Can I go through clearing if I have achieved the grades for my firm university?

I have an offer from Reading University which I have already accepted as my firm, however, I am second-guessing my choice to go there. Would I be able to enter clearing?

Reply 1

user488949439

Original post by Bolognaaaaaa

I have an offer from Reading University which I have already accepted as my firm, however, I am second-guessing my choice to go there. Would I be able to enter clearing?

yes but you would have to give up your offer first.

Reply 2

rk18

I'm pretty sure you can, yes, you just need to reject your offer first. However it is unlikely/hard to get into any good ones. If you can't get into a uni you like through clearing, I'd recommend taking a gap year and reapplying. Try talking to your uni team in ur school for advice

Reply 3

Bolognaaaaaa

Original post by swanseajack1

yes but you would have to give up your offer first.

would i not be able to call up other unis first and see if i could get an offer?

Reply 4

user488949439

Original post by Bolognaaaaaa

would i not be able to call up other unis first and see if i could get an offer?

Ucas rules prevents a university making an offer to anyone holding an offer. You can ring and discuss. Some might discuss whilst others will refuse but they can only make offers if you have a clearing number and you can only get that if you are in clearing with no offers.

Reply 5

McGinger

Just remember that Clearing applicants are usually at the back of the queue for accommodation - getting a Clearing place is therefore only half the problem, you may then have nowhere to live, and this was a significant problem at some Unis last year.

A less stressful tactic if you do get better grades than expected, is to decline any offer/place for this year, plan a gap year and reapply to 5 new choices for 2025 entry. This will always give you a much wider choice than just 'what's in Clearing', and means you can look around properly and not make a panicky decision.

Reply 6

UniofReading

Official Rep

Original post by Bolognaaaaaa

I have an offer from Reading University which I have already accepted as my firm, however, I am second-guessing my choice to go there. Would I be able to enter clearing?

Hi there,

Firstly, congratulations on receiving an offer from the University of Reading! It is also perfectly normal to second-guess such a significant decision so do not worry!

If you are still considering going through clearing, here are some steps you may want to consider taking. It is important to ensure that you reflect on your decision, maybe through speaking to current students at the university or visiting the campus again to help clarify your decision. It may also be useful to speak to an advisor from the university or contact the admissions team at Reading to discuss your concerns. Researching other options is also essential before making the big decision to go into clearing. Research the courses that you're interested in and ensure they have spaces available.

If you need further assistance you can contact UCAS directly for guidance on how to proceed with clearing. If you decide that you do want to go through clearing, then its great to be one step ahead and be prepared on results day so you can be ready to contact universities.

Make sure not to worry! There are plenty of resources out there to help with the clearing process. You can find useful information on the UCAS website here.

Best of luck with your decision making!

Millie 🙂
BSc International Development