1. Understanding the offers

We will begin by first introducing the different types of offers universities extend. The first and probably most comforting letter to see light up your computer screen would be an unconditional offer- which simply means that you have fulfilled all requirements and are immediately enrolled into the programme if you accept it.

The second type is a conditional offer letter which signifies that the university is willing to admit you but you have not quite fulfilled the requirements, be it an academic result, administrative requirement or language proficiency test. In the conditional letter, the university will state clearly what are the criteria you have yet to meet. After you have fulfilled the stated requirements, the school will then convert the conditional offer into an unconditional one that you will be able to formally accept.

For example, if you miss the language criteria by an inch, the school may send you a conditional offer in the language programme and will offer you an unconditional letter after you pass the course with satisfactory results. If you fail to meet the conditions, you will not be granted admission into the school.

2. If it is your first choice...

Let us get this out of the way. If you received an unconditional offer for your first choice, then there’s really nothing else to think about other than how you want to celebrate this piece of good news. Congratulations!

What about a conditional offer? As mentioned above, it means that even though the university knows that you have not met the full criteria, they are still interested in giving you a place in the programme. The only thing you need to think about is if you are able to fulfil the prerequisite of the school and you are well on your way to commence your desired education!

3. Should I accept an offer if it is not my first choice?

Often times when you apply to a university, you would have done enough research to decide that this is the one you want to apply for. Which also means that somewhere between your research and sending in your application, something about the programme was enticing enough to draw you in. Therefore, do not be too quick to reject the offer but think about why you applied to the course in the first place.

Secondly, compare the current offer with your first choice and list the differences in the two. If the disparity between your first choice and the one you have been offered is not significant, then you should accept it. Other ways to help reinforce your decision would be to revisit the campus to have a sense of the school and its facilities (if you applied to a local university), or speak to current students and/or alumni about their experience if possible.

If you decline the offer, you risk the chance of not getting into any programme at all should other universities decide to turn down your application. The ideal time to reject an offer is if you have already secured a place at another university.

4. When should I accept the offer?

Acceptance offers always come with a deadline and it varies according to individual schools and programme. If it is not your first choice, allow yourself some time to think about it but also be clear of the acceptance deadline. As most of them do not tolerate late acceptance, it is better to give yourself about a week to accept and not wait till the last hour so as to avoid any unfortunate incidents such as a technical malfunction.

5. Can I withdraw my acceptance?

Yes, you may. If you have already accepted a university offer but decided to matriculate at another institute, you may withdraw your acceptance but should be prepared to forfeit your enrolment deposit. Different universities exercise different protocols so you should check back with the specific university regarding their admission withdrawal period and practice.

We hope that these talking points brought some clearance to your dilemma of accepting university offers and what happens if you do and do not. At the end of the day, whatever programme you find yourself in, it is usually how you make the best out of every opportunity and remain diligent in learning.

Overall, we wish that you have a favourable university outcome. If you were rejected from all your university applications, click here to find out what you can do.