A-level results day is a time of joy and triumph for many, as students prepare for life at the university of their choice.
But for others, it can be a very stressful time if their results don’t go as planned and they just miss the required grades.
While many students still secure places in their insurance options, there are some who miss the mark entirely and need to enter the Ucas compensation process to find an alternative institution.
Similarly, students who are performing better than their predicted grades can also use the system to find an alternative college.
Here, we detail everything you need to know about the compensation process and how to get a place at the university no matter the outcome.
What is clean?
Compensation is the system of matching students with slots in college or university courses. You can enter Clearance to search for a course if you have not met the qualifications indicated in your offers.
You can also use the system if you are considering changing to a different course because your grades are better than anticipated, after declining your original place.
More than 50,000 students find places through Clearing each year, according to the Ucas.
What time does Ucas open?
Ucas Hub began updating from 8 am today.
It only shows students whether they have been accepted by their insurance company or college of choice, and not their specific grades.
Students can receive the breakdown of all their test results when they attend their school or university, or receive them by email or postal mail. They can also arrange for a family member or friend to pick up your results.
When is Clearance open?
The clearing is open from July 5 to October 17, but some courses will close before this deadline, depending on their popularity.
What universities are accessible through Clearing?
The vast majority of UK universities have courses available through Clearing, including some of the country’s leading institutions.
The Russell Group represents 24 world-class research-intensive universities, and 17 of these had at least one course available through Clearing in 2022.
Some universities announce if they have places available when Clearing opens, while others wait until results day.
Is any university not available?
Oxford and Cambridge do not offer places through Clearing.
Are there only a limited number of themes available?
No. It used to be unheard of for courses, such as medicine, to be oversubscribed through Clearing, but this has changed.
1015 applicants were accepted into Medicine and Dentistry courses in 2019 through authorization, so all the more reason to keep an eye out for vacancies as you may get lucky.
St George’s, the University of London, has been offering medicine places through Clearing for the past six years.
Can you reapply to a college that rejected you?
Clearing allows you to apply to any university with openings, even if you were rejected the first time.
If you find a course you like and it meets the entry requirements, call the admissions team and talk to them about your opportunities.
What is ClearingPlus?
Clearing Plus was introduced in 2020 to offer help to anyone who is not placed or applying for the first time through Clearing.
If you’re in Clearing, look for a button in Tracking marked ‘View Matches’ to see courses that Ucas thinks would be a good fit for you, based on your original choices and your grades and grades.
If you see a course you like, you can click ‘Interested’ to have the university or college contact you; you can do this for up to five options at a time.
But remember, courses at Clearing fill up quickly and you may not always get a call, so also search for courses at Clearing using the search tool.
Saying you are interested in a course through Clearing Plus does not guarantee an offer.
How is a decision made through Clearing?
On sale, you’ll need to call universities or colleges to try to get a spot, before adding them as an option on your application.
Will need:
- your personal identification number
- your compensation number
- your qualifications/UCAS tariff points
- information about why you want a place
- the name of the university
- phone number
- course code and title
Find a quiet place to make the call, and be positive and courteous when speaking with the representative of the university or college.
Take your time to make an informed decision, and remember to take the advice of family, friends, and teachers.
Only add a Compensation option once you have permission from the university or college. You can only add one option at a time, and any confirmation will come through Ucas Track and by email.
