Can I go through clearing without having to tell my firm choice

I am about to choose my firm and insurance UCAS choices and need to know that if I meet the requirements for the firm choice, can I still apply elsewhere through adjustment/clearing without having to decline them first?

You won’t be able to apply through clearing if you have offers from your choices so you will have to decline your offers. I’d recommend waiting for your firm choice to let you know if you have met the requirements for the conditions.

Hope it goes well

I am about to choose my firm and insurance UCAS choices and need to know that if I meet the requirements for the firm choice, can I still apply elsewhere through adjustment/clearing without having to decline them first?

So I can confirm my firm and insurance choices, however if I believe I can go elsewhere through clearing I can simply decline the offers?
Or do I have to risk it and decline them before I see whether other places will accept me

You can't obtain an offer in Clearing whilst you are holding one from the main cycle, no. You can still call Uni's and they may be willing to indicate whether you would be eligible for a Clearing offer.

It all comes down to what you want in the end.
Would you pick other unis over your firm choice?

So I can call up other unis, do you think I'll be able to trust them completely to offer me a place in clearing if I decline my firm and insurance choice

My firm choice doesn't have very high entry requirements, and in light of coronavirus affecting how many spots will be filled I was looking on asking other universities whether I would have a chance in their institution. Particularly aiming at Glasgow and Newcastle

IME, it's very unlikely you will get a guaranteed offer without a clearing number. They may say things like "we are making offers to people with your grades" or "we would consider making an offer to you"- or you may not even get that much. Some unis won't really want to talk to you without you having a clearing number.

Now that self release is a thing, most unis will expect you to be in clearing before they speak to you.

My firm choice doesn't have very high entry requirements, and in light of coronavirus affecting how many spots will be filled I was looking on asking other universities whether I would have a chance in their institution. Particularly aiming at Glasgow and Newcastle

Honestly I would focus on meeting the requirements for the offers you already have. If you complete the conditions by the deadline the uni will confirm your place. And if you don’t get in the clearing process will be a lot easier

Why would it make the clearing process easier may i ask

The grades I need for my firm choice are two below my expected and I feel very confident that I'd get into it as I study the BTEC Extended Diploma in Business and was able to use a grade calculator which added up grades from my coursework and exams, so I sort of know my final grade. Why would it make the clearing process easier may i ask

If you are not accepted by either your Firm or Insurance, you'll be placed into Clearing. You can then go through the process on the phone with any Uni that has places, and can receive formal verbal offers straight away.

You wouldn't have to worry about rejecting an offer after getting a provisional "yes, we'd likely make you an offer" conversation, and then going through the formal process.

So what if I did get offers from my firm and insurance and wanted to try to get into other better places but I didn't necessarily get more than the university was asking so it couldn't be dubbed adjustment and would therefore be clearing