TSR Wiki > University > Applying to University > Procedure > Tracking and Replying to your Offers
- If you haven't completed the application submission procedure yet, see UCAS Apply.
Tracking Your Application
--Stick Man
In most cases students track their applications online using the UCAS Track service.
Screenshot of the "choices" page of UCAS Track. See
here for a larger version. --Stick Man 5th Nov
Once your application has been submitted on UCAS Apply, your referee would then have to approve it, complete the reference section, approve the reference, then send it to UCAS. You will know when your application has reached UCAS when it reads "Your application has been processed." (or the like)
After a week or so, you should receive an "AS2 Welcome Letter" through the post which includes your UCAS Personal ID number (a ten digit number in the format 123-456-7890), username fro Track and a list of your choices. If you are desperate to know your application number before this date, for example if you receive notification of a "change of status" before you receive the letter, you may be able to get your application number from your referee (if you applied through a school or college). If you don't receive your letter within a couple of weeks, contact UCAS.
When you get the letter it is obviously very important that you check this letter and make sure that all of your choices are correct. If you have changed your mind about a choice or there is an error on the letter you should contact UCAS within 14 days of the date printed on your AS2 Wecolme letter.
If everything on the letter is OK, you can now use this Personal ID number (together with your user name and password which you used to login to UCAS Apply), to login to UCAS Track by going to ucas.com and clicking on "Track".
UCAS Track is used to track the status of your applications. You will be able to see your entire application, make changes to your personal particulars such as your email address, etc, all on UCAS Track. If you wish to withdraw from a certain university or use one of your slots to apply to another university, contact UCAS.
When a decision is made...
The UCAS Course Details Page
- It will often be reflected on the "Choices" page, which can be accessed by signing in then clicking "choices" on the top menu. See this screenshot. When a conditional offer is made, click the red course number to view the details. See this screenshot. Note: some universities will send you their own letter and may not tell UCAS for some time, so your offer may not show up online.
- UCAS will send you an email when your status changes. UCAS have changed the system so that you will not receive an AS3 decision letter through the post: you can view and print your AS3 Decision letter by going to Main Menu > View and Print Decision Letters.
- Note: Emails do not include information about which university responded / whether it is an offer or a declination, etc. - it only states that there has been a change in the application's status and that you should log-in to Track to see what it is. See a sample offer email from UCAS
Jump to: Accepting Your Offers >>
Frequently asked questions
If your question is not covered here, you may like to ask in the TSR UCAS Forum.
How long will it take for the universities to reply?
- That depends entirely on the universities and courses that you have selected. Perhaps you could get a vague impression of the time scale involved from the relevant TSR subforum, but it really does vary a lot. If you applied by 15 January, UCAS ask the universities/colleges to make their decisions by the end of March. The latest you will receive a decision is early May. If you applied after 15 January, universities/colleges do not have to make a decision until July.
I've got notification of an offer, but it hasn't appeared on Track. Why?
- Don't worry - sometimes universities like to inform applicants their own way and take their time over telling UCAS about the fact they've given you an offer. Track updates in real-time. Just keep your offer letter in a safe place and you'll be fine. If you haven't heard from UCAS within 2-3 weeks, contact the university or college directly to discuss with them.
I'm trying to click the links at the bottom of the choices page, but they aren't working. Help!
- It may mean that you aren't allowed to do what you're trying to do. If you hover your mouse over the link without clicking a little "ToolTip" bit of text may appear saying "You're not allowed to do that", etc.
Will I ever be expected to decide which universities I want for my firm/insurance before I've received all my offers?
- Nope. Never. You can if you want to though, if you contact UCAS.
Everyone on TSR says they check Track 3 times a minute. Should I be doing the same?
- No no no no no. There's nothing you can do until you get a reply, so getting all stressed about it is pointless. Just be sure not to let your sibling delete all your email / dog chew up your post and you probably won't have to check it at all. Track sends emails as soon as your application status changes to inform you; so if you do get an offer/rejection, you will find out via email if you are set up to receive emails. Track can update at any time including weekends.
If I get an interview or I am invited to an open day, will it show up on Track?
- No - so keep an eye on your post and email.
What if I don't get any offers at all?
- It's not nice to think about, but if you're applying for really really competitive subjects and uber-great universities it pays to have a backup plan. You may be able to have an extra choice using UCAS Extra, though your selection of universities will be more limited.
I entered the wrong password into Track too many times and now I'm locked out! Help!
- Don't worry too much: you will typically be unsuspended within 1-2 working days (though there are reports of it sometimes taking longer). You can contact UCAS who will be able to unlock your account after you've answered some security questions
I click on "enter track service" and nothing happens or I get a "page can't be found" Help!
- You may have a pop-up blocker installed. UCAS Track opens in a new window, so you must disable your pop-up blocker (or allow pop-ups from ucas.com) before using track.
- As with any website, UCAS Track is bound to suffer a little downtime. It doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your application - simply try again later.
Accepting Your Offers
Once you have received decisions for all of your applications, an alert will be displayed on your UCAS Track page, advising you to reply to your offers.
- If you are accepting an unconditional offer, you cannot accept an insurance offer.
- Otherwise, you may accept a conditional offer as your firm offer, and another conditional (or unconditional) offer as your insurance offer. You may also just accept a firm conditional offer without accepting an insurance offer.
- You are allowed to accept both firm and insurance offer with the same offer requirements (or even an insurance offer with stricter offer requirements). Remember that offer grades and what a university is actually willing to accept are very different things. Always pick an insurance choice based on where you would be happy to go and not on which offer has the second lowest grades.
- If you wish to accept an offer without having received decisions on all your applications, simply contact UCAS to withdraw the applications which have yet to be decided upon. This can be done instantly, after which you may proceed as planned.
- Universities are advised to reply to all applications received by 15 January by 31 March, although the official deadline is only 09 May. Applicants must reply to offers by 05 May if the last decision from universities and colleges was received by 31 March (except those living overseas and Extra). Applicants who do not fall under this group (e.g. those who do not receive decisions on all applications by 31 March) only need to reply to their offers by 06 June.
