Top tips to secure your university place through Clearing

Whether you’re a new applicant for this September, have changed your mind since applying, or think your results will be different to those you were predicted, Clearing could be for you. 

Students opt to go through Clearing for a number of reasons: you may have changed your mind about your course or where you want to study, are worried about your results, or you might not have a place at university yet. 

UCAS Clearing opened on Friday 5 July and is open until 21 October, so before Results Day on Thursday 15 August, get hold of the UCAS Clearing list by visiting UCAS Search and select the Clearing 2024 option. This facility will give you an opportunity to see what’s currently available (more choices will appear on Results Day). 

Before Results Day

Get yourself prepared the night before and ring as soon as lines open to give yourself the best chance. I recommend you take note of the opening hours of university hotlines in advance as most will open earlier than normal office hours. At the University of Derby, our hotline opens at 7:00am on Results Day (15 August 2024). 

However, you don’t have to wait until August: the University of Derby is open and can discuss an offer with you ahead of summer. Contact us on 01332 592024 or complete our enquiry form to start the conversation.  

On Results Day

On the day of your results, you’ll notice the Clearing list being constantly updated. Remember to also log onto university websites to see which courses are available in Clearing. 

Make sure you have important details close by before you begin contacting universities. You’ll need to have your UCAS number, exam results and your log-in details for UCAS Hub. You may also want to compile a list of questions to ask and have your personal statement to hand to answer any questions. 

Once you have a list of universities you wish to contact, find a quiet place, take a deep breath and start calling. Try to remain calm and composed so you can get across everything you want to. Ensure you take the details of anyone you speak to in case you need to contact them later. At Derby, you can also contact us via social media or our website, if making a phone call is not convenient for you. 

If you receive a Clearing offer over the phone, make sure you get written confirmation of your conversation as well as the expiry date of the offer. At Derby, our friendly staff members will guide you through the process of what you need to do, so there’s no need to worry. 

In addition, if you’re able to, try and visit the university you have chosen as you will be committing to spending the next three or so years studying there. Most universities have visit options available throughout this period, so it is worth having a look.  

At Derby, we have a series of Open House events from Thursday 15 August, which offer people the opportunity to get a feel for the place and what it would be like to study here. These include Campus Tours as well as the opportunity to meet with our student services. You can find more details including event times on our Clearing Hub.  

We have created a set of FAQs which may help if you are considering applying through Clearing, but if you can't find the answers you're looking for, please get in touch. 

You don’t have to wait until you get your results to start looking at courses through Clearing – you can call, or complete our  enquiry form, and our team will guide you through the process. 

Good luck!