Can You Change UAC Preferences After Receiving an Offer?

Yes. If you’ve received a university offer through UAC, you can still change your course preferences for subsequent offer rounds, even after accepting your offer.

The important thing is to understand the difference between accepting an offer and changing your UAC preferences. They are two separate actions. If you handle them in the right order, you can secure a university place while keeping yourself eligible for other courses you would rather study.

For most domestic NSW Year 12 applicants seeking entry in Semester 1, 2027, the main opportunity to change preferences is before 11.59 pm on 18 December 2026, with further opportunities after each offer round.

Here’s how it works, including the deadlines, what happens to an accepted offer, and the mistakes worth avoiding.

01Can you change your UAC preferences after accepting an offer?

Yes. UAC allows you to add, remove, and reorder course preferences as many times as you like, without an additional charge, provided you make the changes before the closing date for the relevant offer round.

You can do this even after accepting a university offer.

However, there is one important detail: the position of your accepted course in your preference list affects which other courses UAC considers in subsequent rounds.

To understand why, you first need to understand how UAC processes preferences.

How UAC decides which course to offer you

For domestic undergraduate applicants, UAC allows you to list up to five course preferences.

Universities consider these preferences in the order you’ve listed them. You’ll receive one offer per offer round, to the highest preference for which you’re eligible and competitive enough.

For example, imagine your preferences are:

If you’re eligible and competitive enough for your second preference, you’ll receive an offer for that course if the institution is making offers to it.

You won’t receive an offer for your third, fourth, or fifth preferences in that round.

Importantly, putting a course lower on your preference list does not reduce your chances of getting into it. It simply means UAC considers it after the courses above it.

You can read the full rules in UAC’s guide to selecting course preferences.

Why your accepted offer can affect later rounds

Here’s where things get interesting.

Suppose you receive an offer for your first preference, Bachelor of Engineering.

You accept the offer, but you would actually prefer to study Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Mathematics if you receive another offer.

If you leave your preferences unchanged, UAC won’t consider those lower preferences in subsequent rounds.

Why? Because you’ve already received an offer to your highest preference.

To be considered for other courses, you need to accept your Engineering offer and then remove it from your UAC preference list, or move it below the courses you want considered.

Your accepted place is not lost when you remove the course from your preferences.

There’s another situation worth understanding.

If you receive an offer for your second preference, you can still be considered for your first preference in subsequent rounds. Your higher preferences remain in contention.

However, your successful second preference can prevent you from being considered for courses below it.

The practical rule is simple:

• Accept the offer you receive if you want to keep that place.
• Remove the accepted course, or move it below the courses you still want considered.
• Keep your remaining preferences in your genuine order of preference.

UAC explains this process in its official guide to changing preferences after receiving an offer.

02What should you do when you receive a university offer?

Receiving an offer can make you feel as though you need to make an immediate final decision about your university studies.

You don’t necessarily have to.

You can accept an offer as a safety net while remaining eligible for other courses in later rounds.

Here’s the process to follow.

Step 1: Check the offer conditions and acceptance deadline

Open your offer email and check:

• Which university and course have offered you a place?
• Is the offer conditional or unconditional?
• What additional requirements must you satisfy?
• When does the offer expire?
• How do you formally accept the offer?
• Are there any additional steps required before enrolment?

Most institutions require you to accept your offer through their own online system.

The acceptance deadline is set out in your offer information. If you don’t accept by that deadline, your offer may lapse and the place may be offered to another applicant.

Don’t assume that an offer will remain available simply because you can still see it in your UAC application.

If you reject an offer or allow it to lapse and later change your mind, UAC advises that you must contact the institution directly. Only the institution can reinstate the offer.

Step 2: Accept the offer if you want to keep your place

If you’re happy to keep the offered course as a backup, accept it according to the university’s instructions.

This is particularly important if you’re hoping to receive a better offer in January.

Waiting for another offer without accepting your existing one creates an unnecessary risk. You could miss out on your current place and still receive nothing in the next round.

Accepting an offer does not prevent you from receiving another offer later.

Step 3: Change your preferences through UAC

Once you’ve accepted your offer, log in to your UAC undergraduate application.

Go to your course preferences, where you can:

1. Remove the course you’ve accepted.
2. Add new courses if you want to consider different options.
3. Reorder your remaining preferences.
4. Check that the course you most want is at the top of the list.

You must make these changes through your online UAC application. You cannot change your preferences by emailing or calling UAC.

There is no additional charge for changing your preferences.

Remember that the accepted offer remains secure after you’ve removed that course from your preference list.

Step 4: Decide what to do if another offer arrives

Suppose you accept an offer for Bachelor of Science in December.

In January, you receive another offer for Bachelor of Engineering, which is the course you originally wanted.

You now have a choice:

• Keep your original Bachelor of Science offer and decline the new offer.
• Accept the Bachelor of Engineering offer and withdraw from Bachelor of Science.

The decision is yours, subject to the institutions’ acceptance and enrolment policies.

UAC also allows applicants to hold multiple offers in some circumstances. However, if both offers come from the same institution, check its policy because it may require you to give up your first offer before accepting the second.

If you accept multiple offers and enrol in multiple courses, formally withdraw from any course you won’t be studying before its census date. Otherwise, you could incur tuition fees or receive an academic failure for a course you aren’t actually undertaking.

03Important UAC preference deadlines for 2026-27

The deadlines depend on which offer round you’re targeting.

For domestic NSW Year 12 students applying for Semester 1, 2027, UAC has published the following dates.

These dates were checked on 9 November 2026.

Source: UAC 2026-27 undergraduate key dates and Year 12 key dates fact sheet.

Which deadlines matter most?

For most current Year 12 students, three dates deserve particular attention.

16 December 2026: HSC results and ATAR release

NESA releases HSC results at 6 am. UAC releases ATARs at 9 am.

Once you know your ATAR, you can reassess your course preferences and make changes before the December offer round.

18 December 2026, 11.59 pm: December Round 2 preference deadline

This is the main preference deadline for the first major ATAR-based offer round for Year 12 students.

If you want to change your preferences after seeing your ATAR, you must do so before this deadline.

23 December 2026, 7.30 am: December Round 2 offers

This is the main offer round for Semester 1, 2027 courses.

If you receive an offer, accept it by the university’s stated deadline. You can then update your preferences for January Round 1, with changes due by 11.59 pm on 29 December.

What happens between preference deadlines and offer releases?

There’s a small detail that catches students out.

UAC temporarily prevents you from changing preferences between the closing date for an offer round and the release of offers.

For example:

• Preferences close at 11.59 pm on 18 December.
• You cannot change them again until 7.30 am on 23 December.
• The next preference window then opens for January Round 1, closing at 11.59 pm on 29 December.

This means you cannot see your December offer and then immediately change your preferences before that same round’s offers are released. You must wait until the next preference window opens.

Check the official UAC key dates before making changes. Dates and offer schedules should always be checked against the latest published information.

What if you’ve applied through the Schools Recommendation Scheme?

The Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS) has an earlier preference deadline.

For domestic Year 12 students applying for 2027 entry:

• SRS preferences for November Round 1 closed on 5 November 2026.
• The first SRS offers are released on 12 November 2026.
• Further SRS consideration is available in December Round 2 and January Round 1, subject to the relevant preference deadlines.

If you receive an unconditional SRS offer, you can accept it and remove the course from your UAC preferences if you want to remain eligible for other offers.

If you receive a conditional SRS offer, read its conditions carefully. You must satisfy the additional requirements specified by the institution, and the course must remain in your UAC preferences by 18 December if you want it considered for conversion to an unconditional offer in December Round 2.

You may receive multiple conditional SRS offers, but only one can become an unconditional offer in December Round 2.

See UAC’s official SRS offer guidance for the full conditions.

04Will you still be considered for later university offers?

Yes, provided you meet the relevant eligibility requirements and your preferences are correctly arranged before the next offer round.

However, there is an important distinction between the different offer rounds.

December Round 2 and January Round 1

These are the two major ATAR-based offer rounds for most current Year 12 applicants seeking Semester 1 entry in 2027.

If you don’t receive your preferred offer in December, you can still be considered in January.

For example, a university might not make offers to a particular course in December, even though you have listed it as your first preference.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve been unsuccessful.

The institution may simply be making offers to that course in a later round.

If you’re still interested in that course, keep it in your preferences and check with the university about its expected offer schedule.

February and March offer rounds

UAC continues releasing offers after January Round 1.

However, these later rounds are different.

They are generally for courses that still have vacancies. Not every university makes offers in every round, and a course that filled its available places in December or January might not make further offers.

This means that receiving an offer in a later round is possible, but it isn’t guaranteed.

If you’re waiting for a particular course, contact the university’s admissions team and ask:

• Is the course making offers in the next round?
• Are places still available?
• Will applicants who have already received another offer be considered?
• Are there any additional selection requirements?

UAC processes your application, but individual institutions decide which applicants receive offers.

You can read more in UAC’s undergraduate applications and offers guidance.

05Check the university’s requirements before changing preferences

Changing your preferences is straightforward. Choosing the right courses to include requires a little more thought.

An offer depends on more than simply having an ATAR above a particular number.

Before adding a course or moving it higher in your list, check its admission requirements.

1. Check the selection rank, not just the ATAR

Universities commonly use a selection rank when assessing applicants.

A selection rank can include your ATAR and applicable adjustment factors.

This means your ATAR and your selection rank aren’t necessarily the same number.

For example, a course might have an indicative selection rank that differs from its published ATAR profile. Adjustment factors may affect how your application is assessed.

Understanding this distinction will help you make more informed decisions about which courses are realistic options.

For a more detailed explanation, read What Is the Difference Between an ATAR and a Selection Rank?.

2. Check prerequisites and additional selection criteria

Some university courses have requirements beyond your selection rank.

These might include:

• Specific HSC subject prerequisites.
• Minimum subject achievement requirements.
• Interviews or auditions.
• Portfolio submissions.
• Additional admissions tests.
• English language requirements.

A high selection rank cannot automatically overcome a missing prerequisite.

If you’re unsure whether you satisfy a course’s subject requirements, check the institution’s official course page.

You can also read How Do You Check University Prerequisites Before Choosing HSC Subjects? for a clearer explanation of prerequisites and assumed knowledge.

3. Check whether the course is accepting applications in later rounds

Don’t assume every course remains available throughout the admissions period.

Some courses have early application deadlines, while others fill their available places before the later offer rounds.

Check the current course information and confirm whether the institution expects to make further offers.

This is especially important if you’re removing an accepted offer and hoping to receive a different one.

4. Check the offer’s expiry date and enrolment requirements

Every institution has its own procedures.

Pay attention to:

• The deadline for accepting your offer.
• Whether accepting multiple offers is permitted.
• Whether you must complete enrolment by a separate date.
• Whether any additional documents are required.
• The census date if you subsequently enrol in multiple courses.

An accepted offer and an enrolled place are not necessarily the same thing. Follow the university’s instructions rather than assuming that accepting the offer completes every step.

06Who controls your HSC results, UAC preferences, and university offer?

It’s useful to separate the responsibilities of the different organisations involved.

NESA and UAC have different responsibilities.

NESA administers the HSC and releases your HSC results. UAC calculates and issues your ATAR separately. Your ATAR does not appear in your NESA Students Online results.

Similarly, NESA’s HSC rules do not determine how you arrange your university preferences. University course prerequisites are set by the relevant institution.

Your school may have internal procedures for recommendations or supporting documents, but these do not replace UAC’s published preference deadlines or a university’s offer conditions.

Useful official references include:

• NESA: HSC rules and requirements
• NESA: HSC results and student services
• UAC: Undergraduate applications and offers

07Worked examples: changing preferences after an offer

Let’s put the rules into two realistic situations.

08Questions and solutions

The following questions test whether you can apply the rules to different offer situations, rather than simply memorising the preference deadlines.

Question 1

You receive an offer for your first UAC preference in December Round 2.

You accept the offer but would prefer to study your second preference if you receive another offer in January.

What must you do to remain eligible for your second preference?

Solution 1

You must accept your existing offer and then remove the successful course from your UAC preferences, or move it below your second preference, before the next preference deadline.

For January Round 1 in 2027, that deadline is 11.59 pm on 29 December 2026.

If you leave the accepted course as your first preference, UAC won’t consider your lower preferences in subsequent rounds.

Removing the course after accepting it does not cancel your existing offer. You can therefore keep your original place while remaining eligible for another course.

Question 2

You receive an offer for your third UAC preference in December Round 2.

Your first and second preferences are still courses you genuinely want to study.

You also want to receive an offer for your fourth preference if neither of the first two courses makes you an offer.

Should you leave your preference list unchanged?

Explain what happens to each preference in the next offer round.

Solution 2

No. You should remove your accepted third preference if you want to be considered for your fourth preference as well.

Your first and second preferences will remain in contention because they are ranked above the course you’ve already been offered.

However, leaving the successful third preference in its original position can prevent UAC from considering your fourth and fifth preferences.

The revised list should be:

1. Original first preference.
2. Original second preference.
3. Original fourth preference.
4. Original fifth preference.

Your accepted third preference remains secure outside the active preference list.

The important distinction is that receiving an offer to a lower preference does not automatically remove your eligibility for higher preferences. It is the lower preferences that can be blocked by the successful course.

Question 3

A student receives a conditional SRS offer on 12 November 2026 for their second UAC preference.

The offer requires the student to achieve a specified ATAR and satisfy another condition set by the university.

The student would still prefer their first preference, which has not yet made an offer.

What should the student do before December Round 2?

Solution 3

The student should keep the conditional offer course in their UAC preference list, retain their preferred course above it, and satisfy the conditions specified by the university.

There are two separate things to manage.

First, the student must meet the institution’s additional requirements. A conditional offer is not the same as an unconditional offer, so simply receiving it does not secure unconditional admission.

Second, the course must remain in the UAC preference list by 11.59 pm on 18 December 2026 if the student wants it considered for conversion to an unconditional offer in December Round 2.

The student should therefore maintain this order:

1. The course they most want to study.
2. The course for which they received the conditional SRS offer.
3. Other suitable alternatives.

If they satisfy the conditions, the institution can convert the conditional offer in a later round, subject to UAC’s preference and selection process.

The tempting mistake is to remove the conditional offer course because the student is hoping for something better. Doing so could prevent that offer from being converted.

Question 4

You accept a university offer through UAC.

In a later offer round, you receive another offer for a different course at the same university.

You would prefer the new course but don’t want to lose your original place until you’ve confirmed that the new offer is available.

Can you simply accept both offers?

What should you check before making your decision?

Solution 4

Not necessarily. You must check the university’s policy on holding multiple offers from the same institution.

UAC allows students to receive and accept offers across different offer rounds. However, it specifically advises that some institutions may require you to give up an earlier offer before accepting a later offer from the same institution.

You should therefore:

1. Check the new offer’s acceptance deadline.
2. Contact the university’s admissions team if its multiple-offer policy is unclear.
3. Confirm whether accepting the new offer requires you to surrender the original place.
4. Only withdraw from your original course once you understand the consequences and are ready to proceed.

If you accept and enrol in multiple courses, you must also formally withdraw from the courses you won’t be undertaking before their respective census dates to avoid potential financial and academic penalties.

The key misconception is assuming that UAC’s ability to issue offers across multiple rounds means every university must allow you to hold every offer simultaneously. Institution-specific policies still apply.

Question 5

A student has the following UAC preference list:

In December Round 2, the student receives an offer for Course B and accepts it.

The institution offering Course A has not made any offers to that course in December Round 2. However, it confirms that it expects to consider applicants again in January Round 1.

The student wants to remain eligible for Course A, but also wants Course C to be considered if Course A does not make another offer.

The student decides to leave the original preference list unchanged because they believe UAC will automatically consider both Course A and Course C in January.

Assume that:

• The student satisfies the admission requirements for all five courses.
• Course A does not make offers in January Round 1.
• Course C has available places and makes offers in January Round 1.
• The student is competitive enough to receive an offer for Course C.

Will the student be considered for Course C if they leave their preferences unchanged? If not, what exact change should they make while keeping their accepted place in Course B?

Solution 5

No. The student will not be considered for Course C if they leave Course B in its original second position.

This is a consequence of how UAC processes preferences, and it is an easy detail to overlook.

Let’s follow the student’s original list.

Course A is first. It hasn’t made offers in December, so the student receives no offer for it.

Course B is second. The student receives an offer and accepts it.

Now consider what happens in January.

The student might reasonably assume that UAC will simply move to Course A and then Course C if Course A doesn’t make an offer.

The first part is correct. Course A remains eligible for consideration because it sits above the previously successful Course B.

The second part is incorrect.

Course B is still sitting at preference 2. The student has already received an offer for it, so the successful preference can block consideration of courses below it.

Course C is therefore not reached.

Step 1: Keep the accepted Course B offer.

The student should not reject or withdraw from Course B simply to be considered for other courses.

Step 2: Remove Course B from the UAC preference list.

Because the offer has already been accepted, removing Course B from the list does not cancel the place.

Step 3: Arrange the remaining courses in the desired order.

The new preference list becomes:

Step 4: Submit the changes before the January Round 1 preference deadline of 11.59 pm on 29 December 2026.

Now consider the January offer round.

Course A remains first. If it makes an offer and the student is eligible and competitive enough, the student can receive that offer.

If Course A doesn’t make offers in the round, UAC can move to Course C.

Because Course B has been removed from the preference list, it no longer blocks Course C.

The student still holds their accepted Course B offer as a backup.

This is the crucial distinction: an accepted offer and an active UAC preference are not the same thing.

You can secure a place at one university while removing that course from your preference list to allow other courses to be considered.

The mistake is treating your accepted course as something that must remain in your UAC preferences to protect your place. Once accepted, it can remain secure without occupying a position in your active preference list.

09What should you remember before the next offer round?

Changing UAC preferences after receiving an offer is allowed, and accepting an offer does not mean you’ve permanently committed to that course.

The most important things to remember are:

• Accept an offer by the institution’s stated deadline if you want to keep your place.
• Remove or move an accepted course below the other courses you want considered in subsequent rounds.
• Keep your genuine first choice at the top of your preference list.
• Check the UAC preference deadline for every offer round.
• Confirm course prerequisites, selection requirements, and availability with the institution.
• Don’t assume a later offer is guaranteed, even if you meet the published selection criteria.

For a broader explanation of how to arrange your course preferences before and between offer rounds, read How to Order Your UAC Preferences for University Offers.

The next decision isn’t simply whether to accept an offer. It’s which courses you still want UAC to consider while that accepted place remains available as your backup. Getting that distinction right gives you more flexibility throughout the university admissions process.