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Application for 2025 September

I am giving my last Alevel exam this year. I am expected to get B,C,C or worst B,C,D. The result will come at 15th August, but I am planning to join Uni in September 2025. When should I apply through UCAS?

And at which clearing should I apply for, if I miss the chance in general?

Reply 1

user488949439

Havent you posted previously. You were advised then that maybe a university might accept dropped grades and that advice still stands. You cannot do anything at this stage other than to wait until results day and see what happens. The only other thing you can do is to check which universities accept different grades but in truth you need to wait and see as some drop their grades for clearing.

You state you are applying for September 2025 where you would need to apply next year and clearing cases for that date wont be available until August 2025.

The best thing you can do is hang on for your results then go for there.

Reply 2

riik112233

Original post by swanseajack1

Havent you posted previously. You were advised then that maybe a university might accept dropped grades and that advice still stands. You cannot do anything at this stage other than to wait until results day and see what happens. The only other thing you can do is to check which universities accept different grades but in truth you need to wait and see as some drop their grades for clearing.
You state you are applying for September 2025 where you would need to apply next year and clearing cases for that date wont be available until August 2025.
The best thing you can do is hang on for your results then go for there.

Well I am an International student, and if the clearing is available after August 2025, then it will be quite impossible for me to get an Accommodation, manage finance, and even book a plane ticket. Coz class will start probably from Sept 2025. So I am a bit worried about this. And even the Visa application can take about 10-15 days.

Reply 3

user488949439

Original post by riik112233

The dates for clearing for most students is results day which is around 14 August every year but it changes as it is always a Thursday. That is when clearing is for most applicants. If you have results already early clearing starts about a month earlier but you cannot use clearing as it doesnt exist before that date. You would need to use the normal application procedure.

Most universities accept dropped grades but that isnt usually decided until All results are in which is A level results day.

That is the procedure UK universities use and is something you will need to adhere to. You cannot use clearing months in advance in say January. If the system doesnt work for you then maybe you need to look at another country's system.

UCAS Clearing is a process that allows universities and colleges in the UK to fill any remaining places on their courses. From 5 July to 21 October 2024, you can apply for a course using Clearing if you're not already holding an offer from a university or college, and the course still has available places. Clearing is available for applicants who are applying after 30 June 1. During Clearing, vacancies are displayed in the UCAS search tool 2.

Many universities wont know what places they have available until A level results day so you wont see all the vacancies in early clearing.

Reply 4

riik112233

Original post by swanseajack1

The dates for clearing for most students is results day which is around 14 August every year but it changes as it is always a Thursday. That is when clearing is for most applicants. If you have results already early clearing starts about a month earlier but you cannot use clearing as it doesnt exist before that date. You would need to use the normal application procedure.
Most universities accept dropped grades but that isnt usually decided until All results are in which is A level results day.
That is the procedure UK universities use and is something you will need to adhere to. You cannot use clearing months in advance in say January. If the system doesnt work for you then maybe you need to look at another country's system.
UCAS Clearing is a process that allows universities and colleges in the UK to fill any remaining places on their courses. From 5 July to 21 October 2024, you can apply for a course using Clearing if you're not already holding an offer from a university or college, and the course still has available places. Clearing is available for applicants who are applying after 30 June 1. During Clearing, vacancies are displayed in the UCAS search tool 2.
Many universities wont know what places they have available until A level results day so you wont see all the vacancies in early clearing.

If clearing starts from 14 August, how will I manage to do all the Finance, Visa application, Housing in such a short period of time? Plus I will be only left with high rental rooms, which will be tough to manage as I am an International student

Reply 5

user488949439

Original post by riik112233

I cannot comment as I know nothing about international students rules but universities cannot make decisions until they know how many vacancies they have, That is the position and if it doesnt suit you then you need to look outside the UK.

Everyone has the same issues with accommodation in clearing and that is something they have to deal with. If you want to use clearing then you have to deal with that. Dependent on the university some offer guaranteed accommodation for clearing students. Swansea and Aberystwyth have in recent years.

My gut feeling is you wont end up in clearing. As I have said previously most universities end up accepting dropped grades. A 2 grade drop tends to be normal outside the very top dozen or so universities or very competitive subjects like Medicine. Universities cannot make decisions until they know the numbers who have met their offers. They dont know that until they get A level results and these form the vast majority of their intake.

(edited 10 months ago)

Reply 6

Admit-One

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by riik112233

The UCAS schedule was not realy set up with international students in mind. Certainly some join with clearing offers but it is definitely a push.

Finance - can be a dealbreaker as depending on your source of funding, (eg. an educational loan somewhere like India), it could take weeks or months to resolve
Visa - at this stage international students would be paying for priority services
Housing - as you note, there will be much reduced availability, so you would more then likely be paying a higher price for lesser quality
Flights - again, higher prices for what is still available

Som unis may let you join a week or two late, but that is to be agreed with them.

That said, I agree with what swanseajack1 has said above. Courses asking for circa BBB are likely to have some leeway, but they just won't know for certain until they process this years results.