Ucas questions

OP

Original post by Scotland Yard

1. Contextual offers are offers with lower entry requirements than the standard entry requirements. Contextual offers are given to people based on certain criteria which means that they're less likely to achieve the standard entry requirements.

2. Yes... if you've accepted that offer. You can put one offer as your "firm" and a second offer as your "insurance". If you get the grades for your firm choice, you get the place at the uni, if you don't, then your insurance choice accepts you if you meet their entry requirements. If you had to decline the offer (because you can only accept two), then you don't have a place at the uni.

Are you saying that as long as I put a Uni as my firm choice and accept the offer, If I get the minimum required grades I will get my place?

E.g. University Course Entry Requirements: AAB - ABB

Grades Received: ABBC

Reply 4

Original post by GarytheBeast

Are you saying that as long as I put a Uni as my firm choice and accept the offer, If I get the minimum required grades I will get my place?

E.g. University Course Entry Requirements: AAB - ABB

Grades Received: ABBC

It depends on whether the grades specified in your offer are the same as the minimum entry requirements, or are higher. In several unis the standard offer is higher than the minimum entry requirements, as these are the lowest threshold at which they’ll consider your application, and potentially make you an offer. If the minimum entry requirements are ABB, and you get a conditional offer of ABB, then if you get ABB you have a place. However, if you get a conditional offer of AAA, or AAB, then if you get ABB you have probably missed out on your place.

Reply 5

OP

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

Original post by squiddy135

It depends on whether the grades specified in your offer are the same as the minimum entry requirements, or are higher. In several unis the standard offer is higher than the minimum entry requirements, as these are the lowest threshold at which they’ll consider your application, and potentially make you an offer. If the minimum entry requirements are ABB, and you get a conditional offer of ABB, then if you get ABB you have a place. However, if you get a conditional offer of AAA, or AAB, then if you get ABB you have probably missed out on your place.

So the minimum requirements for the Alevel on the website doesn’t matter? The only thing that matters is meeting the contextual offer they give to you? And you will only get the minimum requirements offered to you if you meet those certain criteria?

Reply 6

Scotland Yard

20

Original post by GarytheBeast

Are you saying that as long as I put a Uni as my firm choice and accept the offer, If I get the minimum required grades I will get my place?

E.g. University Course Entry Requirements: AAB - ABB

Grades Received: ABBC

Ah. When it says the requirements are AAB-ABB, when you get an offer they'll specify which of these applies to you. And as long as you meet that for your firm choice, you're in.

Reply 7

OP

Original post by GarytheBeast

So the minimum requirements for the Alevel on the website doesn’t matter? The only thing that matters is meeting the contextual offer they give to you? And you will only get the minimum requirements offered to you if you meet those certain criteria?

Also what happens if you already have one do the grades(I’m resitting one of my Alevels this year) e.g I already have grades A(maths) c(further Maths) B(Computer Science) and I only needed the physics grade. Would my offer be different?

Reply 8

Original post by GarytheBeast

So the minimum requirements for the Alevel on the website doesn’t matter? The only thing that matters is meeting the contextual offer they give to you? And you will only get the minimum requirements offered to you if you meet those certain criteria?

It depends on the university but the grades on the website absolutely do matter, as you can find out from them what the offer you’d get would likely be.
Whether you get an offer of the minimum requirements depends on the criteria of the university, for some you might not have to meet any contextual criteria, for others you would, and it would be listed on the website.
Once you have a conditional offer (this is an offer that says you need to achieve certain grades, and is what you get if you haven’t yet sat A levels) then the only grades that matter are the ones specified in the offer, whether they’re higher or lower than the typical grades on the website.

Reply 9

Original post by GarytheBeast

Also what happens if you already have one do the grades(I’m resitting one of my Alevels this year) e.g I already have grades A(maths) c(further Maths) B(Computer Science) and I only needed the physics grade. Would my offer be different?

Potentially, but again it depends on the individual university’s requirements i.e. if you need a higher grade in physics than you achieved, it would be conditional on achieving that, but wouldn’t have any other conditions as your other grades are all achieved.
You might need to check the university policy on resits as some specify that grades must be achieved in one exam sitting, certainly not all unis do (I think most don’t) but it’s good to be sure.

Reply 10

swanseajack1

19

You have to meet ALL conditions a university gives you. The minimum entry or contextual grades dont matter once you receive an offer. Minimum entry grades are a bit misleading. For some universities you have to far exceed these to get an offer.

If a university offers you AAA including an A in Physics that is what you have to achieve. It doesnt atter if the minimum grades on the website says BBB with grade B in Physics. If you get AAB or lower that it is for the university to decide whether they accept you. You are only guaranteed entry if you meet the offer in FULL.

Reply 11

OP

Original post by squiddy135

Potentially, but again it depends on the individual university’s requirements i.e. if you need a higher grade in physics than you achieved, it would be conditional on achieving that, but wouldn’t have any other conditions as your other grades are all achieved.
You might need to check the university policy on resits as some specify that grades must be achieved in one exam sitting, certainly not all unis do (I think most don’t) but it’s good to be sure.

So I have looked on here and it doesn’t say anything about resits

A-level standard entry requirements

•

AAB – BBB

•

Additional requirements: A-level Mathematics and Physics.

If I apply with obtained grades C=Further Maths A= Maths C= computer Science =C

And predicted grade of A in physics are they likely to ask for an A or a B in the subject of Physics when giving me my contextual offer? considering that the standard entry requirements are AAB - BBB

Reply 12

OP

Original post by GarytheBeast

So I have looked on here and it doesn’t say anything about resits

A-level standard entry requirements

•

AAB – BBB

•

Additional requirements: A-level Mathematics and Physics.

If I apply with obtained grades C=Further Maths A= Maths C= computer Science =C

And predicted grade of A in physics are they likely to ask for an A or a B in the subject of Physics when giving me my contextual offer? considering that the standard entry requirements are AAB - BBB

Sorry for being a pain it’s just I can’t call unis or UCAS as their lines are closed atm.

Reply 13

Original post by GarytheBeast

So I have looked on here and it doesn’t say anything about resits

A-level standard entry requirements

•

AAB – BBB

•

Additional requirements: A-level Mathematics and Physics.

If I apply with obtained grades C=Further Maths A= Maths C= computer Science =C

And predicted grade of A in physics are they likely to ask for an A or a B in the subject of Physics when giving me my contextual offer? considering that the standard entry requirements are AAB - BBB

Unfortunately you can’t know what they’d ask for as it depends on whether you’re eligible for contextual offers, what their standard contextual offer is and what the level of competition is (if this is higher they might give higher offers).
You know that a contextual is only if you meet certain contextual criteria and isn’t just the same as a conditional offer?
My best guess is it would be an A they’d want as, since it seems you currently have ACC, you definitely don’t fit the entry criteria at the moment but you have a chance if you’re predicted an A in your physics resit.

Reply 14

OP

Sorry I meant to say conditional offer in that last post not contextual. But even if I get an A in my Physics resit I will have AACC which still doesn’t match the requirements.

Reply 15

Original post by GarytheBeast

Sorry I meant to say conditional offer in that last post not contextual. But even if I get an A in my Physics resit I will have AACC which still doesn’t match the requirements.

Oh that makes sense.
You won’t quite meet the requirements but it might be reasonable to apply if either:
i. You have other choices for which you definite do meet or exceed the requirements, so this is an aspirational choice.
ii. You check with the university (once they’re open after Christmas) whether they would accept equivalent combinations e.g. AACC instead of ABB.

Especially since 3 of your 4 grades are achieved, there is a high chance you won’t get an offer, but if you really like the course then that’s not necessarily a reason not to apply, as long you have safe options as well.

Reply 16

OP