This embargo may impact any communications with offer holders and new students over the summer.
What is the UCAS results embargo?
This covers the period when the University is given early access to the SQA Higher and A Level exam results of our undergraduate offer holders. These results are under a strict embargo. This means that during the embargo the University must not release these exam results, or indirectly indicate whether an applicant has met their offer conditions to anyone outside of the University. Indirect breaches could include things like issuing an accommodation offer, information on the allocation of a Student Adviser, or sending a welcome email.
When is the embargo?
The 2024 SQA and A Level results embargo dates are:
- SQA results: Monday 29 July at 18:00 until Tuesday 6 August at 09:00
- A Level results: Friday 9 August at 14:00 until Thursday 15 August at 08:00
Why is it vital that we do not breach the embargo?
Any breach jeopardises the willingness of exam boards to release results early to UCAS, which could be detrimental to applicants and new students in future years. Breaches at other institutions in recent years have increased and UCAS has introduced a zero-tolerance policy. If we breach the embargo, the University would be subject to a financial penalty, could lose early access to the results in the future, and may receive negative publicity.
What can you do to help?
Please do not respond to requests from applicants, or their friends or advisors, for information on the outcome of their application to Edinburgh, or their exam results, during the above embargo period. You are not permitted to seek or share any information of this nature during the embargo period.
What are we doing to ensure we do not breach the embargo?
Student Recruitment and Admissions (SRA) are working closely with Student Systems to ensure that all communications and system processes associated with any change in applicant status upon confirmation of their exam results are switched off for the embargo period.
SRA are also in close communication with College undergraduate admissions staff and relevant professional services staff to ensure that guidance about our operational procedures during the embargo is followed. Face-to-face briefing sessions have been provided for professional services staff.
Access to relevant admissions system areas is also being restricted to a limited number of essential staff.