extra?
No. In general, universities do not lower entry requirements until Clearing, and not necessarily then. At this (Extra) stage, universities are still looking to fill vacancies with candidates who meet their stated requirements. After all, universities asking high grades do so because they reckon they can get enough people to fill their course/s without having to compromise.

Bear in mind that entry requirements do change from year to year, and also there are sometimes differences between what is on UCAS and what is shown on the uni website. It is generally safer to assume whichever is the higher requirement is the correct one, but ring or email the uni and check if in doubt.

How long does it take to get a reply to an Extra choice?
This varies, but if you do not hear within 21 days you can withdraw and make another choice. Before you do this, though, it is reasonable to ring the uni and ask what's happening. An offer might be in the pipeline! Easter and other holidays can delay decisions, so don't assume that no news is a bad thing.

How do I choose which course to apply for?
In the same way as you did with your first round of choices. Check out the How to Avoid Getting 5 Rejections thread. Be flexible and realistic. Remember too that the uni/s you apply to through Extra will be able to see details of your original course and uni choices, as well as your original personal statement.

The course I want to apply for isn't being offered through Extra
Assuming we aren't talking about, for instance, history at Durham, or any course at Oxford or Cambridge, you can try contacting the university in question to see whether they would be interested in an application from you. If they are, the uni can instruct UCAS to open the course in Extra, so that you can enter them as your Extra choice - but only the uni can do this, not UCAS. Do remember that a uni agreeing to consider you as an Extra applicant does not guarantee you an offer.

Should I decline all my offers and go through Extra?
Only if you (a) are very sure that you don't want to take up any of the offers you have and (b) have spoken to the uni/s you have it in mind to apply to through Extra about whether they will consider your application. Declining offers you already have can be a high risk strategy, even if you are predicted ABB or better, and is one to be pursued only if you have carefully considered every other option (for example, asking unis that have made you offers if they will consider you for alternative courses). Remember that you do not have an insurance option if you are an Extra applicant.

Can I use Extra if I've changed my mind about my firm/insurance?
See Changing Your Mind for more information about this. Essentially you need to persuade your firm/insurance to reject you (if your offer is conditional). If you have accepted an unconditional offer, the chances are that you will only be able to negotiate a release into Clearing (the uni can't reject you as there were no conditions to be met).

Since the UCAS site was updated, I have been unable to track down this extract from the 2013 UCAS FAQs, so it may not still be current - certainly worth checking out, though, if this is your situation:

(Original post by from the UCAS FAQ in 2013)
Q:I have accepted an offer - can I still use Extra?

A: If you've already accepted an offer, you're not eligible to use Extra. However, it might be possible to decline the offer you have accepted, which would make you eligible.

If you accepted the offer in the last 7 days, contact our Customer Service Unit and one of our advisers can make the change for you. Once all of your offers are declined, you can use Extra.

If you accepted the offer more than 7 days ago, you can only decline the offer with permission from the relevant university. You'll need to contact us first to confirm this is what you'd like to do. You'll then need to contact the universities you have accepted offers with, ask them if you can decline the offer, and ask the university to call us to confirm they are happy for these changes to be made. We can then decline your offers with their permission.

Once all offers are declined and if Extra is still available, you can apply to another choice.


I am a late applicant/have unused choices
The Extra listings are important because they give you a guide as to which unis are still taking applications, but your application does not go through the Extra route itself.

I want to change my Extra choice
You will only be able to change your Extra choice after 21 days from when you made it; you cannot change it sooner.

My Extra choice rejected me
If this happens before 2 July, your Track should show that you can now enter a further Extra choice if you want to. You can wait for Clearing if you prefer.

Can I apply again through Extra to a uni that rejected me?
There's no point in doing so if it's for the same course, and probably not much point for another. Unis will quite often automatically consider you for alternative, related, courses anyway, and if they haven't your chances will be very small. If you wanted to apply for something quite different it might be worth a try but speak to them first (as above).

What about Clearing?
New applications made after 30 June are held over until Clearing; Extra applicants have up until 2 July to make an Extra choice. After that date, all applications are held over until Clearing - you will not be able to enter a choice on your Track.

Other resources:
UCAS Apply 2015 FAQ
Changing your Mind
How to Avoid Getting 5 Rejections

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UCAS Extra opens on 25 February. This is an option for anyone not holding any offers (ie. all choices rejected). It allows you to apply for other courses, one course at a time, to enable you to get one possible offer.

If you are in this position, or think you might be, start investigating your options - if you still want to go to Uni, here is the UCAS info about Extra : https://www.ucas.com/sites/default/files/extra-applicant-faqs.pdf

If you are having second thoughts about Uni, then think about waiting until you have your results in August and reapplying to more realistic choices next year, OR look at alternatives like apprenticeships etc : https://apprenticeshipvacancymatchingservice.lsc.gov.uk/navms/forms/candidate/apprenticeships.aspx Remember, you could still go to Uni after you have done an apprenticeship or other training.
(edited 9 years ago)
Can I find out which courses will be on extra? Like before cancelling my options?
Yes - you can phone each Uni you are interested in. This is safer than relying on any listings (even the UCAS one wont be entirely up to date).
So does that mean you have to send another personal statement in? Also is it only one ucas extra choice that you can make?
If you are applying for a very different subject you can ask the Uni if they will accept a different PS (if so, then you simply email it to them).

Yes, you apply for only one course/Uni at a time. They consider your application and its only if they say No that you apply to another.

Two important points :

* You MUST meet the stated admissions requirements in terms of subjects/predicted grades and GCSEs etc. This isnt like Clearing whee Unis can be more flexible

* With Extra you wont have an Insurance choice. You'll only have this Extra place as your Firm. So think carefully about the implications of that - ie. that te grades required are achievable.
Just out of curiosity, can someone please tell me what courses are available in UCAS extra? I've been trying to find them just to see, but I've been unable to...

:colondollar:
You just do the regular course search and then there will be a box on the left which you can tick to only show courses available in extra


Posted from TSR Mobile
there are so many unis in it. for maths there are over 70 law over 100. it looks like everyone except oxford cambridge durham and a couple of London unis are in it including unis like Bristol bath Cardiff Exeter Glasgow kings Lancaster Loughborough Manchester Sheffield and warwick
Original post by TheFinalProblem
You just do the regular course search and then there will be a box on the left which you can tick to only show courses available in extra


Posted from TSR Mobile


Ah ok thanks!

Original post by swanseajack1
there are so many unis in it. for maths there are over 70 law over 100. it looks like everyone except oxford cambridge durham and a couple of London unis are in it including unis like Bristol bath Cardiff Exeter Glasgow kings Lancaster Loughborough Manchester Sheffield and warwick


Wow so thats quite a range!

Posted from TSR Mobile
Because all RG Unis are still on the look out for good applicants who meet the requirements.
Reply 11
If you have declined from all 4 universities but you have received an offer from one, how will you have an insurance and firm choice ?
Original post by Obaahema
If you have declined from all 4 universities but you have received an offer from one, how will you have an insurance and firm choice ?


Do you mean four original choices - and you didnt pick a 5th choice?
If so, you can still apply for a 5th choice outside of Extra (ie. because you have a spare original choice). You still need to phone Unis before applying as many courses will now be closed.

In terms of anyone only having one offer and therefore nothing to pick as an Insurance, that is the way it will be for some people. They will only have a Firm. If they are eventually rejected from this after exam results, they will go straight into Clearing. PS. You cannot 'pick up an Insurance' in Extra. Its only for people with no offer at all from all of their 5 original choices.
Dunno if I want to go through Extra to apply for Neuroscience and reject all my Law offers... :/
For that sort of radical re-think, I really would advise you to wait until you have your results and a confirmed place for Law (hopefully).
Then defer that place and do some serious thinking over the summer/autumn.
If at that point you are still keen on Neuro then you can drop the Law place and reapply for Neuro with known grades and an appropriate PS.
I've applied to Kings and Royal Holloway for BA Geography. I saw the Health and Human Science course at Durham, however I really wanted to pursue a Geography career - so I thought the BA would be more beneficial. Now I am really regretting not putting Durham. :-( Do you think I should take a gap year and reapply or maybe decline all my choices and apply through Extra. I don't know what to do!
Original post by lizmoo0721
I've applied to Kings and Royal Holloway for BA Geography. I saw the Health and Human Science course at Durham, however I really wanted to pursue a Geography career - so I thought the BA would be more beneficial. Now I am really regretting not putting Durham. :-( Do you think I should take a gap year and reapply or maybe decline all my choices and apply through Extra. I don't know what to do!


First question - why do you want to go to Durham? Answer this bit honestly. If has nothing to do with the course there then you really do need to rethink this.Have you visited Durham? You might get there and hate that University.

Re. Extra. If you phone Durham you can find out if in principle they would accept you. However they will not give you a guarantee over the phone. In order to actually apply you would have to withdraw from all existing offers/choices. You cannot get these back even if Durham eventually says No.

A better tactic would be to stick with what you have, make a F/I choice and wait for your A level results. If you achieve your Firm you can then decide if you want this or not. You could even defer your place and just sit on it for a year. Or you couuld dump all choices at that point and reappy to 5 new choices in the Autumn with known A level grades and a new PS.

BUT, the first question above really is an important one to answer. Is this just snobbery ('I could have got into Durham ...') or do you actually want to do their Geography degree? Both Kinga and Royal Holloway are 'good' Unis - you'll have a great time and come out with a degree to be proud of. And you'll be living in/near London for 3 years. It is very normal to panic at this stage - have I made the right choice? what if I did ....? will it all be alright at ....? Just dont get sucked into the idea that changing everything will suddenly give you any better a degree or 'student experience' that the two you have chosen.
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by sydneybridge
First question - why do you want to go to Durham? Answer this bit honestly. If has nothing to do with the course there then you really do need to rethink this.Have you visited Durham? You might get there and hate that University.

Re. Extra. If you phone Durham you can find out if in principle they would accept you. However they will not give you a guarantee over the phone. In order to actually apply you would have to withdraw from all existing offers/choices. You cannot get these back even if Durham eventually says No.

A better tactic would be to stick with what you have, make a F/I choice and wait for your A level results. If you achieve your Firm you can then decide if you want this or not. You could even defer your place and just sit on it for a year. Or you couuld dump all choices at that point and reappy to 5 new choices in the Autumn with known A level grades and a new PS.

BUT, the first question above really is an important one to answer. Is this just snobbery ('I could have got into Durham ...') or do you actually want to do their Geography degree? Both Kinga and Royal Holloway are 'good' Unis - you'll have a great time and come out with a degree to be proud of. And you'll be living in/near London for 3 years. It is very normal to panic at this stage - have I made the right choice? what if I did ....? will it all be alright at ....? Just dont get sucked into the idea that changing everything will suddenly give you any better a degree or 'student experience' that the two you have chosen.


Thanks for the reply. I do simply love the course 'Human Sciences', I have an offer from exeter to also study this course but the one at Durham seems to be much more tailored to the individual - which I really like. I have visited the city quite a few times over the year as I have family in the North, and I love the city. I looked at their Geography degree course and it didn't really suit my interests, although it does have a great reputation for Geography, I would go to Kings (UCL or Edinburgh) too if I had to do the BA Geography.

The only reason I didn't apply was because of the 'snobbery' surrouding Durham and particular members of my family telling me straight that I won't get in and would indirectly say that I'm not clever enough to go there.

I think I am going to take a gap year anyway :-) I don't feel definite with a BA in Geography, like I love Geography and London but I don't know if this is the right decision. So, I don't want to rush into it.

I'll just leave it for a couple of days and decide then. I love London and Geography but that Human Science course looks like one I could and would never get bored of. It's sooooooo interesting. I would actually apply to do this course anywhere (if it wasn't at Durham).

Anyway, Thanks for the advice.
Original post by lizmoo0721
Thanks for the reply. I do simply love the course 'Human Sciences', I have an offer from exeter to also study this course but the one at Durham seems to be much more tailored to the individual - which I really like. I have visited the city quite a few times over the year as I have family in the North, and I love the city. I looked at their Geography degree course and it didn't really suit my interests, although it does have a great reputation for Geography, I would go to Kings (UCL or Edinburgh) too if I had to do the BA Geography.

The only reason I didn't apply was because of the 'snobbery' surrouding Durham and particular members of my family telling me straight that I won't get in and would indirectly say that I'm not clever enough to go there.

I think I am going to take a gap year anyway :-) I don't feel definite with a BA in Geography, like I love Geography and London but I don't know if this is the right decision. So, I don't want to rush into it.

I'll just leave it for a couple of days and decide then. I love London and Geography but that Human Science course looks like one I could and would never get bored of. It's sooooooo interesting. I would actually apply to do this course anywhere (if it wasn't at Durham).

Anyway, Thanks for the advice.


can I just issue you with a word of caution here. I went to an open day with my son at durham we visited together geography maths and college talks and I went to a parents talk. what I learned was how difficult durham is to get into. in the geography lecture they announced they had increased their MINIMUM offer to A*AA since the prospectus had been issued. two of the comments I picked up on were that they made 400 offers from over 1000 applications and in response to a parents question the reply was the people we make offers to DO NOT get their grades. Basically most people exceed A*AA so unless your grades are very exceptional it is highly unlikely you will get an offer in extra. They would only take a couple at most who have at Least A*A*A and even that may not be enough.

In view of this I would urge great caution in going into extra and dropping the offers you have. If durham is that important to you then go for it in the full knowledge you most likely wont get in and might not even get in next year
Original post by swanseajack1
can I just issue you with a word of caution here. I went to an open day with my son at durham we visited together geography maths and college talks and I went to a parents talk. what I learned was how difficult durham is to get into. in the geography lecture they announced they had increased their MINIMUM offer to A*AA since the prospectus had been issued. two of the comments I picked up on were that they made 400 offers from over 1000 applications and in response to a parents question the reply was the people we make offers to DO NOT get their grades. Basically most people exceed A*AA so unless your grades are very exceptional it is highly unlikely you will get an offer in extra. They would only take a couple at most who have at Least A*A*A and even that may not be enough.

In view of this I would urge great caution in going into extra and dropping the offers you have. If durham is that important to you then go for it in the full knowledge you most likely wont get in and might not even get in next year


Thank you for the advice. I already knew how competitive they are for Geography however, I personally don't like the Geography course - it's not suited to my interests.

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