What happens after my university application is sent off?
So you've finally hit 'send'...what happens now?
Once you’ve submitted your university application, the waiting game begins. When will they reply? Why haven't I heard anything? What's taking so long...?
It can get more than a little frustrating, so it might help to have an idea of what's going on behind the scenes.
We spoke to Dan Barcroft, director of admissions at the University of Sheffield, about how universities process your application and how long you should expect to wait for replies – along with what you’ll be needing to do next.
"What happens once I’ve sent my Ucas application?"
Once you've submitted your application on Hub, Ucas passes it on to your chosen universities. Every university will have its own systems for handling applications, which will affect how long it takes each of them to reply.
“When universities receive applications, there's a lot happening behind the scenes,” says Dan. “First, each application is carefully reviewed to ensure all required information is complete.
“Then, it goes through a detailed evaluation process, where admissions teams assess your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, accompanying information, and recommendations.”
That means there’s a lot more to it than just checking whether your predicted grades meet the entry requirements.
“Staff are looking for more than just grades – they're assessing your passion, your potential, and your unique contributions,” says Dan.
“This process involves multiple team members, and while it can take time, it's all aimed at getting a holistic understanding of who you are as a student. We want to make sure every aspect of your application is given thoughtful consideration.”
“Why does it take longer for some universities to reply than others?”
Every university has its own process for reviewing applications. Some may take longer than others due to the volume of applications, the depth of their review process, or the specific resources they have available. The timing will also be affected by when your application went in.
“Larger universities, with more competitive programs, often have larger pools of applicants to review, which takes more time,” says Dan.
“While it’s natural for students to feel eager for a response, it’s really important for admissions staff to give each application the attention it deserves, to ensure that they’re making the best decisions possible for both the university and the student.”
But Ucas does have deadlines by which time universities have to have made their decisions. You might get a response much sooner, but these dates are the latest time by which you should hear back.
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End of January 2025
Oxford and Cambridge applicants will hear back by this time, following interviews in November or December -
14 May 2025
If you sent your application by the 29 January 2025 deadline, you'll get your replies by this date -
17 July 2025
If you sent your application by 30 June 2025, your replies will come through by this date
Need to know more about Ucas applications dates? Here’s the full list of Ucas deadlines and key application dates for 2025 university entry.
The waiting game can get frustrating, but you can sign into your Hub at any time to check whether offers have come in. Ucas will also send you an email when your final decision has been submitted.
“The best way to stay informed is to check the university's website and your Ucas portal regularly,” says Dan. “Most universities provide general information on deadlines and the application process on their websites and important information about your application status should be available on your Ucas portal."
Keeping all your contact details up to date in Hub will help ensure you don’t miss any notifications or direct contact from the universities. Contacting the university directly is always an option, too.
“If you feel the need to check in, you can contact the relevant university’s admissions office. Just make sure to include your full name, application ID, and any other relevant details," says Dan.
“Remember, universities are processing a lot of applications, so might not be able to give an immediate answer, but we’ll always keep you informed as soon as we have news.
"At the University of Sheffield, we take a thoughtful and personalised approach to reviewing every application. We know that applying to university is a big decision, so we make sure to carefully consider every aspect of your application—from your academic background to your personal statement and references.
"Our team works hard to give each applicant the attention they deserve, and we aim to communicate our decisions as clearly and promptly as possible. We understand how important this process is, and keep applicants informed every step of the way."
"What kind of decisions might I get?"
Once the decisions start to arrive, there are a few different types of reply you might receive.
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Invitation to interview
Some universities include an interview as part of their application process. In this case, the university would decide whether or not to make you an offer after your interview. -
Conditional offer
You've got your place, so long as you meet the conditions of the offer (usually your exam results) -
Unconditional offer
You definitely have a place if you want it; you don’t need to meet any further conditions. -
Unsuccessful
An unsuccessful application means the university decided not to offer you a place -
Withdrawn
The application has either been withdrawn by yourself or the university. The reason for the withdrawal will be shown – for example, it could be because you missed an interview.
"What do I do once the decisions have come through?"
Once your offers have come through, your next job is to decide on your two favourites. You'll need to pick one as your firm choice and one as your insurance.
You can only choose one firm and one insurance, and once you’ve chosen one of each of these your other offers will automatically be declined.
Your firm choice is your first choice of university. As long as you meet the conditions of your offer you will definitely have a place.
Your insurance choice is your back-up choice, in case you don’t meet the conditions of your firm choice. This means that it makes sense to pick a university with lower grade requirements as your insurance.
If you don’t get the grades you need for your firm choice you will automatically be given your insurance (assuming you have met the conditions of that offer). So your insurance choice should be somewhere that you would actually want to go.
Insurance choices are optional, so you don’t have to put one down at all if you don’t want to.
We’ve got an article with tips on choosing your firm and insurance choice universities."What happens if I don’t get any offers?"
If you don’t get any offers (or any offers you want to accept) you've got a few options.
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Ucas Extra
The Ucas Extra service, which runs from 26 February 2025 to 4 July 2025, lets you add extra university choices to your application. You can make multiple choices before Extra closes, but you can only make one choice at a time. -
Clearing
Once Extra closes, Clearing opens. In Clearing you can find and apply for courses that still have spaces. In 2025, you’ll be able to apply for a course through Clearing from 5 July. -
Wait a year
You could take a gap year and try applying again in the following year’s cycle. -
Look into alternatives
University isn't the only option after college. You might want to look into an apprenticeship, for instance.
"What happens on results day?"
Many applicants will have conditional offers that are dependent on their exam results. That means that, on results day, you'll find out whether your application has been successful.
If you achieve the terms of the offer (ie get the grades that were requested) then you definitely have a place at that university.
If you miss the offer, but only narrowly, you may still get the place. Universities are often flexible where students have missed their offers by one or maybe two grades.
If you don't get the grades for your firm, but you do get the grades for your insurance you'll be guaranteed a place there instead.
If you miss both offers, you'll automatically be placed into Clearing. You can choose to find an alternative university place there - or consider alternatives such as applying next year.
Visit the applications forum on The Student Room to see what other students are saying about their university applications.
