Providing support during the application process

If your son or daughter is applying to study at university it can be helpful to know more about the process, however involved you choose to become.
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We're here to help you understand a little bit more about the steps your son or daughter will take as part of their student journey so that you feel equipped to support them along the way.

Explore our applicant journey which maps out the path all our students will take when they make an application to study with us at Plymouth. 

You'll also find helpful information on the university application process from UCAS, which has a dedicated guide for parents.

Application deadline dates

There are several dates you should be aware of as your son or daughter makes an application and awaits decisions from their chosen universities. At the beginning of any application cycle you can visit the UCAS timetable of dates to understand the different deadlines for applications.

At Plymouth, we'll continue to accept applications for a course until it's full. We'll notify UCAS when we are no longer taking new applications. We advise applicants to try to meet the January UCAS deadline for the best chance of being considered.

Visit us

We welcome visits from our applicants and their families and guests. In fact, we'd absolutely recommend you come and see us during the decision-making process, both before and after your son or daughter has applied. 

Find out more about the many opportunities to visit us and book a place at one of our Open Days or Offer Holder Days.


Open days and applicant days

What happens on A level results day?

If your son or daughter gets the grades they needed:

  • a confirmed offer will appear on the UCAS website, so they'll need to log on to check their application status
  • applicants for the University of Plymouth can also check their application status via our Applicant Portal 
  • the chosen university will then send information about enrolment via email or post over the next few days.

If your son or daughter is a few points short or slipped a grade:

  • if they missed their expected grades by only a few points, they may still be able to get a place on the course of their choice at the university they applied to
  • your son or daughter’s application status will appear on the UCAS website, so they'll need to log on to check this 
  • applicants for the University of Plymouth can also check their application status via our Applicant Portal.

If your son or daughter didn't get the grades they needed:

  • not gaining the required points to secure your preferred university place can often seem like the end of the world, but this is not the case
  • there is a service called Clearing that can help students without a university or college place find suitable vacancies on higher education courses 
  • there are other alternatives too – your son or daughter can take a gap year and re-sit an exam, or there are sometimes foundation pathways that offer an alternative route onto a degree. Search for foundation courses on our courses and study page for information about these pathways at Plymouth.