Transferring Universities

Hi so my firm choice was durham to study maths but I ended up missing my offer by one grade (got AA in maths and further maths when I needed an A* in one of them) so now I'm going to my insurance which is Exeter.

I was wondering that if I don't enjoy my time at Exeter within the first few months, could I transfer to Durham for the same course?

I don't know if I'll be able to transfer directly onto year 2 since, even tho durham and Exeter's maths courses are fairly similar, Exeter doesn't go as in depth with their year 1 analysis and linear algebra modules as durham does so I won't have the necessary knowledge to do further modules that require that extra depth in those topics?


I didn't meet my alevels offer but because I was so close, could they make an exception if my year 1 grades at Exeter are really good - like I get Firsts and 2:1s.

I could also resit alevel maths ias a private candidate in the summer to bump it up to an A*, which I know I can do since I was working towards that grade throughout year 13 (I don't know why my CAG was only an A since evidence shows that I was clearly working at an A*). I'm fine with resitting as I know I'll get the grade but, if I decide I wanna transfer, I want to start in September 2021, but I'm worried that because I'll be sitting the exams in the summer, I won't be able to apply for September 2021 entry as places would've been taken by then?

I would generally say just take a gap year in this circumstance, if you would not want to stay at Exeter.

If you resat in Summer 2021, it would work the exact same as before with UCAS application with predicted grades, then getting conditional offers. This is even if Durham accepts A-level resits, you would have to check this.

You may be held back if Exeter's course doesn't do enough in their core modules. First year analysis & linear algebra is absolute required knowledge for a lot of modules in subsequent years, (in particular if you want to do any pure maths) would be ill-advised to skimp on it. In this case you could investigate transfer into the first year as opposed to the second, if you think that's worth it. But again as tigger said you should ask, they may not even consider transfer into the second year from external universities. Ditto for the question on whether you could do this with your A-level grades.

For certain subjects, maths included, they do accept transfer directly into second year as long as I have the prerequisite knowledge to progress onto further modules. Even tho analysis and linear algebra is covered at Exeter in year 1, I think some of the analysis topics that are in Durham's module aren't in Exeter's. Maybe they'll let me transfer into second year of I've shown proof of how well I can handle the exeter modules, or they'll give me sessions to attend to get me up to speed if my grades for the exeter modules are really high - showing I can handle the analysis content, or if I haven't missed that much content to justify being held back a year? Idk I'm probably just talking out my ass.

I'm fine with starting from scratch if it means I'm at a place I'm happier at as apposed to spending 1 less year but being in a place I completely hate.

I wanted to take a gap year at first but decided against that idea as I don't think there's much point for just one subject I can easily retake and get the same grade while studying at uni. If all I'm retaking will be maths, which I wasn't ever struggling with to begin with, then I can see myself being able to retake maths aswell as study maths at uni and still end up with the grade I need. I'm just wondering how I'll get a predicted grade if I'm sitting as a private candidate? Would I need to contact the uni to let them know that this is the grade I got (an A) and will be retaking on the summer to achieve the required grade (am A*)?