Has the words ‘Clearing’ been mentioned to you over two thousand times, and yet you still don’t really get what it means? If so, unCOVered has answered every question we can think of in our quest to make Clearing clearer… (see what we did there?)
So firstly, what is Clearing?
Clearing is a service provided by universities through UCAS. It gives students who aren’t holding any offers, or who have changed their mind about a course, an extra chance to apply. Universities advertise any spaces they have left on their courses for the upcoming academic year and – providing you meet their requirements – they may accept your Clearing application.
Do I need to go through Clearing?
If you met the conditions of you firm or insurance choices, then there is no need to go through Clearing. However, if you don’t receive any offers or have decided that you no longer want to do the course you’ve been offered, Clearing is your chance to find another option.
When can I apply for Clearing?
The service opens on 13th August 2015 at Coventry University and runs until all vacancies have been filled, but you do need your exam results before you can apply. Results for most qualifications should usually be with you by mid-August.
Where can I find the courses that are available through Clearing?
Most universities will list their courses that are available through Clearing on their own websites during the week of (and in some cases before) A-Level results day. However, you can also find Clearing information for all UK universities in the Telegraph and a full list will be available on the UCAS website.
Am I eligible to go through the Clearing process?
- I applied before 30th June and I have received no offers = YES
- I applied before 30th June and declined all my offers = YES
- I applied after 30th June and paid the full application fee = YES
- I did not meet the requirements for my firm and/or conditional offers = YES
If you are unsure, log in to UCAS Track – there should be a section displaying ‘You are in Clearing’. Please don’t panic, if you do see this message and you do panic, check out fellow blogger Karis’s journey to Coventry Uni through Clearing – it’ll make you feel much better.
How do I apply through Clearing?
If you find a course you’re interested in, contact the University directly (Coventry’s Clearing line is: 02476 791 791) You will speak to a student ambassador or University representative, and possibly a course tutor. Once they have discussed why you want to join the course, they may make an offer over the phone, which is followed up with an email. You can either look at other universities and ring them too, or you can choose to accept the first offer you’re given. Either way, you will need to wait until 5pm on results day (Thurs 13th 2015) before you able to confirm the offer you want to accept.
To confirm, simply log on to UCAS track and select the University that made the offer. UCAS will then contact them, and provided they have a log of your call and the offer made, and your qualifications match what you said on the phone, you’ll soon receive confirmation of your place.
Finally, does it affect my Student Finance?
Yes! You may well have applied for Student Finance when you made your initial course choice and University application. However, if you decide that you want to change your course choice through Clearing, it is important that you let Student Finance know the new course details, as it could affect what finance you are entitled to.
To change your details simply log in to your student finance account, select ‘change your application’ then change the course details accordingly.
For more information on Clearing visit the UCAS website. Don’t forget that you can always ask us, the social media team, any questions on Twitter @covcampus using #CUbelieve.
We’ll do our best to help you.
