Clearing is an ideal opportunity for you to find another course if you have been unsuccessful in your course choices, or if you changed your mind about a particular course or University and you declined all of your offers. Some students will also have a rethink about their career direction and Clearing can offer an opportunity for them to select an entirely different Degree. In some cases, students who have not completed a UCAS application will use Clearing as a tool to approach Universities and speak to them about starting a Degree course in September.

It is important to remember that the Clearing process is not scary and it has been designed to help you! Universities and colleges will want to speak to you about their higher education courses in an effort to fill their places and hopefully, get you started on the journey towards realising your future ambitions. So how does Clearing work? You will be notified if you are eligible for Clearing in your UCAS Track account. Clearing works by you picking up the phone and speaking to the Clearing teams at each University or college about the course which interests you. The team member will check that you meet the entry requirements of the course. In some cases, you will be put through to the course lecturer so that they can find out a bit more about you and your reasons for applying for a particular program of study. Depending on the nature of the Degree (e.g. Nursing and Midwifery), you might still need to go through an interview process before a decision can be made about your application. If you are offered a place on a higher education course, you will add the Clearing choice in your UCAS Track account – but only do this once you have permission from the University or college after you have spoken to them.

Here are some useful tips to consider to help you with Clearing;

It is good practice to first speak to a Careers Advisor or teacher about applying through Clearing. They can help you to talk through your reasons for considering courses and institutions, discuss career routes with you, help you to select the most appropriate courses, advise you about the entry requirements for higher education courses and assist you with the Clearing process.

Check which higher education courses are available in Clearing on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com Alternatively, you can visit individual university and college websites and check their own list of courses which are available through Clearing. There will be a dedicated Clearing phone number you can call to speak to the Clearing team.

Have details of your qualifications in front of you in case you need to refer to them when in conversation with the Clearing teams or course lecturers; it’s easy to forget the details if you are feeling nervous! Also, have a copy of your CV with you so that you talk about any work experience you have undertaken which could help your case.

Take some time to consider your offers before you make a final decision. Starting a higher education course at a University or college can be a life-changing experience, but you do need to be sure that the course and institution you have selected is right for you. If possible, visit the campus or take a virtual tour of a University and its campus if they have this tool available. Speak to people whose opinions you trust about your decision as well.

If you do select a different course through Clearing and confirm your acceptance through UCAS Track, do let Student Finance England know as they might be holding the old higher education course details for you and they will need details of the updated course choice and institution.

The Careers team at Leicester College have a wealth of experience helping students with Clearing, so if you would like support, visit us by attending the dedicated drop-in service on Thursday 15 August 2019. Full details of our drop-in services over the Enrolment period are available at www.leicestercollege.ac.uk

Good luck!