What You Need To Know About Clearing 1) Clearing gives you a chance to find a last-minute place on a uni course starting that same year
2) There are several reasons why you might find yourself going through the Clearing process (see below for full explanation)
3) Clearing also allows universities to fill up all their spare places before the start of the academic year (and don’t forget, it’s in their interest to fill places – each student is worth approx. £9K a year to them)
4) Clearing technically opens on UCAS on 5th July 2019, but the main action happens on A-Level Results Day (Thursday 15th August 2019).
5) Clearing moves quickly – places at top unis will go fast, so you can’t hang around too long...
6) ... but if you haven’t found a place by the end of Results Day, all is not lost (Clearing actually continues into September)
7) You need to do your own research to find a perfect Clearing course for you (you can use Whatuni, UCAS, and the universities’ websites to find out about available courses)
8) Most of the action takes place over the phone - however this year Whatuni are changing everything. More on this later...
Who is Eligible For Clearing?
1) You’re applying to uni after the 30th June
If you apply to uni after the 30th June, you’ll automatically be entered into Clearing. If you already have exam results you can start applying for Clearing courses straight away; if not, you can start contacting unis as soon as you get your grades on results day. You’ll still have to submit all the usual things when applying normally – like a personal statement and references.
2) You applied before 30th June, but you’re not holding any offers
If you didn’t get any offers from your initial five applications you’ll automatically be entered into Clearing after 30th June. The process is similar here to the one above – wait until you get your results, then start contacting universities to apply for their Clearing courses.
3) You’ve changed your mind about your first and insurance choices
If you’ve suddenly had a change of heart about the unis you’ve put for your first and insurance choices, it is possible to be released from your choice so you can enter Clearing.
Alternatively, if you think you might actually get better grades than predicted, you could always hang on and enter Adjustment
4) You don’t meet your offers on Results Day
This is probably the most common category - you’ll automatically be entered into Clearing if you don’t meet either your firm or your insurance offers on Results Day.
NOTE : Not getting your exact predicted grades DOESN’T necessarily mean the university will say no. They might still let you in, so make sure you check UCAS as early as possible on Results Day to see the status of your offers, and – if UCAS isn't telling you anything – MAKE SURE YOU RING YOUR UNIVERSITY UP TO CHECK WITH THEM.
How Clearing Works Part 1: Doing Your Research
Here's 4 tips for researching Clearing Courses:
1) Use Whatuni to do your research - Whatuni has hundreds of Clearing courses
2) Remember what you liked about your top choices – what was it that attracted you to the two unis you put for your first and insurance choices? Did you like their location? Did you pick them for their place in the rankings? Did you like the feel of the campus? Whatever the factors were, keep them at the front of your mind when you’re looking for a Clearing course.
3) Read student reviews – a great way of finding out more about a uni you’re interested in is by getting the lowdown from past and current students. We have thousands of student reviews
4) Consider some (slightly) different courses – if you’ve got your heart set on studying something like English literature, you probably won’t want to swap to something like Film Studies – but what about a combination of the two? It's worth remembering that many unis offer combined/joint honours courses, some of which might still have places that need filling, which means you don't have to miss out.
How Clearing Works Part 2: Applying By Phone
Once you’ve drawn up your shortlist, it’s time to start applying - and traditionally that has all been done by phone. To give you an idea of how this process works we spoke to Hilary Steel, who works for the University of Leeds
Who will students be speaking to when they call on Results Day?
When calling the clearing call centre, the student will initially be speaking to one of our current students who will be trained to deal with their queries. They may then be transferred to a staff member in the school or faculty of the course that they’re interested in – this could either be a support staff member or an academic.
What kind of questions will students be asked over the phone?
Firstly they will be asked what course they are interested in. If there are vacancies on that course, they will be asked what grades, and in what subject, they achieved in their qualifications. If they hold grades that meet the requirements of the course they will be transferred to the school/faculty.
If they don’t have the required grades, or if the course they’re interested in doesn’t have any vacancies, they may be asked if they’d be interested in a course in a similar field that may have lower entry requirements/has vacancies.
What should students have prepared before they make the call?
They will need their qualification grades, UCAS number (if they’ve already made an application through the UCAS system), a pen and paper to take down any important information, a list of questions that they want to ask, and their telephone number/email address in case the centre/school/faculty need to call back.
What are the common mistakes students make when calling about Clearing?
We often find that students are in too much of a panic or rush to find a place to really understand what is being said over the phone. We recommend that the student writes down any important information that they are being given so that they can review it all later.
What advice would you give to students who are going through Clearing 2019?
Really consider the course and your options, and don’t "panic-buy" a course you aren't really interested in. The last thing we want is for a student to start on a course that they will end up hating - so take time to really consider your options before you commit to a course.
If you’re not sure about a course, or you really want to do the course you initially applied for, there’s always to option to re-sit your exams and try again for next year.
How Clearing Works Part 3: Applying Online With Whatuni GO
As mentioned earlier, traditionally students trying to secure a place at uni through Clearing do so over the phone. But this can be extremely stressful for students, who might not feel comfortable making phone calls at the best of times.
And when was the last time you ordered a takeaway, booked a taxi or concert tickets over the phone? Everything else is at your fingertips, so why should Clearing be any different?
That's exactly the thinking that led us to create our brand-new, stress-busting online tool, Whatuni Go 'Offer in Principle'
What Happens Next
Once you’ve added the course on UCAS the uni will have to accept it to make it official (and this may take a little while); you’ll receive an email confirmation when it’s been accepted, Track will update to say ‘Clearing Accepted’, and you should get a letter through in the post – then it’s all official!
All that’s left after that is to start preparing for Freshers’ Week...
Next...
- Freshers’ Week Checklist: What to Take to University
- 12 Things You NEED To Do Before Going To Uni
- How to Find the Right Student Accommodation
