I'm a Cambridge reject and I'm thinking of reapplying next year

Do you have to notify UCL before making an application (to oxford) or inform them that you are in the process of one? Or is it literally just as simple as (if you get an offer), telling them one day that you want to drop out and that's it? How does it all exactly work?

Edit: if you're in the science research, you can just do a PhD at Cambridge, and if you do very well in your MSci, you can get most/all of it funded.

uhh, clarify please

Honestly, it isn't a problem to add the 4th year for a Part III for SFE. It's just paperwork (or whatever the online equivalent is).

Alright, so the plan of action now then is to firm UCL and wait for my results. If I get exceptional results (I'm thinking 3 A*s or higher) then I have a good chance of getting into oxbridge (I do prefer cambridge) after taking a gap year and turning down all my offers. If, however I do not get exceptional results (2 A* or less, my offer from UCL is A*AA), I simply go to UCL and then re-apply for Oxford?

Also, auburnstar, could you clarify which scenario you're talking about? I assume it's the second one.

The point I was trying to make was not about the (yes, perhaps not too significant) effort required to apply for the fourth year of funding, it was to point out that because the course is initially only for three years, this fourth year takes up the grace year SFE gives you for retaking/ restarting/ extending your studies - so if OP studied for a year at UCL too then he's already used up that grace year, so wouldn't be eligible for part III funding - regardless of how much or little effort is usually required for this.

Are you sure? It certainly doesn't for the 4 year MEng at Cambridge. Or afaik MMath.

Or moving from the BSc program to the MSci at any other university.

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Really? Then why were all my friends stressing over calling SFE and getting an extra year student loan? Also, our offer letters specifically stated that the course was a three year BA course with the option to extend to a fourth year MSci, subject to your chosen specialism and grades. Similarly with my student loan application, it was only for a three year BA course.

I think it's a bit different certainly for Engineering where most people stay on to do the fourth year and it's kind of expected - dropping out after third year is quite unusual. Whereas for NatSci, not that many stay on for fourth year even in subjects where the fourth year is available, and there is a competitive application process for fourth year places. The default for NatSci is to leave after third year, whereas it seems like the default for Engineering is to do four years. I have no idea about Maths or other unis though.

I think your friends are just misunderstanding. They are getting an extra year, but they are fully entitled to it and it's not the "gift" year.

And if the letter even says they have the option to extend then there you have it. It's a standard thing

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Hmmm, maybe? It's not the impression I got from my college tutors though when looking to transfer unis, but they might also have been misinformed. Thanks

OP: check with the official SFE rep if this is a deciding factor for you on going to UCL or not

Honestly, a bit of advice... Let it go and move on.

Ask yourself what your motivation for applying again is? Is it to prove them/yourself wrong? Or do you genuinely believe that something has happened this year that has improved you in their eyes? Have you grown?

Also a Cambridge reject and I went to Imperial this year. A lot of people spent those first few weeks getting over themselves and their rejections and everyone's over it now.

UCL is (imperial banter aside) a fantastic uni. You'll probably have a better time of it too...

The gift year is definitely used when you redo a year, but not when you add a year of additional study to an undergrad course.

"The number of years for which you are eligible for funding is calculated as:
Length of current course + one additional year – years of previous study"
http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/media/6720/sfe_new_full_time_students_guide_1617_d.pdf

So if the "current course" becomes a 4 year course (e.g. MSci) instead of a 3 year course (e.g. BSc) then it's all fine.

The gift year is definitely used when you redo a year, but not when you add a year of additional study to an undergrad course.

"The number of years for which you are eligible for funding is calculated as:
Length of current course + one additional year – years of previous study"
http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/media/6720/sfe_new_full_time_students_guide_1617_d.pdf

So if the "current course" becomes a 4 year course (e.g. MSci) instead of a 3 year course (e.g. BSc) then it's all fine.

So if someone does a year somewhere else and then drops out before the end and then starts at another uni at Year 1 (just in general not necessarily Oxbridge) that would count as re-doing a year and not adding another year?

Oxford reject here - now a first year physicist at Lancaster, completely agree. After I got my results (A*A*A*) I spent a day considering reapplying. In the end, I decided it wasn't worth it.

To the OP:
Even you do get three A*s, it still doesn't mean they have a much higher chance of getting in than before. Imagine applying again, being rejected again, and ultimately ending up going to the same uni you would have done before, but being a year behind where you could have been.

Oxbridge isn't everything - especially as you don't seem to particularly care about the course, and only seem to care about going to Oxford / Cambridge. If you are so set on it, try again for postgrad.

But if in the case the OP was to not take a gap year and apply to Oxford while at UCL but still get rejected, couldn't they just continue at UCL and not be behind a year?

Yes.

I'm a self-selected Oxbridge reject but I'll most likely apply after a gap year if my A-levels go to plan - would not really doing anything worthwhile on my gap year be a massive disadvantage? I'd be applying for Physical NatSci.

Not really - although at least keeping up a semblance of interest in physics (or whatever) would be sensible. You don't need to working at CERN or something...

Is it a given that Imperial would not offer me another place through UCAS because I ultimately didn't take the offer. Also during my gap year I plan on applying for work experience. If I don't get a full years worth of work experience through somewhere like a Year in Industry will it count against me?