If you’ve just left school and are waiting to hear if you’ve got into university this week, there’s a strong possibility that it’s all you can think about right now. Curling up into an anxious ball might sound pretty appealing, but you’ll be better served by using this waiting time to consider all the possible eventualities that may occur once you find out your results. As much as you’re hoping to be accepted onto your course of choice, it’s important to think about what will happen if you’re not. So we’re going to walk you through what you can expect from the infamous Clearing process, and how to make sure you get the most out of it.‍

What is Clearing?

The (somewhat crassly named) Clearing process is how universities fill leftover spaces on their courses. University places are not set in stone - during the period between students getting conditional offers and accepting a place on a course, a lot’s up in the air. Some might change their minds and decide not to go to university or that they want to switch courses; some may not get the grades. So once everyone has their A-level results and both students and universities know what they’re dealing with, a bit of a reshuffle takes place. This, ladies and gents, is Clearing. 

Clearing is open from July to mid-October so there are a variety of reasons that people can use Clearing, including simply deciding at the last minute that you want to go university after all, having previously chosen not to. However, the most common reason that students enter Clearing is failure to achieve the A-level grades they needed to meet their conditional offers. So if this is what’s happened to you, you’re not alone!

What if I don’t get the A-level results I need for my course?

Here’s the scenario: it’s Results Day. You’ve just opened UCAS Track and seen that you’ve been rejected by both your firm and insurance choices - most likely because you missed out on the grades you needed. Not an easy moment. But, as far as you can, it’s important to keep a level head so you can calmly consider your options. You might prefer to apply again next year so you can retake your A-levels and make sure you’re accepted onto your ideal course. But if you decide you’re happy to forgo your original choices and want to see which other courses are out there, let the Clearing process begin!

Step 1: Research

For this step you will need: a laptop/phone, the internet, the UCAS website.  

If you don’t get an offer from either of the universities on your UCAS form, you will automatically be entered in clearing. Use the UCAS search tool to find course vacancies. Research some courses that are still available; take note of their structure, modules, etc, to decide whether or not they appeal. It’s a good idea to be flexible as the exact type of course you were hoping to study may not be available.

Doing some prep for this process in advance will make it a lot less stressful on the day. Plus, it’ll be easier to get in there quickly and nab offers. That said, things will change a lot over the course of Results Day and the following weeks, so it’s best not to get too attached to courses you’ve found beforehand. Everything will be a bit manic during this time; availability will constantly be changing so make sure you’re checking the UCAS search tool regularly.

Step 2: Start phoning

For this step you will need: a phone, universities' Clearing contact numbers (which can be found by scrolling down to the bottom of the course page on the UCAS search tool), your Clearing number (which can be found on UCAS Track), your Personal ID, your personal statement to refer to, a pen and paper to take notes.

Once you’ve decided on the courses you want to apply to, it’s time to start calling up those universities. This is the part that tends to freak people out. You might be thinking ‘if I’ve just been rejected by the university I’d set my heart on, where will I get the emotional stamina to call up others and beg for a place on their course?’ 

This is a valid concern. Results Day is stressful, particularly when things haven’t gone as planned. But the first thing to do is breathe. Take a moment to slow down and try to enter as calm a mindset as possible before you dial the number. Make sure you have privacy if being around other people during important phone calls is stressful for you. Secondly, the conversations you have with the universities most likely won’t be very long, and really not as scary as you think. You’ll probably just chat to them briefly about yourself and give them the details they need to look at your application from their end.

That said, there’s always the possibility that you’ll have to go through a mini-interview so be prepared to sell yourself and give reasons as to why you’re interested in the course. Jot down some questions for them as well to help you make your choice later. The aim is to be given informal offers over the phone. Once you have one, remember to ask the person you’re talking to when you need to have made your decision. If you don’t get an offer, don’t worry - just move onto the next university on your list.

Step 3: Decide which offer to accept‍

For this step you will need: University websites, UCAS Track‍

Hopefully, after you’ve completed all your phone calls, you’ll have a list of verbal offers from various universities. Now you just need to decide which offer you want to accept. We get it - decision-making can be a drag. But it’s also exciting, so think carefully about the universities you’ve just spoken to and weigh up their pros and cons. Doing a virtual tour of the campus on the uni’s website can help. Remember: if you’re feeling overwhelmed and really struggling to decide, don’t suffer alone. Talking to parents, teachers and friends will help clarify things, even if you just use them as a sounding board.

Once you’ve made your decision, go onto UCAS Track and click ‘Add Clearing choice’. The university should then confirm, in which case ‘Accepted’ will come up on your ‘Choices’ page. If they don’t confirm, you’ll be able to add another one.

Step 4: Give yourself a pat on the back and go out and celebrate surviving Clearing! 

Chances are it wasn’t as bad as you thought it would be.

So, there you have it - you made it through Clearing! 

While the process might seem intimidating at the time, going through Clearing is an experience that will brace you for future challenges life will inevitably throw at you - those times when you have no choice but to adapt and roll with the punches. Whatever the outcome, you should be proud of yourself for slaying the Clearing beast. Next year might be looking a little different to how you pictured it prior to Results Day, but that’s ok. You’ll still have a brilliant time as a student and be glad you fought for your chance to go to university.
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https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/results-confirmation-and-clearing/what-clearing