There are two ways to apply for art and design courses

There are two ways to apply for art and design courses - Route A and Route B. Applications for courses in Route A follow the same procedures as for other courses. Route B courses follow a different timetable and a different application process. Route B courses are easy to identify - the course code always starts or ends with an E. Click here for a description of each route.

Route A - decisions and replies

If you have applied only for Route A courses, you can hold two offers. You must decline any other offers. You can wait for a decision from each of your universities and colleges before you have to reply. Check your offers and replying to your offers for more information.

Route B - sending applications to universities and colleges

The starting dates for sending applications to each Route B choice are listed in the table below.

First choice

From 12 February 2008

Second choice

From 28 March 2008

Third choice

From 23 May 2008


Whenever we receive a decision from a university or college, we will let you know by letter or email (we'll email you if you entered and verified an email address when you applied).

Making changes

Route A choices: you can change the university or college choice on Track within 14 days from us sending you a welcome letter, as long as you contact us before 30 June 2008. If you want to change your course, defer your application for a year or change the point of entry, you should write to the college or university direct, not to us. A Route A choice can only be changed to another Route A choice.

Route B choices: a Route B choice can only be changed to another Route B choice. This is only possible if the original choice has not been sent to the university or college to consider. A Route B choice cannot be amended to a Route A choice at any time.

Route B - decisions and replies

We will send you a decision for your first choice in Route B. Check your offers for an explanation of the different decisions.

If it is an offer, you can either accept it or decline it. If you accept the offer, we will not send your application to any other Route B choices you may have made. If you decline it, or the college or university does not make you an offer, and you have applied for further Route B courses, we will send your application to your next choice provided that there are still vacancies.

You have 14 days to reply to a Route B offer (21 days if you are applying from outside the European Union). If you do not reply during this period, the offer will be withdrawn. If you have applied for further Route B courses, we will then send your application to your next choice provided that there are still vacancies. The starting dates for sending applications to each Route B choice are listed in the table above.

If you have applied for Route B courses only, you can only hold one offer.

If you have applied to choices through Route A and Route B and are still awaiting one or more Route A decisions, you will be able to reply initially to a Route B offer with a Keep (K). This means that you do not have to accept or decline the Route B offer until you have received decisions from your Route A choices. Keeping a Route B offer will cancel any subsequent Route B choices. Once all decisions have been received you will have to make your final replies by the deadline stated on Track.

See replying to your offers for more information about how to reply and your options.