BTec delays: Students still waiting as uni deadline looms

"I was going to be one of the first in my immediate family and friends to go to uni this year," Estelle says

Students who've still not received their BTec results face a nervous wait as the deadline to meet their university offers approaches.

According to admissions body UCAS, most offers will expire next Wednesday.

The exam board in charge of the qualifications insists it has now issued results to all "eligible" candidates.

BBC Newsbeat has been contacted by students who say they're still waiting and communication has been poor.

Results had been expected on 15 August - the same day as A-Level grades were released.

But some, such as Estelle Harris, are still waiting - two weeks on.

"It feels frustrating, I feel so down about it. This was supposed to be a big moment for me," the 18-year-old tells Radio 1 Newsbeat.

Estelle, from Croydon, was supposed to be starting a course in social work but has no idea what will happen now.

"Because that's a personal thing I went through and I want to help other young people out there. But I guess that's going to get delayed."

Pearson, the exam board in charge, says it has now issued "all results for students who are eligible".

A spokesperson said it required additional information from schools and colleges to be able to award results this, which caused some of the delay.

"We have contacted every school or college with ineligible students and are grateful for the information we have received from exams officers as our team worked to obtain and validate any outstanding data," they said.

Pearson said it would work with schools and colleges to "review queries" and "confirm whether or not they expect learners that are currently ineligible to meet the qualification criteria".

However, Estelle says she's not heard anything from Pearson, despite trying to contact them for answers, and says she has friends who are in "similar situations" with results having to be investigated.

"My family are trying to keep me calm through it," she says. "They're just trying to not worry and make sure I don't, but it's a lot."

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• 'If it was A-levels this would've been sorted quicker'

Another student waiting for results is Morgan Lowman from Dorset.

The 19-year-old calls the situation "extremely disappointing" and says communication with the exam board "has been poor".

"They've provided minimal information about why my results are delayed and what needs to be done to claim them," he says.

He's been told by Pearson that his school has not yet made "a claim" for his results, but says his teachers have been "trying since results day" to obtain his qualifications.

But Morgan is one of the lucky ones, he says, as he has an unconditional place to study Law at the University of Portsmouth.

The same can't be said for Charlotte Howard, as she failed to get a place she wanted through clearing.

Charlotte wanted to use an Applied Psychology BTec for a place on a child nursing course

The 19-year-old told Newsbeat last week she was left feeling "completely disheartened" when she failed to get a place through clearing on a child nursing course due to her results arriving late.

She's now had an update - and has told us she's taken another clearing offer for the March intake of students.

But It means she will be starting university six months later than planned.

"I suppose that's better than nothing," she says.

Delays to BTec results have been called "completely unacceptable" by a group representing schools and colleges.

"It obviously must not happen again. Lessons need to be learned for the future," said Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders.

UCAS advises students awaiting results to contact their chosen university or college to discuss their situation.

It said there are 23,000 courses available through clearing, which remains open until October.

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