Deadlines and timelines for accepting an offer

What this article is about
This article explains why offer response deadlines matter and what applicants should do to avoid missing them.

Who this is for
Applicants who have received or are waiting for a training offer.

What you need to know

• Offer response deadlines are set by the recruitment process.
• Response windows are usually short, most commonly 48 hours excluding weekends but check the process to which you have applied for confirmation.
• Most processes will publish a date by which first offers will be made; they may made be earlier than this but will not normally be later.
• You should monitor your applicant account and email regularly during the offer period.
• If you miss a deadline, the offer will expire and may be reoffered to another applicant.
• Expired offers may not be recoverable.
• Reserve list or later offer processes may continue after the first offers are released.
• You should not assume you have an offer unless it has been formally issued through the recruitment process.

What to do

1. Check the published recruitment timeline.
2. Monitor your applicant account and email, including junk or spam folders.
3. Read any offer communication as soon as it arrives.
4. Note the response deadline.
5. Decide whether to accept, decline, hold or request upgrades if those options are available.
6. Submit your response before the deadline; extensions are not possible to issue on the system. Check your Oriel application status to ensure your response has been confirmed.
7. Keep confirmation of your response. 

If this does not work
If you believe a deadline was missed because of a system issue, raise this immediately through the recruitment support route and include evidence where available.

Contact the recruitment team responsible for offers as soon as possible if you miss the deadline to respond.

Who to contact
Use the recruitment support route set out in the applicant guidance or offer communication.

What HET can and cannot help with
HET can help with

• Directing queries to the correct recruitment support route.
• Advising on the offers process where HET is the lead recruitment team.
• Reinstating an application if an offer expires.
• Advising on local training registration where HET is responsible.

HET cannot help with

• Accepting, declining or holding an offer on your behalf outside the process.
• Extending offer deadlines.
• Guaranteeing that an expired offer will be made again.
• Reinstating a declined offer; which is not usually possible.
• Guaranteeing a future offer from a reserve list.

Related articles

• Receiving an offer: how to accept, decline or hold
• What to do if your offer is withdrawn or expires
• New starter registration: what happens after you accept an offer

Last reviewed
 Last reviewed: 25 September 2026