UCAS Track status: what does it all mean?

If you’re making a first-time application to university this year you will no doubt be familiar with UCAS Track, the system through which your choices and acceptance status are tracked and shared between you, your uni and UCAS. With results now out of the way (albeit amid much controversy due to the way the coronavirus pandemic affected exams and grades) in Scotland and England, it is likely your status in UCAS Track has changed. But what does it all mean?

At the moment, you’re probably seeing one of two things when you log in:

‍1.“Congratulations! Your place at [uni name] for [course title] has been confirmed.”

‍This means that you’ve been accepted by your chosen university or college. Well done! Next, make sure you read the details of your offer carefully in Track, then wait to hear from your uni, who will be in touch with confirmation of their offer and details of what to do next. You’ll be able to view your confirmation letter in Track five, too - seven days after your place is confirmed.

‍2.“You are in Clearing. Your Clearing number is [Clearing number].”

‍If you see this message in Track it means that either you did not receive any offers from unis or you didn’t make the grades on the offers you did get. Don’t worry though, there are still loads of options to choose from if this is the case.

The UCAS Clearing service contains searchable details of course vacancies around the UK. If you find one that looks good, get in touch with the uni or college to talk about your options. If you get permission to apply, you can then add your clearing choice to Track. Remember you cannot start clearing if you are waiting on any exam results - this may affect students in England if the government follows the lead of Scotland in upgrading results that were unfairly marked down this year.

There are two other status messages you might see in Track, both relating to changed offers from either your firm or insurance choices. This means that at least one of the unis offering you a place has changed their offer, either to a different course, start date or point of entry. If you see this it means you might not have met the criteria for the offer, but the university is still keen to give you a place via a different route. Even if you have a firm unconditional offer, it’s still not too late to decline it. You should think very carefully - and speak to a course advisor - before doing this, as it cannot be undone and you will lose your place at uni. If you still don’t want the place after you’ve thought about it, just hit the ‘decline your place’ button in Track.

‍If you’ve had your place at Salford or Dundee confirmed, or if you’re exploring the Clearing route at either uni, you can Book With Confidence with Mears, thanks to our flexible tenancy options, which we’ve put together to give you extra peace of mind in these uncertain times.