Ucas Extra explained

What is Ucas Extra?

Ucas Extra is the official process for those who've not received any university offers, or for those who've declined the offers they have received. Consider it a 'second chance' at getting a university offer.

When is Ucas Extra?

Ucas Extra runs from 25 February to 4 July for applicants who made five initial choices. 

Who's eligible for Ucas Extra?

Remember that if you decline your offers and add an Extra choice, you won't be able to accept any of your original choices later.

The best thing to do is head to Ucas Track. If you’re eligible for Ucas Extra, an 'Add an Extra Choice' option will appear on your screen which you can use to apply for a course. You'll be able to see available courses in Ucas' course search.

Ucas Extra checklist

Choose your course carefully

You can only apply for one choice through Extra at a time, so don’t rush into applying for the first course that you’re interested in – take some time to find out more about the course and the university.

Our course pages and university profiles contain lots of information to help you find one that suits you, including full descriptions of the course content and modules, what students think, typical employment outcomes and more.

How to make a successful Ucas Extra application 

If you were unsuccessful with your original choices, think about why this might be.

For instance, if you applied to courses with higher entry requirements than you’re predicted, you may want to consider applying for a course with requirements closer to or matching your expected grades. If you've applied to high-demand courses, you could increase your options by widening which universities and locations you'd consider, or look into joint or combined degrees covering two or more subjects.

When you’ve found a course you’re interested in, make sure you contact the university or college directly to make sure that it will consider you before you apply. Be aware that when you apply to a university or college in Extra, they can see your initial five choices.

Also, you can't change your personal statement, which they can also see. So if you've decided to apply for a different course, it's a good idea to get in touch with your preferred university or college directly.

Want to know more? This video from UCAS explains how it all works.

What next?

‘I’ve got an offer’

Great news! You'll need to reply to it by the date shown in Track. If you accept it, you won’t be able to apply anywhere else, so make sure you’re happy with your decision.
 

‘I’ve been unsuccessful’

If you decline an offer or your application is unsuccessful, you can still apply for another course through Extra (time permitting).
 

‘I haven’t heard anything’

If you haven’t received a decision from the university or college within 21 days of applying through Extra, you can apply for a different course.

If you don't manage to find anything through Extra, don't panic – there are still university places available during the Clearing process, which opens 5 July. 

• Can I change my choices when applying to university?