Clearing - can you get clearing offers before declining existing offer?

[Brintons]

I'm seeing different opinions on this. My ds isn't sure about his insurance so might like to see what is in clearing if he doesn't get his firm. Can he get offers from Unis before declining? On WIWIKAU a guy from UCAS says you need to decline any achieved offers first.

As far as I understand you have to decline your offer before going into clearing. Personally I would be ringing around the Unis you are interested in first and getting the verbal offers before declining any firm offer. UCAS doesn't open until 1pm to add the clearing offer to.

think you can look at clearing and even phone unis t see what they think but you can't get a clearing code and a verbal offer until you have declined whatever you're holding and put yourself officially into clearing.

Sounds a bit risky then if you can't get a verbal offer without a clearing code.

The idiots guide to clearing (at the top of the Higher Education listing) probably has more accurate info than me - am just a parent in a similar situation!

According to TSR some unis will accept your UCAS ID while others will want your Clearing number.

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7375264

As a uni admissions person pointed out on another thread, you can decline offers and get a Clearing Number at the push of a button now; it's much easier than when you had to ring the existing uni to be 'released' into Clearing. My experience as a teacher who helps on Results Day every year is what @sparkles18 said; some unis want a release before any offer, others don't.

A few years ago now, but I had to decline/ ask original university to release me from my place. I knew I was likely to get a good RG offer almost immediately, which is what happened, but I had to be released first before I could get another offer, risky but it worked.

My predicted grades were dreadful because I was a lazy arse but I did so much better in the exams (surprised myself and the staff at my school were gobsmacked). I had to give a reason and I cited financial reasons…. very naughty but….

A few years ago now, but I had to decline/ ask original university to release me from my place.

This is no longer the case. It changed about 3 or 4 years ago. You can release yourself into Clearing without telling the university you're placed with.

As far as I understand you have to decline your offer before going into clearing. Personally I would be ringing around the Unis you are interested in first and getting the verbal offers before declining any firm offer. UCAS doesn't open until 1pm to add the clearing offer to.

First thing might be after 8am tomorrow, look at the websites of universities the applicant is interested in. Might be quicker & easier than telephoning in the first instance.

I know at my place, they have a special set up for the website & Clearing applicants go through that web portal.

Former admissions tutor here, and I realise things are changing. But it seems to me that ultimately you are all saying the same thing.

You can release yourself into Clearing via UCAS at the touch of s button; this declines any current offers. Of course you are free to engage verbally with any one at any point, because there is nothing official about that.
Some admissions tutors may decline such conversations which is of course their prerogative.

But it is my understanding that no one can make you a Clearing Offer via UCAS until you have declined any open offers, because the UCAS software will not allow this. It is also my understanding that all offers must go through UCAS. Thus you cannot meaningfully participate in Clearing until you have declined your offers. And all andwers above are then consistent. Am I misunderstanding something?