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What is UCAS Extra?

Find how to use UCAS Extra and the differences between Extra and Clearing, as well as how to apply and make an additional course choice.

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CONTENTS

  1. What is UCAS Extra?

  2. When is UCAS Extra?
  3. How do I apply via UCAS Extra?

  4. UCAS Extra offers

  5. UCAS Extra and Clearing

What is UCAS Extra?

If you decline your university offers, or you've used up all your course choices and currently don't hold an offer, UCAS Extra allows you to add another choice at no extra cost to help you gain a university place before the Clearing process starts. 

It’s a free service from UCAS and you'll automatically become eligible if all five of your choices have been used, but you hold no offers.  

UCAS will send you all the details you need to apply if you become eligible. The courses at each university willing to consider these applications will be available on the UCAS website.

When is UCAS Extra?

UCAS Extra will open on 23 February 2023 and close on 4 July 2023.

How do I apply via UCAS Extra?

You can either make your application via the UCAS website or by contacting the university directly.

Personal statement

UCAS Extra doesn’t currently allow a new online personal statement or reference to be submitted through them.

However, if you're applying for a new course that's not related to the courses you've applied for in your previous five choices, you can send a new, relevant statement directly to the university. You can do so once you've submitted this new course as your additional choice. 

It’s a good idea to let the university know a revised statement is on its way. Remember to include your UCAS application number so your new statement will be matched to the correct application. 

If you wish, you can ask your referee to update their reference too.

UCAS Extra offers

If you’re made an offer, either unconditional or conditional, you can firmly accept or decline it just like any other offer. There will be a date given that you must reply to the offer by, so be sure you note what this is.

If you accept it, you become Unconditional Firm (UF) or Conditional Firm (CF) for that university. There's only one choice at any time in UCAS Extra, so an insurance choice is not an option. You’re committed to your choices in exactly the same way as the main UCAS scheme.

If you don't get an offer after 21 days, or decide to decline your offer, you can opt to make another UCAS Extra choice, and so on, until the UCAS Extra closing date (4 July 2023).

UCAS Extra and Clearing

While only a fraction of students find themselves needing to use UCAS Extra, it can be a highly successful option if you want a second chance at applying for university and you don't want to wait until Clearing starts in early July.

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