Going through University Clearing?

If your results didn't match up to the entry requirements of your first choice place at university then don't give up hope of still getting it. Ring the university concerned and check that they have indeed rejected you - it's not uncommon for universities to take people who've achieved a little less than expected, particularly if their initial application impressed.

It may also depend on how oversubscribed the course is. If you are turned down then you can enter clearing. UCAS clearing is used by applicants who have not managed to secure a place at university or college for the current year. It begins in August and it can help people to find suitable vacancies on higher education courses: more than 30,000 people gain a place during clearing every year. If you are desperate to do a particular course, there's sense in resitting, though check whether the course will consider resits: medicine often won’t.

So what is clearing? The first thing to say is what it's not. It is not the place where all the remaindered courses that no one wants, are sold off to anyone who'll take them. There will be excellent courses, some of them at leading universities in popular subjects, because students do miss their grades and the place has become available.

You need to make a shortlist of courses you like and start ringing. You’ll get through either to a clearing helpline or an admissions tutor for the course. Remember, many other students will be calling so you may have to keep trying but you will get through.

The helpline staff will either ask for your grades, or if authorised, offer students with the right grades a place. Alternatively, they’ll put you through to an admissions tutor. Be prepared for a mini-interview over the phone. Admissions tutors will want to hear about your reasons for choosing this subject at this university. They will also want to know something about you. You may also have to explain why you think your grades were lower than hoped.

If you aren’t offered the place, or don't like the sound of it, continue working through your list until you find something that’s right for you.

Think through all your options before accepting a course; don’t allow panic to rush you into accepting a course you have never considered.

Once you’ve accepted, the admissions officer will need a clearing entry number, which should have arrived by post, and then you fill in your CEF, and send it off to the institution. The institution will confirm to UCAS that they have offered the place.

We have our own dedicated website www.clearingvacancies.co.uk together with our clearing emag details of which are emailed out the day before A Level results day. You can sign up for this FREE service on www.getsmaart.com. Your email addresses are used for this purpose only and destroyed after use in accordance with data protection.

All the listings will be in The Independent and Independent on Sunday newspapers.

Useful websites and helpline numbers

UCAS www.ucas.ac.uk