Clearing 2023 - getting prepared short idiots guide to Clearing

[Ginola2345]

Long back story but DD will require a massive improvement in her results to be offered either her firm or insurance choice.

I have taken results the day off work to celebrate, relax or help with clearing. I don’t want to panic DD but if she misses out on both her firm and insurance I know she could would go into Clearing but I don’t know much about it.

Basically, in short what do we need to do first in 5 easy steps and what info do I/we need to have to hand to be ready to move quickly incase we need to? What I need is a short easy to understand ‘idiots guide to Clearing’ or 5 point brief instructions in bullet point form.

I have just googled and seen lots of links taking me back and forward I saw something about UCAS Extra and how do I find Clearing Helpline Numbers is it the normal admissions numbers or are these numbers different etc.

@School2023 i think you’ll have to read this thread, lots of useful info. The UCAS site has info too but less good than this thread.

@School2023 Kemi. If you read this thread, you will find the answers to your questions. Lots of us in the same boat and there are many helpful respondents on this thread who have been through Clearning before.

Scroll though and jot down the bits that are useful to your circumstances. It's a minefield but this lots of good info on here.

Tbf, I think most of the chat has been about people without offers picking something up on clearing, not about people using clearing for what used to be adjustment or trading up. If one has to reject the held place in order to even inquire (as someone on another thread suggests), surely trading up is a bit too high risk unless one doesn’t want the held offer whatever happens?

Thank you for this feedback, that's really helpful. I hadn't considerd that they may not have automaticaly considered him for a variant. So I have advised DS to put Insurance choice - course variant first in line for a clearing phonecall tommorow if needed. Thankyou!

Totally get this now the initial annoyance has subsided - can I change my FU to be toward the government instead please and specifcially the DOE. This is an arcahic, brutal process and as someone that works in the private sector, I can't believe how random, manual and subjective it all is. It's crazy. We have AI taking over the world, chatbots predicting what you want for lunch and yet 18y olds still have to phone around and second guess and hope and prey to pay and rack up their own debt to go to university.

Is it this bonkers in other countries?

Perhaps this is an odd question, but when filtering courses available on the UCAS clearing site, it encourages you to say where you normally live. Are some courses only available for English students? We are Scottish... I presumed all of the UK would be treated as Home. I'm sure I must have the wrong end of the stick!

Is it not more that some are only available to international students because they pay more, I mean there are separate quotas. Scottish students still pay tuition fees in England or Wales or NI don't they?

Or are there quotaa as well for each of the countries too? Maybe there are.

In Scotland, due to the fees situations, I believe unis treat Scottish and rUK students differently, or can do.

It would just seem unfair if Scots had a hard time being accepted for a clearing place in England, as they will pay exactly the same fees as English students. In Scotland there are practically
There are 3008 courses available for ds's subject for those living in England and 2521 available to those living in Scotland. But, within Scotland there are just 106 courses listed. So, there are definitely some courses not being offered to Scottish applicants. It's bizarre! Hope not to be in clearing tomorrow, but thought I'd have a look today just in case.

Apologies for my incoherence!

Totally get this now the initial annoyance has subsided - can I change my FU to be toward the government instead please and specifcially the DOE.

👏👏👏👏👏

@brooksghost someone else might have answered this for you but DD has an ADHD diagnosis (I do understand that's different from an autism diagnosis, we also have a DD with that but she didn't need clearing) and the accommodation team were great with her after clearing. We went to the subsequent offer holders day (only a day or two after results and lots of DC were clearly still shell shocked and tearful) and the accommodation lead gave us his email address and told us to be sure to mention his name when asking for a help with halls. A copy of her diagnosis also helped. As it turned out after a slight delay she got decent halls and was quite happy there.

I don't think it'll be an issue in England because everyone pays the same fees. It's in Scotland where it matters.

I think sometimes some Welsh unis prioritise Welsh resident students, though.

Feel sick but just wanted to wish everyone the best of luck and fortitude for the morning!

Normally 8am for decisions to appear on UCAS, but it will inevitably crash! If you're not holding an offer, you'll be in clearing.

The offer you're holding (e.g. your firm) will automatically turn unconditional if you/your child is in- they don't get to, for example, decline their firm and go to their insurance. The "decline my place" button is pretty obvious, but should only be used if you're 100% sure you want to go into clearing!

And yes, best of luck to all DC for the morning.

https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/clearing-and-results-day/results-day/what-your-application-status-means

This page on UCAS is helpful in explaining how the status will appear on the students hub.

One last question before I try to sleep.

Do you have to release your insurance choice (if you get it) to be able to call around and look at clearing options? DD was never 100% sure if she'd made the right insurance choice, but I would hate to see her release it and then find nothing better.

we're in the same situation and it is my understanding that you have to decline your insurance choice before you can go into clearing.