Clearing/Application advice needed

3

So I'm currently a gap year student as I was unsure on university when it came to the choice last year on results day and didnt want to rush a decision through clearing. I realise now I would like to apply to university to start this September I realise ive missed typical deadlines and I'm no longer attached to a sixth form, can I only apply through clearing now? Do I need a ucas account and personal statement (if I do need a personal statement can I reuse parts of mine from last year?) to do that? My grades were ABB if that factors into anything.

Reply 1

SOAS Rep Marjaan

Official Rep

10

Original post

by beige-boo

So I'm currently a gap year student as I was unsure on university when it came to the choice last year on results day and didnt want to rush a decision through clearing. I realise now I would like to apply to university to start this September I realise ive missed typical deadlines and I'm no longer attached to a sixth form, can I only apply through clearing now? Do I need a ucas account and personal statement (if I do need a personal statement can I reuse parts of mine from last year?) to do that? My grades were ABB if that factors into anything.

Hi @beige-boo,

So, to answer the first part, according to the UCAS Website, universities are still accepting applications until 30th June (but the equal consideration period has ended). So, it may be worth still applying to increase your chances because you will need to make a UCAS account any way. Just be sure to research which universities are likely to accept applications after this period.

Yes, you do need a UCAS account to apply for university. You will need a personal statement if you apply for universities with your 5 choices (and possibly to complete you account) but you will not need a personal statement for clearing calls. Clearing is just calling up univerities during the clearing period, more information can be found in the hyperlink but generally you will just need your UCAS ID number, the name of the course you want to apply to and your grades.

Generally, it is advised that you make some changes. Obviously some of the things in your personal statement will remain the same but you should also be able to talk about why you took a gap year and how that benefited you.

From your sixth form, you will just need a reference from them. Typically, all students that graduated within a 3 year period can still request a reference because schools know that students take gap years.

Good luck. Any questions, feel free to reach out to our students and staff on Unibuddy.

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 2

martin7

20

Original post

by SOAS Rep Marjaan

It is not advised to reuse your personal statement completely because you can plagarise your own work (more information about plagarism here).

That document makes it clear that UCAS don't check against your own previous personal statement(s): "A personal statement will not be compared to any supplied by the same applicant in previous applications."

So it's fine for OP to reuse parts or the whole of their previous personal statement if they want to.

Reply 3

LSBU

Official Rep

11

Original post

by beige-boo

So I'm currently a gap year student as I was unsure on university when it came to the choice last year on results day and didnt want to rush a decision through clearing. I realise now I would like to apply to university to start this September I realise ive missed typical deadlines and I'm no longer attached to a sixth form, can I only apply through clearing now? Do I need a ucas account and personal statement (if I do need a personal statement can I reuse parts of mine from last year?) to do that? My grades were ABB if that factors into anything.

Hey there,

You do not have to wait for Clearing. If you want to start at LSBU this September, you can still apply through UCAS in the usual way before the later deadline, and if that deadline passes then it would move into Clearing.

Yes, you would need a UCAS account, and yes, you would still need to complete the application properly, including the personal statement section. You can absolutely reuse parts of last year’s statement, but it is best to update it so it reflects where you are now, why you took a gap year, and why you are now ready to apply to LSBU.

With ABB, it is definitely still worth applying. The main thing now is to get your UCAS application set up and submitted as soon as you can rather than assume you have missed your chance.

In the meantime, you are very welcome to come to a Southwark Open Day on Saturday 21st March 2026 where you can meet lecturers, explore the facilities, and get clear answers about courses and support (https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/study/study-at-lsbu/open-days). If you cannot make it for an open day, you can book a campus tour on a day that suits you (https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/study/study-at-lsbu/open-days). You can also chat with our current students on Unibuddy to hear their experiences and ask your questions directly (https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/student-life/chat).

LSBU Admissions Ambassador

Clearing/Application advice needed

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