Dealing with a university rejection and what you can do next

Receiving a UCAS rejection from a university can feel quite disheartening. After all the time you spent studying to achieve the right grades, writing your personal statements, and prepping for interviews, rejection hurts.

Every year, thousands of students apply for university, and so many won't be accepted to their first or even second choices. While you may be feeling lost or alone in this situation, many students have been there before you and there are many ways you can approach your next steps. This doesn't have to mean the end of your university dream!

Understanding the rejection: what are some reasons a university may have rejected you?

Remember, it isn't personal – they aren't rejecting you but your application. The admissions committee will have strict criteria to follow and only a certain amount of slots they can fill. Typically, rejection comes down to seat numbers and an assessment based on whether you hit the grade requirements and if there are other students who've applied with higher grades.

If you had to sit an admissions test, it may be that you didn't hit the required score for the specific university. They will have also looked at your personal statement. They may have found errors and typos, or even that you didn't showcase enough about how fantastic you are.

Unfortunately, you'll may never truly know the cause of the rejection. What's most important is learning from it and finding an option that works for where you are. As they say, everything happens for a reason!

Appealing your rejection

Unfortunately, can't appeal your rejection. You may speak to the admissions to gain feedback on your application, but this won't affect the decision they've already made.

If you are really set on going to this specific university, there is nothing to stop you from taking on the feedback and applying again the following year, although your place is still not guaranteed. If you still don't meet the entry grades, without retaking your exams, it's likely the outcome will be the same. You'll also want to be careful, as the grade boundaries for the course may change in that year.

UCAS Extra and UCAS Clearing

If you received multiple rejections from universities, don't worry! UCAS offers you two options. UCAS Extra is there for students who didn't receive any offers from their university choices or have decided to reject all offers. This allows you to apply to an extra university and is open for students to use between 23rd February and 4th July.

Clearing is there similarly to support students who didn't secure a spot at university, as well as those who didn't meet the grade requirements of their conditional offer on Results Day. If you find yourself rejected from university based on your results, Clearing opens on A-Level Results Day and advertises the available spots on specific courses at different universities.

Can I apply to a university that rejected me through clearing?

Yes, you can! If the university has spots available at the university and a course you're interested in, you can apply to them again through the Clearing window. They may have dropped their grade boundaries or are now considering candidates whom they originally said no to.

It also may be that Clearing offers you options you haven't yet considered! Be sure to explore the universities taking part in Clearing and whether you feel they may be better suited for to your level of study and expectations of university.

Consider your next steps and back-up plan

It can be difficult to accept that your dream university may not be the right one for you, but sometimes it's just meant to be! It's a great idea to have a back-up plan ready for situations like this. When submitting your UCAS application, you'll have selected your firm and insurance choices for this very reason. Many universities offer post-offer days: this is similar to an open day, but is for students who have received an offer from a particular university. It's another opportunity to see yourself studying at the university. If the uni doesn't offer this, talk to their admissions team, they may be able to arrange a secondary visit for you.

Reapplying next year

If you're still set on going to a certain university, you could consider taking a year out and reapplying next year. While your place is still not guaranteed, you'll be able to submit a fresh application. You can take the time to talk to the admissions team and your tutors to help you improve your application.

Take a gap year

So you haven't got into your university of choice, and you don't know what your next step is? A gap year might be the answer! A gap year offers you time to reflect on your options, re-think your application and even take a step away from academics. For many, this is the option they choose and come back to applying with a fresh perspective.