Clearing is a legitimate way of gaining a place on a course. In 2018, over 60, 000 students gained places through Clearing (source: The Independent).
Every year, thousands of places are still available at top universities because of last-minute changes. For example, students may not have gotten the grades they needed, they have done better than expected, they have decided to take a gap year or they have changed their chosen course/university at the last minute.
Universities do not want empty spaces on their courses, so they fill these through a process called Clearing. If you haven’t got the grades, Clearing will likely be the only way to secure a fantastic place on a great course at a top university for this September.
Top Tips for Clearing
Remain calm
If you’ve narrowly missed your offer, there is still a good chance you may be admitted to your firm choice so don’t worry. Universities understand individual circumstances and try to take as holistic and realistic approach as possible when admitting
Even if you didn’t do as well as hoped, universities still want to hear from you, so don’t stress and keep a cool head
We’re here to help also, so get in touch
Wake up early
If you’re not able to collect your results in-person, make sure to wake up early to contact your school and to check your status in UCAS Track
If things don’t go as planned, you will need some time to devise out a plan, research potential courses and
This is a busy day and it can often be difficult to contact universities due to the sheer number of students ringing. Therefore, expect to spend a lot of time on the
Oh and you’ll probably want to keep the whole of Thursday 15th and Friday 16th August free, so try not to make any big plans
Be flexible
There may be interesting courses available via Clearing at fantastic universities that you may have not even considered. Keen an open mind about courses and/or subject combinations to increase your chances of getting a place at a brilliant university via Clearing
Stay contactable
Don’t go on holiday and make sure you have good telephone, as well as internet access
Make sure to have your UCAS number at hand
Things to have A-Level results It’s crucial to have your A-Level transcripts with you, including a breakdown of what your coursework and examination scores were
More than one phone
It’s advisable to have more than one phone available so that you can contact multiple universities at the same time to discuss your application if things don’t go to plan