Once you know you’re going through the Clearing route, it can get a little confusing. After all, it’s a completely different application process from what you’ve been used to.
From the super-short timeframes, to having to contact universities directly, all the way through to adding choices and proceeding to confirmation, it’s common for students (and their parents and teachers/counsellors) to feel a little overwhelmed.
In previous years, students have reported that UCAS tends to have the most up-to-date course listings - in some cases, even more up-to-date than universities' own websites.
Top tip: Clearing Plus is a handy extra, but remember that universities will be extraordinarily busy throughout Clearing. If you love the look of one of your recommended matches, don’t hesitate to contact them first!
We’d recommend keeping a close eye on UCAS listings - you’ll need to be logged into the platform to keep track of offers and application statuses, anyway.
The short answer is: anyone you like the look of!
Even if you don’t meet the application requirements listed on their website, or even if this university or course rejected your application in the past: it’s always worth getting in touch with the university.
Courses get listed in Clearing for a reason: they want to sign new students up!
Even if your exact course isn’t listed, it’s worth phoning up and speaking to them about your ambitions and interests: they may have a space on a similar course, or they might even be able to recommend a path better suited to your interests you hadn’t previously considered!
Equally, if you didn’t make your offer but are really set on that course or university, it’s still worth phoning them up. Just like with other universities, they might just be able to find a suitable counter-offer, such as a place on a very similar course.
Once you’ve found courses you like the look of, you’ll want to make contact with the university immediately: places can fill up very quickly.
Universities have dedicated phone lines for Clearing, and, once again, it’s up to you to contact them.
On the phone, you’ll speak to a dedicated member of the admissions team who will ask you key questions, and inform you of any subsequent steps.
Check the opening hours: each university will have slightly different ones, and remember that if you’re phoning from outside the UK you’ll need to take into consideration time zone differences.
Some universities also have designated numbers for international students calling from outside the UK.
Contacting universities is definitely daunting, especially if this is the first time you’ve ever been in direct contact with the admissions team or with faculty.
But, the silver lining is that you’ve also got a chance to ask your questions, discuss your options, and receive personalised advice from admissions experts themselves!
The first thing universities will do is ask about your grades.
This includes your current results, but can also include previous years (like your IGCSEs, for example), any course-specific qualifications (for example, students applying for medical degrees may be asked for their UCAT or BMAT score), or results from an English Language Test.
It’s also common to be asked about your interest in this specific course or subject. In some cases, you’ll also have to speak to someone from your prospective department, or you might even be invited to an interview.
It’s common for a verbal offer to be made over the phone, and you’ll then have a window to think it over before formally accepting the offer in UCAS (each university can set their own deadlines, but they commonly give students a hard deadline of 48 hours).
Top tip: It’s a good idea to make sure you’ve got as reliable an internet and phone connection as possible: you don’t want to miss any communications.
We’d recommend having multiple devices to hand, too, including a laptop and a mobile phone. And don’t forget your chargers!
Once you’ve been made a verbal offer on the phone, the first thing to do is to make sure you understand it thoroughly: how long have you got to decide? What specific course is it for? When would the course begin?
The next thing to do is to check all of the practical considerations you’ll need to take into account. This includes your accommodation, your visa, how you’ll be funding your studies and living costs, and your travel arrangements.
Some universities guarantee international students accommodation if they apply through Clearing others don’t. You’ll want to check your offers carefully, and see whether what’s offered is within your budget, or what off-campus options are available.
To help students quickly complete the research they've got to do in order to select the right accommodation option for them as they apply through Clearing, we've put together a handy free Accommodation Research Worksheet.
Visa processing times typically take around 3 weeks.
For 2022 applications, EU students now count as international students, subject to the same visa and application requirements. Irish citizens do not need to apply for a student visa.
Although the majority of universities in the UK have resumed in-person learning and student visas are being processed without much delay, like across the world, the situation in the UK is still evolving.
Visit gov.uk for the latest information on how COVID-19 is affecting UK Borders and the latest information on how to apply as an international student.
Once a verbal offer is made, the university will provide you with the course code. To formally accept the offer, you’ve now got to hop into UCAS Track and add them as a Clearing choice: click "add clearing choice" and fill in the course details.
Make sure you do this within the deadline the university has given you! The University will then confirm your place via UCAS Track, so keep checking.
You can only add one choice at a time, but if the University doesn't then confirm it, you’ll be able to add another.
Your official offer will come through on UCAS Track, which is also where you’ll have to formally accept or decline it.
So long as you respond to your offer within the deadline set by the university, the university can’t offer that same place to another student until you’ve formally declined it.
You also do not need to accept the first offer you receive... so it's worth taking a moment to take a step back from how quickly Clearing can move to consider your options.
You can keep talking to universities to see if any others make you verbal offers over the phone, and then add your favourite one to UCAS Track.
For more information on the different Clearing options, make sure you check out our dedicated 2022 Results Resource Hub.
