UCAS Clearing 2017 **FAQ**

Well yes... (Oh, see my edit )

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I know a course i want to do in clearing if i don't get my firm, so if i get into my insurance how do i apply for clearing? also, do i need to know my results before ringing up the uni i want to apply for clearing?

I was just looking through the clearing choices on the clearing website and noticed that the course i had applied to do was listed there. Does this mean that more people got rejected from the course or make me more or less likely to have been accepted to the course? Or am i just worrying too much and it doesn't really mean anything?

You're worrying too much.

There's dozens of reasons for a course being in clearing. Some "good" for offer holders and some "bad" and none give any indication how you have done against your offer

Also have some Unis not put their clearing choices on there yet? For example Warwick has 100s of courses yet Bristol have none? Thanks!

Am I eligible for clearing?

To use clearing you need to have confirmed results and have no conditional offers or a confirmed place.

I want to do a popular course, surely there won’t be any places in clearing?

That isn’t necessarily the case, sure it’s near impossible you’ll find a medicine course in clearing but many science subjects have been in clearing in the past. More courses will become available in clearing as the universities more results as it gets closer to A level results day.

What is a clearing number?

This is an ID number that will appear it track if your firm and insurance choices have confirmed you to be unsuccessful or if you applied after june 30^th and went straight into clearing.

Will universities speak to you without a clearing number?

They can do so informally but they shouldn’t give you a verbal offer before they can see your application.

When can I enter a clearing choice on track?

You can add a choice now if you are eligible with your results already. On results day it will be possible to add a choice from 3pm. So don’t panic about having to add a choice as soon as you get a verbal offer, take the time to think about all of your options. Once you add that ONE clearing choice onto track, it can take time for a university to reject you if you made a mistake adding them.



Where can I find clearing vacanicies?

You can find them on ucas (insert link here) and they will be printed on the telegraph on A level results day. The ucas search is your best option as it will be more up to date.



Can I call as many universities as I like?

Yes of course you can, you should look at all your options. You get a good few hours to do so on A results day or if you’re in clearing before then you could take even more time if you felt that way.

What should I do when calling universities?

They’ll ask for your clearing number and what course you are interested in, treat it like a telephone interview in a way. If they have a place they’d like to offer you, they’ll give you a verbal offer and a deadline for when you have to put it on track by. It’s best to keep a pen and paper close by to keep track of verbal offers and who you spoke to. Clearing can be stressful but you can help yourself by being prepared.



Can I talk to more than one university at a time?
Yes, and indeed you should. Keep notes of all your conversations with uni staff (when, who, what they said, what you said, who is going to do what next and by when). You can't make a clearing choice on Track until the evening of Results Day, so you have plenty of time to ring several different universities and you can be given multiple verbal offers, although you can ultimately only add one of them as your Clearing choice on Track.

Can I call a university not in clearing?

It’s unlikely to be successful but very rarely a university will not advertise vacanices on ucas but they may just have one place left, so if you want to try a phone call it wont do harm just don’t put all your hopes on that.

Will universities reduce their entry requirements in Clearing?
Some universities may do but some universities have their regular requirements. There is a possibility that entry requirements will be lowered as it gets further into clearing but there's no guarantees this will happen.

Can a University reject me after I've entered a Clearing Choice on Track?
They can, although if they gave you a verbal offer and deadline it’s very unlikely. If it does happen call the university and ucas for advice.

I accepted a Clearing offer but I’ve changed my mind
Strictly speaking, once your clearing choice has been accepted on Track your only option is to withdraw from UCAS altogether for this year. It would be courteous to let the university know that you have done so as soon as possible so they can give the place to someone else. Once you've accepted an offer through Clearing, you are not supposed to change your mind and apply elsewhere. However, it has been known for people to be able to persuade their Clearing choice to release them so that another Clearing choice can be entered on Track.

I have been accepted into my firm/insurance but now I’ve seen something I love in clearing, how do I apply?

Firstly, you might want to have a polite call to check that university has places left, and you need to bear in mind that the places could fill quite quickly especially if you’ve changed your mind on or after a level results day. Then you have to call up your confirmed place and ask to be released into clearing, take the name of the person you speak to and be polite when asking when they might do it by. It’s important to remember universities priorities are to fill places more than helping the people who want to go there.

I have been accepted by my firm but I now want to go to my insurance?

You’ll have to follow the same steps as above, as your insurance place would be gone as soon as you were accepted by your firm.

Can I apply for a different university or course?
Yes you can apply for any course with places that you meet the entry requirements for.

Can I change my personal statement?
The universities will see your ucas application when you give them your clearing number, but you can request to send them an alternative personal statement.

I m waiting for a decision from my firm/insurance but I've found a course I like in clearing, what do I do?
You can call your firm/insurance let them know you no longer want to be considered so that they can record and unsuccessful decision and then you can go through clearing.

Will I get accommodation?
This is a question you should ask universities when calling them, some might still have spaces in university owned accommodation but some might not.

Thank you, very useful. Although I hope I will not need info, best be prepared however.

I didnt apply to UCAS in the beginning of the year because i wanted to take a gap year, im regretting that choice. Can i do clearing even though i havent applied to any unis before?
Im hoping to get ABB or BBB

am i right in suggesting for people on this thread that even if a course isnt in clearing that same course may still have a few places left its just they havent put it in clearing so would it be worth ringing them just to check on results day ?

That's not unheard of but it's very unlikely

i was under the impression that unis wouldnt display courses on clearing if they only had a few places as their isnt a lot of students who would be able to go on a course that only has a few spaces left

That's what I meant that can happen but not often

Aww i see so would it be worth a ring if a course isnt on clearing then ?