Do you have a question about Clearing? If so, this list may give the answer you are looking for.
General
1. I haven't applied to UCAS yet this year - can I enter Clearing?
2. When does Clearing finish?
3. How do I know if I am eligible for Clearing?
Clearing Passport
1. What is a Clearing Passport?
2. When will my Clearing Passport be sent to me?
3. Can I send copies of my Clearing Passport to different universities and
colleges?
4. I've lost my Clearing Passport - help!
Applying through Clearing
1. Can I apply if I don't have a reference?
2. Do I have to apply for the same courses/universities/colleges that I put on my original application?
3. How many universities and colleges can I approach?
4. Can I apply through Clearing for a start date deferred to 2008?
5. Is going on holiday during Clearing a problem?
Offers
1. I met the grades but my university/college has not yet confirmed my place. What should I do?
2. I didn't meet the grades but my university/college has not yet declined my place. What should I do to get into Clearing?
3. I see on Track that an offer has changed to UCC. What does this mean, and what should I do?
Making changes
1. I've already accepted an offer - can I decline it and enter Clearing instead?
2. I've met the grades for my firm offer but I now want to go to my insurance choice. What should I do?
3. I've accepted a place in Clearing, but I've changed my mind and want to apply somewhere else. What should I do?
4. I've accepted a place in Clearing but want to change certain details such as course/date of entry/entry point. What should I do?
General
1. I haven't applied to UCAS yet this year - can I enter Clearing?
Yes, but only if you complete a UCAS application for 2007 entry up to and including Thursday 20 September 2007. You can do this online using Apply. Once we have processed your application, we will send you a Clearing Passport which will explain what you should do next.
If you had previously applied for a 2006 start date then that application will no longer be valid.
If you have not sent an application to us by 20 September, you should approach the universities and colleges individually to discuss your options.
Our list of course vacancies in Clearing will be available on this site until Monday 17 September 2007. After this date you must contact universities and colleges direct to discuss vacancies. We will still process fresh applications received at UCAS up to close of business on Thursday 20 September 2007.
3. How do I know if I am eligible for Clearing?
You are eligible for Clearing if you have applied in the current, 2007, application cycle and if:
you have not withdrawn your application, and
you have paid the full application fee of £15, and
you hold no offers, or
your offers have not been confirmed because you have not met the conditions (e.g. you did not achieve the required grades), or
you have declined, or not responded to, your offers, or
your offers have not been confirmed and you have declined any alternative offers of course or start date made by those institutions, or
you have applied after 30 June (12 June for Art & Design courses). If your application was received after these dates, we will not have sent it to your chosen universities and colleges.
If you originally applied for one choice, paid £5, and you are not holding an offer, you need to make the additional payment of £10 which can be done via Track using a debit or credit card.
The best way of checking your situation is to access your details on Track on this site. If you are eligible, then Track will display your Clearing Number, and the Clearing Passport will be on its way.
Clearing Passport
1. What is a Clearing Passport?
A Clearing Passport is a form that we send to you by post as soon as you are eligible to enter Clearing. It will be sent to the address supplied in your application. You use the Clearing Passport to secure a place - when you approach a university or college to ask to be considered, they will ask for the Clearing Number that will be printed on the Clearing Passport. If they decide to offer you a place, they will ask you to send the actual document to them. Please don't send it to us! They will then contact us and we will write to you confirming their formal offer.
You should only send your Clearing Passport to a university or college if you are sure that you wish to attend the course.
2. When will my Clearing Passport be sent to me?
Clearing Passports are sent to eligible applicants from mid-July onwards. If you are holding any conditional offers and do not meet the requirements set by your universities and colleges, then we will send your Clearing Passport to you as soon as those institutions have contacted us to decline your offer(s).
3. Can I send copies of my Clearing Passport to different universities and colleges?
No! Although you can approach as many institutions as you like, even if you get several offers you can only confirm one by sending that university/college the original Clearing Passport, which contains a watermark for ease of identification. If more than one institution held a copy of a Clearing Passport, it would be very difficult for both them and the applicants to keep track of the available places and of the offers made in Clearing.
4. I've lost my Clearing Passport - help!
Don't panic - in exceptional circumstances we can reissue the Clearing Passport. Contact our Customer Service Unit on +44 (0)870 1122211 and quote your application number or personal ID. You must not complete and send more than one Clearing Passport so please ensure that the original is destroyed if it turns up.
Applying through Clearing
1. Can I apply if I don't have a reference?
The reference is a vital part of your application. We cannot process your application without full details of a referee unless you have agreement from your chosen universities and colleges that a reference is not required. We will not accept references from family, other relatives or friends.
If you can't obtain a reference before you send your application to us, you must give the full details of your nominated referee in the reference section and type 'Reference to be sent direct to universities and colleges' in the box supplied for the reference itself. Once we have received and processed your application, and you have received your application number, you can then send your reference direct to the universities and colleges that you approach in Clearing. Don't forget to explain the situation to your referee.
2. Do I have to apply for the same courses/universities/colleges that I put on my original application?
No! You are free to contact any institution for any course - the choice is entirely yours. The latest vacancy information lists will be displayed on this website from 16 August, and will be updated continuously until 17 September. Please be aware that the universities will receive your original personal statement so you may wish to send them a revised copy.
3. How many universities and colleges can I approach?
As many as you like! Remember that some universities and colleges may not make you an offer, and that some may make you an offer for a different course to the one you asked them about. You must only send out your Clearing Passport to the university or college whose offer you really want to accept, so think carefully before you do so. If a course offer is not quite what you want, thank them politely and keep on looking.
4. Can I apply through Clearing for a place with a start date deferred to 2008?
Yes, provided the university or college is willing to consider you for this. Make it very clear when you contact them that you are enquiring about deferred entry. If they accept you on that basis, then the confirmation letter we will send you will show the entry date as 2008. Remember that once you have accepted such a place you will not be able to apply again in the 2008 cycle.
5. Is going on holiday during Clearing a problem?
Definitely - don't do it. The universities and colleges will want to discuss your application and qualifications with you, not with your parents, advisers or friends. Vacancies can be filled extremely quickly so if you're not around at the start of Clearing, places on your chosen course may have gone to other people. Better to confirm your place before having a break!
Offers
1. I met the grades but my university/college has not yet confirmed my place. What should I do?
Don't worry - if you have met all the conditions then your place will be confirmed in due course, and will be shown first on Track. If you are really concerned then by all means contact the university/college, but don't forget that lines will be very busy.
2. I didn't meet the grades but my university/college has not yet declined my place. What should I do to get into Clearing?
Even if you didn't meet the conditions, the university/college may still be prepared to accept you for the original course/entry date or to offer you an alternative. You should speak to them directly to discuss your options. If they are not willing to offer you the same course or an alternative, they should decline your offer as soon as possible.
3. I see on Track that an offer has changed to UCC. What does this mean, and what should I do?
This means that your university or college has been unable to confirm your place on the course you accepted because you have not met the original conditions, but that they are willing to make an offer for a different course, or start date, or entry point, or a combination of any of those three. Please look on the Course Search area of this website to see exactly what is being offered, and check out the details, if necessary, on the university/college website. Your response depends on the status of your application as follows:
If you applied to just one choice then you can either accept the change, or, if you paid the full application fee of £15, decline it and go into Clearing. If you only paid a £5 fee then you can move into Clearing by paying the further £10 via your Track screen and then declining the changed offer. Once you have done that the Clearing Number will appear on Track and your Clearing Passport will be issued to you by post.
If you applied for more than one course, but are holding only one offer, then you can either accept the change, or decline it and go into Clearing automatically.
If you applied for more than one course and are holding a firm and an insurance offer -
You are offered a change by the firm choice - you must either accept or decline the revised firm offer. If you decline it, then you will either be placed with the insurance choice or, if they decline you, move automatically into Clearing.
You are offered a change by the insurance choice - you will not be able to accept it unless and until the firm choice declines your place. You can however decline the insurance change knowing that, if you are declined by the firm choice as well, you will be automatically entered into Clearing.
You are offered changes by both firm and insurance choices - you may accept EITHER change via Track, OR decline both and move automatically into Clearing.
Making changes
1. I've already accepted an offer - can I decline it and enter Clearing instead?
Your acceptance is a serious contractual agreement, and you cannot simply decline the place at this stage. You must contact the university or college concerned to explain why you have changed your mind, and to see if they are willing to enter you in to Clearing.
2. I've met the grades for my firm offer but I now want to go to my insurance choice. What should I do?
Remember that you originally made a commitment to the firm choice university/college, and that you cannot simply decline it at this stage. If your firm choice has already confirmed your place then the insurance choice will have been informed and may have offered your place to someone else. Check with the insurance choice that they would be willing to consider you in Clearing before approaching the firm choice and explaining your situation. If your firm choice agrees to decline your offer, you would then have to wait for your Clearing Passport before you could confirm any subsequent offer.
3. I've accepted a place in Clearing, but I've changed my mind and want to apply somewhere else. What should I do?
Your acceptance of the place was a serious contractual agreement, and if you wish to be released from that you will need to speak directly to the university or college concerned. If you get their agreement you will need to contact us to ask for a fresh Clearing Passport.
4. I've accepted a place in Clearing but want to change certain details such as course/date of entry/entry point. What should I do?
You should speak urgently to the university or college concerned. The university or college should then notify us and we will send you a letter confirming the changes.
