John Madden from UCAS answers your questions (August 11, 3pm)

Got a question for UCAS?

John Madden, one of yougo's online UCAS experts, will be live in the forums to help take the sting out of the UCAS application and Clearing process at 3pm.

Leave your questions on his wall on the UCAS profile page, or email the editors@yougofurther.co.uk and we'll put them in front of him later on.

Come back at 3pm and find out what he has to say. Alternatively, you can make friends with him and chat directly via the UCAS profile wall.

One of the four UCAS experts are live every day on yougo at 3pm.

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All-day UCAS web chat on Thursday 14 August

All-day UCAS web chat on Friday 15 August

Hello all!

Yep, it's a brisk start to the week!

 Let's have the first one then!

Brilliant. Well first on today's agenda is Ahmed who is looking into courses

I just wanted to know more about art and design level zero course and also more about extended degree...Can you tell me more about them?

Ahmed! 

A year zero course and an extended degree are essentially the same thing in that you do one foundation year before doing the three years of a degree course. 

If you want specific information on what the make up of the course would be and what it entails, it would be best to look on the different universities’ websites to see how they each run the course.

Thanks for the information and you can always visit www.unistats.com to compare universities.

Jenn's deferring her entry until next year but will she still get an AS12 this year?

I’m worried I won't get the required results for the course I’m applying  to, if I don't get in is it possible to apply to a foundation course  through clearing? Also I have deferred entry, if I do get in do I receive the acceptance form (the AS12) around the same time as everyone else that are going this year?

Obviously, we cannot predict what courses will be available in clearing each year but if the vacancies are there, then you could indeed apply for a foundation course through clearing. 

If you manage to get a place in clearing for entry to uni in 2009, your AS12 letter confirming your place will be sent as soon as your place is confirmed with UCAS.  There won't be any delay due to your entry being deferred!

Kassia is hoping to be able to change her mind at the last minute. Is this possible?

I just would like to ask if I can change my replies after 14 days. I've already wrote email to both of my firm and insurance unis but they didn't answer yet. I need to do that because I didn't meet the conditions of my firm choice and I think they don't offer me a place and the insurance uni don't accept application for accommodation when they uni is not the firm choice....it's a huge problem for me because I’m an international student and it's a big problem to find a place to live near the university and under £100 per week.

At this stage in the application cycle, it wouldn’t be possible to change your replies Kassia.  If you want to apply to another uni which isn’t your firm or insurance choice, you will need to use clearing.  In order to do this, you will need to wait until confirmation.

If you are successful with the firm choice, they will change your offer to an unconditional offer.  You will then need to ask them if they can put you into clearing.  Alternatively, if you are unsuccessful with them but meet the conditions of the insurance choice, you will have to ask the insurance choice if they can put you into clearing.  In both cases it will be entirely at the universities’ discretion whether they can put you into clearing.

Once you’re in clearing, you can approach any university about the vacancies that they have and if you give them your application number they will be able to read your application. 

We will send you a clearing passport in the post.  If a university offers you a place which you want to accept, you then write down the details of the uni and course you are accepting and return the passport to that university.

It's a similar question from Claire, only she's found another place through clearing...

I had Edinburgh as my conditional firm choice with no insurance. They took a few days in deciding whether to accept me, so I looked into clearing just in case. I found the same course in Glasgow and Glasgow emailed me saying they would like to offer me a place so to send my clearing passport to them if I wish to accept. Edinburgh then chose to accept me (although track hasn't been updated) I now feel Glasgow is most suitable. Also, my brother is going to Glasgow this year for college so I think it would be more beneficial for parents finances if I was to accept Glasgow -as it is slightly cheaper than Edinburgh. Can I cancel Edinburgh and go to Glasgow through clearing? I don’t want to be withdrawn completely and be left with nothing.

K's getting a bit stressed as she only has a couple of weeks left to meet her conditions...

I’m a bit stressed now as I got a conditional offer from Glasgow Caledonian (Firm choice) and unconditional from Stirling (Insurance) and haven't got any confirmations yet. I’m afraid I can't meet the conditions by the time the uni wants it and now I’m worried I can lose the place in Stirling as I made it insurance. I've got no idea how all the system works as I’m from poland so please tell me something more if you can.

Hi K! Stress not!

First of all, if you received an unconditional offer from Stirling, then the place there is already confirmed. It means if you are not successful with the application to Glasgow, you will have a guaranteed place at Stirling.

When you accept a conditional offer (such as Glasgow), they will only confirm the place when they have received proof that you have met the conditions they set you.  The latest date by which all students need to have provided evidence of having met their conditions to their unis is 31 August 2008.  If you cannot meet the conditions by this date it is important that you contact the university to discuss what options are open to you and whether they will allow you extra time to meet the conditions.

Hopefully this will clarify matters for you.  However, you may find it beneficial to call us up on +44 (0)871 468 0 468 to discuss your situation in more detail - for example you could give us more information on what the exact conditions are that you've been set
.

Benjamin is in a pickle because he thinks he's responded to his offer but his university don't...

I’m wondering if someone could offer some clarity on my situtation as my University are unaware I have accepted my offer almost two weeks ago online. Would I have to respond to the letter also or is this a internal problem with the University not realising the situation?