Invitations

1. How students check the progress of their applicationsApplicants can follow their progress by using Track. When each university or college makes a decision about their application, the details are shown on Track.If an applicant has supplied a valid email address on their application, UCAS will let them know by email when a decision has been made. To protect confidential information, the email will not contain the actual decision: applicants still need to go to Track. They can also use this service to accept or decline offers and change some personal details, such as their postal address, telephone number and email address.Applicants can also use Track to accept or decline offers and change some personal details, such as their postal address, telephone number and email address

2. Invitations Universities and colleges can use Track to send invitations to applicants asking them to attend an interview or audition, or to provide a portfolio of work, an essay or other piece of work. The invitations can be for any course. If the university or college sends an invitation it will show in Track and the applicant can accept or decline it. If the applicant needs to change the time or date they should contact the university or college. The institution can then update the details of the invitation so that the revised details are shown in Track. Applicants should try to give advance notice of when they are not available because of exams or other commitments

3. Decisions sent by universities and colleges • Conditional offer • A conditional offer means that the university or college will offer a place if the applicant meets certain conditions, usually based on exam results. • Applicants may be asked to achieve specific Tariff points (eg 200 points from three A levels) or grades in named subjects (for example, B in chemistry, C in physics). They may also need to obtain specific grades in the individual units that make up these subjects.

4. Unconditional offer • An unconditional offer means that the applicant has met all the entry requirements and the university or college is happy to accept them. They may also specify other requirements, such as financial or medical conditions, that the applicant must meet before they can join the course.

5. Withdrawn application • A choice can be withdrawn by an applicant or the university or college. The reason will be displayed in Track. It may be withdrawn because the applicant has not responded to any letters or emails sent by the university or college, or because they have not attended an interview.

6. Unsuccessful application • This means that the university or college has decided not to offer the applicant a place on the course. • Universities and colleges can decline an applicant for many reasons, one of which could be that the course is full, so it may not be based on the quality of their application. The university or college may provide a reason for their decision either when they send the decision through, or at a later date. However, if the applicant has already replied to offers or no reason is shown on Track, they can contact the university or college to discuss why they were unsuccessful.

7. How students reply to their offers Once UCAS have received all decisions by universities and colleges about an application, they will email the applicant to ask them to look at Track. If they haven't provided a valid email address UCAS will send them a letter. The applicant's deadline to reply will be printed on the letter and displayed in Track: there is no single date for all applicants; it depends on the applicant's circumstances, such as when the last decision was made.

8. Students reply to each offer with one of the following responses: • firm acceptance • insurance acceptance • decline.

9. The firm acceptance is the applicant's first choice - this is their preferred choice out of all the offers they have received. Applicants only have one firm acceptance. If an applicant accepts an unconditional offer, they are agreeing that they will attend the course at that university or college and must decline all other offers. We will send them a letter which will explain if they need to do anything else. If they accept a conditional offer, they are agreeing that they will attend the course at that university or college if they meet the conditions of the offer.

10. Insurance acceptance An applicant can accept an offer as an insurance choice if their firm choice is a conditional offer. Their insurance choice can be conditional or unconditional and acts as a back-up to their firm choice, so if they do not meet the conditions for their firm choice but meet the conditions for their insurance choice, they are committed to that course.

11. Decline Once they have decided which offer to accept firmly, and which (if any) to accept as an insurance, an applicant must decline all other offers. If they do not want to accept any of the offers, they may decline them all. They will then become eligible for Extra or Clearing, depending upon their circumstances.

12. Applicants use Track to reply to offers. Their reply deadline will be displayed in Track. If they do not reply by the date given, their offers will be declined by UCAS on their behalf. The reply date is their individual reply date and it may be different from other people's. This is because it is based on when they received the last decision from their universities and colleges.

13. Preparing for results If students are waiting for exam results that they need to get into university or college, they must be at home or at least available when the results are published. Applicants may have to make quick and perhaps difficult decisions about their future so it is important that they are able to speak to universities and colleges themselves. They should not leave this to somebody else.

14. What happens next? What happens next depends on an applicant's exam results. If they meet all the conditions of their offer, they will be accepted by the university. Even if they have not quite met the requirements, the university or college may lower its offer and still accept them. Advise them to check Track to see their decisions

15. Once you receive your results, you will be in one of the positions below. • You are accepted by your firm choice • You are accepted by your firm choice and you meet and exceed the conditions of the offer • You receive a 'changed course' offer • Your results don't meet the conditions of your firm choice but you are accepted by your insurance choice • Your results don't meet the conditions of any of your choices • You are not holding any offers.

16. You are accepted by your firm choice If you are accepted, we will send you a Confirmation letter in the post. This letter confirms that you will be attending the university or college and will explain whether there is anything you need to do now. Once you receive this letter, you will be pleased to know that you have officially gained a place. The university or college will contact you with any further information.

17. You are accepted by your firm choice and you meet and exceed the conditions of the offer If you meet and exceed the conditions of your conditional firm choice, you can apply through Adjustment if you wish. Find out more about Adjustment. You will receive a Confirmation letter in the post. If you'd prefer to keep your firm choice offer, you should follow the instructions on the letter. This letter confirms that you will be attending the university or college and will explain whether there is anything you need to do now. Once you receive this letter, you will be pleased to know that you have officially gained a place. The university or college will contact you with any further information.

18. You receive a 'changed course' offer If you receive a changed course offer, it means that your university or college has been unable to confirm your place on the course you accepted because you have not met the original conditions, but that they are willing to make an alternative offer. The change could be a change of course, start date or point of entry. Once we have heard from your firm choice and insurance choice you will be asked to reply to any changed course offer provided you are not holding a confirmed place (UF). At this stage you can reply to a changed course offer in Track and you will have five days to reply. After five days, the offer will be declined automatically.

19. Your results don't meet the conditions of your firm choice but you are accepted by your insurance choice If you do not meet the conditions set by your firm choice but you do meet the conditions set by your insurance choice, your place at your insurance choice will be confirmed (UF). We will send you a Confirmation letter in the post. This letter confirms that you will be attending the university or college and will explain whether there is anything you need to do now. Once you receive this letter, you will be pleased to know that you have officially gained a place. The university or college will contact you with any further information.

20. Your results don't meet the conditions of any of your choices If you do not meet the conditions of any of the offers you have accepted and the university/universities cannot offer you a place you will be automatically be entered into Clearing. Log in to Track to view your Clearing Number - you can then start looking for another choice.

21. You are not holding any offers You may not have any offers because you were declined earlier in the year, you declined any offers received. If you are not holding any offers, you will be entered into Clearing automatically. Log in to Track to view your Clearing Number as above - you can then start looking for another choice.

22. Clearing is a service that operates between mid-July and September. You can take part in Clearing if you have already applied through UCAS and you are in one of the following categories. • You have not received any offers. • You have declined all your offers or not responded by the due date. • Your offers have not been confirmed because you have not met the conditions (eg you have not achieved the required grades).

23. Check Track on the UCAS website to see if you're eligible to use Clearing. It is important that you check Track because UCAS will not send you anything in the post to tell you if you are eligible. If you are eligible for Clearing an 'Add Clearing choice' button will appear on your Track 'choices' screen which you can use to apply for a course.

24. Clearing Process 1. Get advice from your careers teacher 2. Look at the vacancies in universities 3. Contact universities and colleges that interest you 4. Clearing Number will be displayed on track 5. Accepting an offer (informally) 6. Adding a Clearing choice on track by the date given 7. Your place is confirmed

25. The facts about Adjustment To be eligible to use Adjustment: your results must have met and exceeded the conditions of your conditional firm (CF) choice

26. The Adjustment period The Adjustment process is available from A level results day (15 August for 2013) until 31 August. Your individual Adjustment period starts on 15 August or when your conditional firm (CF) choice changes to unconditional firm (UF), whichever is later. From this time you have a maximum of five calendar days (five 24 hour periods, including Saturdays and Sundays) to register and secure an alternative course, if you decide this is what you want to do.

27. If you want to try to find an alternative course you must register to use Adjustment so universities and colleges can view your application. Your Track 'choices' page shows you when your Adjustment period ends. If you become eligible to use Adjustment less than five calendar days before 31 August, you have the remaining time before then to find an alternative place. For example, if you become unconditional firm on 29 August you will have three days to use the process. If you do not find a suitable place elsewhere you will remain accepted at your original choice.

28. To use Adjustment: • Register in Track by clicking on 'Register for Adjustment' on your 'choices' screen. • Contact a university or college to find another place. • The institution will check that you exceed the conditions of your unconditional firm choice. • The institution will tell you if they can offer you a place, and you tell them if you want to accept it. • If you are accepted through Adjustment, your Track screen will be updated with the new choice and we will send you a confirmation letter.