Your Guide to University Clearing: Step-by-Step Instructions for Securing a Place

Who is clearing for and what is clearing?

A levels are approaching and for those students who have not had the chance to secure a spot either you didn’t meet your conditional offer, changed your mind and want to pick a different course or you’re a late applicant, then there’s still a chance to apply through clearing.

Clearing Is a process in the UK that helps students who have not secured a place at a university through a regular application process to find available courses and to help these universities fill in available places for their courses.

Eligibility

  • Students who did not receive any offers.
  • Students who declined all their offers.
  • Students who did not meet the conditions of their offers.
  • Students who applied after the UCAS deadline.

Clearing steps

  • Register: If you are not already registered with UCAS you need to create an account to make an application and to ensure you have a clearing number in place.
  • See what courses are available: Use the UCAS Clearing search tool to find courses with available places and Universities often list their available courses on their websites. look at the course details and entry requirements to ensure the course fits your qualifications. And if you want to apply for a different course, that’s possible through the search tool.
  • Contact universities: Before contacting universities, have your UCAS Clearing number, personal statement, and details of your qualifications ready. you need to contact Universities to inquire about availability and express interest this is usually done through the phone or email.
  • Receive offer: If the university is willing to offer you a place, you will usually get a verbal offer via phone or email confirmation.
  • Add your clearing choice: Now you can add a clearing choice which means you’ve accepted the offer. If the university does not confirm your place, don’t worry you can add another clearing choice.

Conclusion

The Clearing process can be a critical opportunity for students to secure a place at a university if their initial plans didn’t work out. If you are planning to apply through Clearing or know someone who is, this guide will be an invaluable resource to navigate the process successfully.

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A survey by the Press Association found that members of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities were advertising nearly 3,900 vacancies on courses for domestic undergraduates starting in autumn, compared with 2,000 at this point last year.

Last year only 15 of the 24 Russell Group universities had unfilled courses but this year the number has risen to 18, with Manchester, Durham and Liverpool universities joining the pool of vacancies.

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Thank you for explaining this! I actually went through Clearing myself, so I can definitely relate to how stressful it can be. It ended up being a great opportunity for me, though. I’m curious, do you think certain universities are more likely to have available spots through Clearing, or does it really depend on the course and year? I’m also wondering if there are any specific strategies that could help someone increase their chances of getting a place at their preferred university during Clearing?

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Clearing can definitely be a lifesaver if things don’t go as planned! It’s great to know there’s still a chance to get into uni even if you didn’t meet your initial offers or changed your mind. Just make sure to stay organized, have your info ready, and be quick to contact universities. Good luck to anyone going through it—you’ve got this!

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I’m glad you found the explanation helpful It’s great to hear that Clearing worked out well for you. Generally, universities with larger student intakes or those in high demand for specific courses may have more spots available through Clearing, but it often depends on the course and the year. Researching courses and universities is very beneficial, and being open to different options can also increase your chances of getting accepted during Clearing.

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