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anyone who reapplied through ucas

i first applied through ucas and went to uni for 2023/24 academic year. but i am going to reapply through ucas for 2025/26 year. anyone who have done something like me? how did it go? would the unis wont like the fact that i am reapplying

Reply 1

Original post
by wpsl0416
i first applied through ucas and went to uni for 2023/24 academic year. but i am going to reapply through ucas for 2025/26 year. anyone who have done something like me? how did it go? would the unis wont like the fact that i am reapplying

Did you complete Year 1?
Are you now applying for Year 1 elsewhere?
Different subject - or the same?

Reply 2

Original post
by McGinger
Did you complete Year 1?
Are you now applying for Year 1 elsewhere?
Different subject - or the same?

i completed year 1 but i am planning to apply for year 1 elsewhere with a different course
Original post
by wpsl0416
i completed year 1 but i am planning to apply for year 1 elsewhere with a different course

Did you start year 2 or are you taking a break?

It shouldn’t be a problem. The only issue might be getting an academic reference from your old university in time for the January deadline so starting that asap is key.

There’s more help on the university transfer faq: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1781424

Reply 4

Original post
by PQ
Did you start year 2 or are you taking a break?
It shouldn’t be a problem. The only issue might be getting an academic reference from your old university in time for the January deadline so starting that asap is key.
There’s more help on the university transfer faq: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1781424

im taking a break..! so my highschool ib grades are from 2022. would it be seen bad if i take a year break after first year at uni and reapplying to a diff course
Original post
by wpsl0416
im taking a break..! so my highschool ib grades are from 2022. would it be seen bad if i take a year break after first year at uni and reapplying to a diff course


Not at all. It’s completely sensible not to carry on with a course if you know it isn’t what you want to do.
As above biggest challenge will be a reference - usually you want to give your referee about 6 weeks lead time (particularly for uni academics who have a lot of other responsibilities and also often have to write many, and more detailed references, for graduating students applying to grad schemes/graduate degrees etc.

That said I don't think you're so far removed from your school days that you couldn't use a reference from your school if they agree. I suppose it's possible it may raise an eyebrow why you didn't use a reference from your uni but when I first reapplied from one uni to another I had to do that as my personal tutor from my first uni had gone on sabbatical and I got a collective shrug from the department when I asked who I could ask for a reference.

I'd maybe email both your uni personal tutor and your old school now to ask if they would be able to act as a reference - don't expect a follow up for a couple weeks though (possibly longer from the uni). Hopefully one will agree and if they both agree just thank the one you aren't using and advise them the other institution agreed to be your reference.

In general terms though as above no, universities don't have a problem with a "false start" at another uni, especially if you're applying for a different course :smile:

(Or in my case, a couple of such "false starts" plus then a longer period out of higher education before returning hasn't been an issue for admissions purposes...was a big problem for student finance though)

Reply 7

Original post
by PQ
Not at all. It’s completely sensible not to carry on with a course if you know it isn’t what you want to do.

i saw on ucl faq that they don’t accept applicants who failed. i passed my overall module but failed one bio exam. that would be fine right? i saw so many posts about reapplicants not being perceived nicely so i am so worried

Reply 8

Original post
by artful_lounger
As above biggest challenge will be a reference - usually you want to give your referee about 6 weeks lead time (particularly for uni academics who have a lot of other responsibilities and also often have to write many, and more detailed references, for graduating students applying to grad schemes/graduate degrees etc.
That said I don't think you're so far removed from your school days that you couldn't use a reference from your school if they agree. I suppose it's possible it may raise an eyebrow why you didn't use a reference from your uni but when I first reapplied from one uni to another I had to do that as my personal tutor from my first uni had gone on sabbatical and I got a collective shrug from the department when I asked who I could ask for a reference.
I'd maybe email both your uni personal tutor and your old school now to ask if they would be able to act as a reference - don't expect a follow up for a couple weeks though (possibly longer from the uni). Hopefully one will agree and if they both agree just thank the one you aren't using and advise them the other institution agreed to be your reference.
In general terms though as above no, universities don't have a problem with a "false start" at another uni, especially if you're applying for a different course :smile:
(Or in my case, a couple of such "false starts" plus then a longer period out of higher education before returning hasn't been an issue for admissions purposes...was a big problem for student finance though)

i saw on other posts it may not be that likely for reapplicants to be considered as same as others.. i was only able to get reference from my high school. im so anxious i would get rejected by all of them😭😭
Original post
by wpsl0416
i saw on other posts it may not be that likely for reapplicants to be considered as same as others.. i was only able to get reference from my high school. im so anxious i would get rejected by all of them😭😭

Not sure why that would be. From personal experience it's not been an issue on more than one occasion so...

Reply 10

Original post
by artful_lounger
Not sure why that would be. From personal experience it's not been an issue on more than one occasion so...

cuz im technically a “recycled” student 😭😭
Original post
by wpsl0416
cuz im technically a “recycled” student 😭😭

Universities don't look at applicants like that. The only reason they may be concerned is if you had repeated, consecutive "false starts" and they were worried it was actually a sign you were unable to cope with university study for some reason (either just in terms of difficulty or due to underlying health issues or similar). And even then...as indicated I, personally, have had a rather chequered history through higher education on several courses at several unis, and that still hasn't stopped me from ultimately getting into my current course at my current uni (which is a much better fit).

A single false start is fine, they know sometimes students just start on a course (or at another uni) and realise its not for them. Even unis up to Oxbridge explicitly state this is not necessarily a barrier.

That said if you are struggling in your current course, especially if aiming to go into the same (or a similar) course elsewhere - try and think about why you're struggling in your current course and whether that's something that would change at a different uni, or in a different course, or if it's something else.

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