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A comprehensive guide to Clearing

Available places on university courses with students.

Clearing 2012 Dates

30 June 2012: This is the deadline for applications - any applications

received after this date will be entered directly into clearing 2012.

4 July 2012: The deadline for applications via UCAS Extra

19 July 2012: The fi nal date for your fi rst and second choice universities to

make decisions. If no decision is made, UCAS will automatically decline your

application on behalf of the universities.

26 July 2012: The deadline for responses from your chosen universities. You

must accept or decline the o� ers to the universities by this date or UCAS will

automatically decline them for you.

7 August 2012: SQA (Scottish Qualifi cations Authority) releases results of

Scottish Highers and, Scottish Clearing opens.

16 August 2012: A-level results day. Clearing opens.

20 September 2012: Deadline for courses starting in 2012.

30 September 2012: Clearing close by UCAS.

22 October 2012: Clearing 2012 closes down - after this date universities

will not be able to accept applications from Clearing 2012.

What is clearing and how does it work?Clearing is the system operated by

UCAS to assist those students every

year who don’t quite get the predicted

grades needed to gain them access

to their chosen university and course.

It is also for those that may want to

change their minds or direction late in

the day and allows a certain amount

of fl exibility with your application.

The Clearing system matches available places on university courses with students.

How does it work?Firstly you need to fi nd out if you are

eligible to enter clearing. The easiest

way to do this is to log on to UCAS

Track. If a Clearing number appears

against your profi le in Track, then you

are eligible to apply through Clearing.

It is worth making a note of that

number for future reference as you

will need it when you come to accept

o� ers during the Clearing period itself.

On August 16th (for 2012 entry) when

the results are distributed, some

students fi nd that they have missed

out on achieving their predicted

grades. If this happens you need to log

into UCAS Track to fi nd out whether

your second choice institution will still

o� er you a place.

If not, and you are still keen on

attending university you need to

consider taking part in the Clearing

process.

The idea of Clearing is that it matches

up students to places available on

courses once the dust has settled

through the main UCAS sorting

process.

Every year there are thousands of

students who are in this position, but

equally there are large numbers of

places still available through Clearing.

You need to now spend some time

looking at the available course and

university options and do some

research into the programme details,

the institution itself and the potential

outcomes from taking the degree

before making a decision. You may

have spent a long time making your

mind up in conjunction with parents,

careers advisers and teachers to reach

a decision on your choice of course,

but during Clearing, the longer you

take to make a decision, the less

choice you will have unfortunately.

When you have found a new fi rst

choice course you need to make

contact with that university directly as

quickly as possible. Most universities

will have a special telephone number

set up for dealing with calls during

clearing, so you will need to fi nd this

by searching their web pages.

Make the call outlining your reasons

for being interested in the programme

of choice, giving some information

about yourself, your background and

possible career aspirations and sound

positive! The person at the other end

of the phone has the power to make

you an o� er of a place at university

on the spot!

Clearing 2012 University

Hotline Numbers ……Before you pick up we are here to help.The Apply To Uni team have compiled

a list of every UK University Clearing

Hotline number and some tips that may

help you with your University Application

through Clearing.

Clearing in Scotland begins on August

7th when SQA results are published

and the Scottish Clearing vacancy

information service starts.

On the 16th of August 2012 GCE and

Advanced Diploma results are published

and the full Clearing vacancy information

service starts. Lines at most Universities

are open from early morning until 8pm

on Thursday 16th August. Do remember

that there will be lots of other students in

the same situation so lines can be busy

particularly early on in the day.

Be available you may be asked to attend

an interview so make sure you are

available during the Clearing period - it

will be di� cult to secure a place if you

are away on holiday.

It’s usually best to call universities

yourself. If you’ve received disappointing

results then, understandably, you may

be feeling upset, but you are more

likely to be successful if you call and

speak to tutors yourself rather than

asking a parent or friend to do it for you.

Admissions tutors will want to be sure

that you have a genuine interest in their

course and will aim to help you make

the right decision.

City university

020 7040 5060

City College coventry

024 7679 1000

city of sunderlamd college

0191 511 6000

coventry university

024 7679 1791

University for the creative arts

01252 892883

University of Cumbria

08080 024024

De Montfort University

08459 45 46 47

University of Derby

01332 591167

University of Dundee

01382 38 38 38

Durham University

0191 334 6128

University of East London

020 8223 3333

Edge Hill University

0800 028 6677

Edinburgh Napier university

08452 60 60 40

University of Exeter

01392 723855

University falmouth

01326 211077

University of Glamorgan

08455 190 111

University of Glashow

0141 330 2999

University of Gloucestershire

01242 714001

Goldsmiths

020 7078 5300

University of Greenwich

020 8331 9000

abertay dundee

01382 30 80 80

anerustwyth

0800 121 4080

acccrington and Rossendale college

01254 389933

college of Agriculture

0800 0284291

Anglia Ruskin

0845 271 3333

Anglo European chipractic college

01202 436200

The Arts university college at

Bournemouth

01202 363228

Askham Bryan College

01904 772211

Aston University, Birmingham

0121 204 4444

Bournemouth university

01202 524111

Brunel university

01895 265265

Bangor university

01248 383717

Bath university

01225 383 019

Bath Spa University

01225 875875

City of Bath college

01225 312191

University of Bedfordshire

0800 013 0925

Birbeck

020 7631 6316

Birmingham city university

0121 331 5595

University of birmingham

0121 415 8900

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

University college birmingham

0121 693 5959

Blackburn college

01254 292929

Blackpool and the Fylde College

01253 504346

University of Bolton

01204 903030

BPP university college

020 3131 0557

Bradford College

01274 433333

Bridgewater college

01278 441220

University of Brighton

01273 644000

City of Bristol college

0117 312 5117

University of bristol

0117 928 9000

University of the West of England

0117 32 83333

University of buckingham

01280 820299

Buckingham new university

0800 0565 660

Canterbury christ church university

01227 782900

Cardi� university

029 2087 6000

Cardi� Metropolitan University

029 2041 6044

University of Central Lancashire

01772 201201

Central school of speech and Drama

020 7722 8183

University of chester

01244 511000

University of chichester

01243 816002

H

I

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

W

Y

University of Huddersfi eld

0300 555 4444

University of Hertfordshire

01707 284848

Heythrop College

020 7795 4120

University of hull

0844 522 8001

Institute of Business and management

0800 268 7737

Kensington College of Business

027 404 6330

University of Kent

01227 827272

Kings college London

020 7836 5454

Kirklees college

01484 437070

London School of Business and Finance

020 7823 2303

London South Bank University

020 7815 7676

Lancaster University

0871 663 3006

University of Leeds

0870 126 0606

Leeds Trinity university college

0113 283 7123

University of Manchester

0161 275 2077

Manchester Metropolitan university

0800 915 0668

Coleg menai

01248 383333

Mid Cheshire college

01606 74444

Middlesex university

0800 069 6100

myerschough College

01995 642211

Neath Port Talbot college

01639 648032

Newcastle university

08457 88 77 22

New College Durham

0191 375 4210

New College Nottingham

0115 910 4584

New College Stamford

01780 484 300

Newman University college

Birmingham

0121 4761181

University of Northampton

0800 358 0066

New College Telford

01952 641892

Norwich university college of the arts

01603 751 485

Northumbria university

0191 243 7 243

University of Nottingham

0115 9516 565

Nottingham trent university

0115 848 6000

The Open University

0845 300 60 90

Oxford Brookes University

01865 483040

The university of Plymouth

01752 58 58 58

Pembrokeshire college

0800 716 236

University Centre Peterborough

0845 196 5750

University College St Mark and St John

0800 0152534

Queen Margaret University

0131 474 0000

Queen Mary University

0800 376 1800

Queen’s University Belfast

028 9097 3838

Regent’s College London

0207 487 7505

Roehampton University

020 8392 3000

Rotheram college of Arts and

Technology

08080 722777

Royal Agricultural College

01285 889912

Royal Holloway, University of London

01784 44 33 77

Royal Veterinary College

020 74685147

University of Salford

0161 295 4545

University of Shefi eld

0114 222 8015

Shefi eld Hallam University

0300 555 0567

University of Southampton

023 8059 8888

Southampton solent University

0845 676 7000

South Down’s College

02392 797979

South Nottingam College

0115 914 6464

Sta� ordshire University

0800 590 830

University of Stirling

01786 466166.

Stockport College

0845 230 3102

Stranmils University College

028 9038 4263

University of Sunderland

0191 515 3000

University of Sussex

01273 678416

Swansea University

01792 205678

Swansea Metropolitan University

0800 731 0884

Swindon College

0800 731 2250

University of Teeside

0800 9520226

University of Wales Trinity and David

01267 676767

University of Ulster

028 7028 7028

University of the west of Scotland

0800 027 1000

University of the Arts, London

020 7514 6197

Uxbridge College

01895 853333

University of Westminster

0800 027 9777

Wakefi eld College

01924 789111

University of Warwck

02476 533 544

College of West Anglia

01553 761144

West Cheshire Collge

01244 670600

City of Westminster College

020 7723 8826

West Thames College

020 8326 2020

Wigan and Leigh College

01942 76 11 11

Wiltshire College

01225 35 00 35

University of Wolverhampton

0800 953 3222

University of Winchester

01962 827234

University of worcester

01905 855 111

University of York

01904 324000

York College

01904 770400

York St John university

01904 876980

Yorkshire coast college of further and

Higher education

0800 7317410

Apply To Uni Guide to Open DaysOnce again the Apply To Uni team is here to help with your guide to every University Open Day between now and the end of the year.

But fi rst read about our handy hints and tips before attending……

1: Book Your Place!It may sound obvious, but you need to make sure you know when and where

university open days are taking place. If a university has multiple campuses or

departments, for example, make sure that the Open Day you are attending is

relevant to the course of your choice. You will almost certainly need to book your

place on an Open Day too (it shouldn’t cost you anything but universities need an

idea of numbers), so make sure you have fi lled in all the appropriate paperwork

before you turn up.

2: Give yourself plenty of timeYou need to fi nd out how long it will take to get to the universities you want to

see, particularly if they are in towns or cities with which you are not familiar.

While an Open Day is very di� erent from an interview (so relax!), you don’t want

to feel fl ustered on the day so make sure you’re not rushing around before you

get to meet the people who may end up teaching you for three or four years! It’s

also a good idea to get a feel for the area around the campus; so give yourself

some extra time to have a walk or drive around if at all possible.

3: Do some researchYou will have researched your course before applying, naturally, but you want

to make sure that you get to grips with the specifi cs that each university o� ers.

While an Open Day is a great opportunity to get to know the campus and the

area, it’s also a chance to ask questions about the course. By doing as much

research as possible, online and in prospectuses, you can make sure you’re not

wasting the opportunity to by asking about something you can easily fi nd out

beforehand.

4: Prepare some questionsDuring an Open Day you will often have an opportunity to mix with both sta�

and existing students. This is a perfect chance to fi nd out what it might really be

like to live and study at a particular institution. By having a think about everything

you might want to know before you get to your Open Day there is less chance of

you forgetting something crucial when you’re there. The people running Open

Days will have heard every question under the sun before; so don’t be shy and ask

them anything that you think might be crucial to your decision.

5: Find out as much as you can about the Open Day before you goWhat are your main concerns about starting uni? The course? Accommodation?

Costs? An Open Day can be the perfect opportunity to put your mind at rest

about all of these issues, but only if you make the most of it. If there is something

that you particularly want to know about but you’re not sure whether it will be

covered at the Open Day, why not phone up and ask? Often, if it is not part of the

o� cial programme, they will be able to put you in touch with someone who will

be happy to speak to you about your concerns on the day.

August 2012Saturday 18thBirmingham City University;

Buckinghamshire New University; Edge

Hill University; Glyndwr University

Wrexham; Regents College London;

University Campus Su� olk; University

of Bolton; University of East London;

University of Wolverhampton;

York St John University

Sunday 19thKeele University

Wednesday 22ndUniversity Campus Su� olk; University

of Plymouth

Tuesday 28thAberdeen University

Wednesday 29thLancaster University; University of

Dundee; University of West London.

September 2012Saturday 1stCranfi eld University; Teeside University.

Monday 3rdBrunel University; University of

Edinburgh; University of Strathclyde.

Tuesday 4thUniversity of Cambridge (Downing

College); University of She� eld;

University of Southampton; University

of Strathclyde; University of Ulster.

Wednesday 5thBrunel University; Edge Hill University;

Glasgow Caledonian University;

University of Glasgow; University of

Southampton; University of Ulster.

Thursday 6thBirkbeck University of London; Boston

College; Queen Margaret University;

Queens University Belfast; University

of Ulster.

Friday 7thBrunel University; University of

Cambridge (DowningCollege).

Saturday 8thCoventry University; Thames Valley

University; University College Plymouth

St Mark and St John; University of

Bedfordshire; University of Birmingham;

University of Exeter; University of

Surrey; York St John University.

Monday 10thUniversity of Ulster

Tuesday 11thUniversity of London

Wednesday 12thLiverpool Hope University; University

College Northampton; University

of Glamorgan; University of Kent;

University of London.

Thursday 13thUniversity of Cambridge (Sidney Sussex

College); University of Teeside.

Friday 14thOxford University; University of

Cambridge (Downing College);

University of Durham; University of

Glamorgan; University of Nottingham.

Saturday 15thCambridge University (Newnham

College, Corpus Christi College);

Coventry University; Leeds Trinity

University College; Nottingham

Trent University; Royal Agricultural

College; St Marys University College,

Twickenham; University of Bath;

University of Essex; University of

Huddersfi eld.

Monday 17thBath Spa University

Tuesday 18thAston University Birmingham

Wednesday 19thBath Spa University; St Georges

(University of London).

Thursday 20thBirbeck (University of London);

Loughborough University.

Friday 21stLoughborough University; University of

Cambridge (Churchill College).

Saturday 22ndLancaster University; Queen Mary

(University of London); University

of Edinburgh; University College

Birmingham; University of Bristol;

University of Chichester; University of

Durham; University of Essex; University

of Leicester; University of Stirling;

University of Warwick; University of

Worcester.

Sunday 23rdUniversity of Worcester

Monday 24thRoyal Agricultural College

Wednesday 26thCambridge University (Emmanuel

College); Imperial College London.

Friday 28thCentral School of Speech and Drama;

Heriot-Watt University.

Saturday 29thDe Montfort University; Heriot-Watt

University; Newcastle University;

University Campus Su� olk; University

of Brighton; University of Dundee;

University of Exeter; University of

Lincoln; University of Liverpool;

University of Sussex; University of West

London.

October 2012Tuesday 2ndRegents College London

Wednesday 3rdEdge Hill University; Robert Gordon

University.

Thursday 4thUniversity of the West of Scotland

Friday 5thBirmingham City University; Central

School of Speech and Drama.

Saturday 6thAnglia Ruskin University; Birmingham

City University; City University

London; Leeds Metropolitan

University; Liverpool Hope University;

Liverpool John Moores University;

Northumbria University; Oxford

Brookes University; Queen Margaret

University; Sta� ordshire University;

Swansea University; University of

Tuesday 6thRegent College London

Wednesday 7thEdge Hill University; Goldsmiths

(University of London); Lancaster

University; Reading College & School

of Arts & Design; Royal Agricultural

College; University of Brighton;

University of Teeside.

Thursday 8thCity of Bath College

Saturday 10thBournemouth University; Coventry

University; Oxford Brookes University;

Sta� ordshire University; Swansea

University; University of Brighton;

University of Gloucestershire; University

of Lincoln; UWE University of the West

England, Bristol.

Tuesday 13thCentral Sussex College

Wednesday 14thCentral Sussex College; Cranfi eld

University; University of Brighton;

University of London.

Thursday 15thCentral School of Speech and Drama;

Guildford College.

Saturday 17thAnglia Ruskin University; Edge

Hill Universty; Guildford College;

Regents College London; University

of Bedfordshire; University of

Roehampton.

Tuesday 20thUniversity of Birmingham

Wednesday 21stBuckinghamshire New University;

University of Brighton; University of

Worcester.

Saturday 24thUWE, University of the West of England,

Bristol.

Wednesday 28thRoyal Agricultural College; St Georges

(University of London); University of

Brighton.

Winchester; University of East Anglia;

University of Brighton; University of

Chester; University of Kent; University

of Leicester; University of Manchester;

University Of Portsmouth; University of

Reading; UWE University of the West

England, Bristol.

Tuesday 9thUniversity of the West of Scotland

Wednesday 10thManchester Metropolitan University;

Royal Agricultural College; SAC -

Scottish Agricultural College; University

of East Anglia; University of Abertay,

Dundee.

Friday 12thHeriot-Watt University

Saturday 13thBangor University; Bath Spa University;

Buckinghamshire New University;

Edge Hill University; Edinburgh Napier

University; Goldsmiths (University of

London); Heriot-Watt University; Keele

University; Liverpool John Moores

University; Manchester Metropolitan

University; Nottingham Trent University;

The University of Winchester; University

College Birmingham; University

College Northampton; University

College Plymouth St Mark and St

John; University of Bedfordshire;

University of Brighton; University

of Chester; University of Chester;

University of Gloucestershire; University

of Hertfordshire; University of Hull;

University of Kent; University of Leeds;

University of Liverpool; University of

Roehampton; University of Surrey;

University of Teeside.

Sunday 14thKeele University

Wednesday 17thAberystwyth University;

Buckinghamshire New University;

Central School of Speech and Drama;

Guildford College; St Georges

(University of London).

Saturday 20thAberystwyth University; Bath Spa

University College; Bournemouth

University; Buckinghamshire New

University; De Montfort University;

Leeds Trinity University College;

Manchester Metropolitan University;

Plymouth University; University of

Winchester; University of Brighton;

University of Chichester; University

of Glamorgan; University of Lincoln;

University Of Portsmouth; University of

West London.

Wednesday 24thRoyal Agricultural College; Royal Welsh

College of Music and Drama; University

of Teeside.

Thursday 25thUniversity of the West of Scotland

Friday 26thRoyal Welsh College of Music and

Drama

Saturday 27thBangor University; Bournemouth

University; Coventry University;

University of Essex; Leeds Metropolitan

University; Liverpool Hope University

College; University of Essex; University

of Reading; York St John University.

Sunday 28thLeeds Metropolitan University

Tuesday 30thUniversity of Dundee

Wednesday 31stLancaster University; Liverpool John

Moores University; University of

Dundee; University of Huddersfi eld;

York St John University.

November 2012Thursday 1stCentral School of Speech and Drama;

University of Chichester; University of

Huddersfi eld; University of Worcester.

Friday 2ndUniversity of the West of Scotland;

University of Worcester.

Saturday 3rdAnglia Ruskin University; City University

London; Robert Gordon University;

University Campus Su� olk; University

College Northampton; University Of

Portsmouth; University of Stirling.

OK, you’ve got your A level results, and you dropped a few grades. You’ve tried clearing and either there is nothing available that you want to do, or all your choices have run out.

Don’t worry, it’s not the end of the

world and it’s certainly not the end

of your chance to study for a higher

qualifi cation. You need to take stock

and look at some other options, maybe

temporary ones, and try again.

Get to workJobs may be di� cult to get at the

moment but it is not impossible. If

the whole uni application/rejection

experience has left you not really sure

of what you want to do, the best thing

to do is get some experience in the real

world to help you decide. You don’t

have to just get one job, two or three

part-time ones will also keep you busy

and earn you money and will all be

great experience.

You can get help and careers advice

from Learndirect, direct.gov and the

National Careers Service.

Got an idea for a business?If you want to work on your own

business, you can do it at 18, 19 or 20,

you don’t have to be 30 something.

In fact, being under 30 will enable

you to get help from the Prince’s

Trust, the organisation founded by

Prince Charles. You can also get good

information from Business Link. If you

live in an area of the UK that is classed

as being socially deprived, there may

also be local grants and assistance

schemes – contact your local authority

for details.

How about an apprenticeship?Not all tertiary education is about

studying at university. Training courses

and apprenticeships that take you on to

a recognised trade are also available. If

you have not considered this, fi nd out

more information from the National

Apprenticeship Service (NAS). They list

vacancies and places still available, and

they come up all year round, not just at

the start of the academic year.

Start again, but next yearIf you really want to give a university

application another chance, you will

need to wait and reapply next year.

You have your A level results and it is

possible to go back to your college

for another part year to do re-sits to

try to up your grades. You need to get

in touch with your college as soon as

possible and make sure you are there

on enrollement day with a clear plan

of action.

Next year, you will have your results

before applying, so your place o� ers

should be unconditional, meaning you

won’t have to go through the stress

of waiting for results day to see if you

have a place again.

What to do in the meantimePart of the next year may involve some

extra study, or you may be applying

for a di� erent course and uni, where

you know your current grades will be

OK. You can then think about getting

a job, doing some travelling, or doing

voluntary work at di� erent places. You

can combine any of these and spend a

year getting some great life experience.

Your fi nal choices will probably come

down to money though, and whether

your long-su� ering parents can

support you for another year while you

fi nd your feet.

Start by fi nding out more from the following organisations:Volunteering England

Volunteer Scotland

Volunteering Wales

Volunteer Development Agency -

Northern Ireland

Year Out Group 

Foreign & Commonwealth O� ce Travel

& Living Abroad

Voluntary Services Overseas

I’ve not got in – what now?