What to say during Clearing

We get it. Clearing is daunting. But it's also a great opportunity to find your perfect university.

During Clearing, you'll have to call each university you’re interested in and have an informal chat about why you’d like to study with them. 

For lots of people, that's a pretty intimidating prospect. But it doesn’t have to be.

In this guide, we’ve broken down what to say during Clearing, as well as how to prepare for the call, and what to do once you’ve secured a place through Clearing.

Contents:

1. Before the call
2. During the call
   What to say during a Clearing call
   What not to say during a Clearing call
3. After the call

What to do before your Clearing call

Research. This is a big one - and best done well in advance of Results Day,

Use university websites to dig into available courses, explore course modules, the types of assignments you’ll get, and maybe even pieces of research the university has done in your field of interest.

Remember, this is about you finding a university that feels right for you - it’s not just about whether the university has vacancies. It’s a two-way street!

Make notes.  Jot down lots of notes and organise them by university. 

For example, a page with ‘Newcastle University’ at the top could include some of our research strengths, courses that interest you, and the modules you like the look of. 

Remember the power of questions. Write down a couple of questions you’d like to ask universities when you call. This might include asking about course contact hours, the seminar-to-lecture ratio, wellbeing support etc.

When you ask questions it shows genuine interest, as well as a natural inquisitiveness that will appeal to academics and admissions teams. 

Practice makes perfect. Practising answers can be very effective, especially if you’re someone who gets quite nervous on the phone. 

Reflect on questions you may have had in interviews before, or what you included in your personal statement. Practise saying these things out loud a couple of times, but avoid writing yourself a script. When you rely on a written script, you can quickly lose your train of thought if you’re asked something you didn’t expect. 

What to expect during the call

Let’s talk through what to expect when you pick up the phone. 

Clearing is a busy time for universities, so it’s normal to be put on hold for a few minutes. Don’t panic. Be patient. 

If you’re really struggling to get through on the phone, try the live chat function. You could also call one of the alternative universities you’ve listed in the meantime.

Once you’re through to a Clearing adviser, you'll be asked what course you’re interested in. 

• If you do have grades that meet the entry requirements you could be made a verbal offer. You might also be put through to a relevant member of staff in the department or faculty your subject sits under. 

• If you don’t have grades that meet the entry requirements, or the course you want to study doesn’t have spaces, you may be asked about similar courses you're interested in that do have vacancies or lower entry requirements.

What to say during your Clearing call

During the call, stay focused, and make notes of any important information you hear. Speak clearly and confidently and try to take your time.

You might be offered a place straight away, or the call can take longer if the university needs more information from you. If it does, here's some tips when talking to a Clearing adviser :

1. Explain why you’re interested in the course and university, and what you're passionate about.
2. Don’t shy away from talking about low grades and what you learned from them, especially if extenuating circumstances were involved. 
3. Be honest about your career ambitions and interests. 
4. Mention specifics about the course in question; talk about modules that appeal to you or facilities the university has that look interesting.
5. Be polite, positive and enthusiastic. 
6. Ask questions about the course content and the university itself. 
7. Really sell yourself, and draw on your personal statement. 
8. It's normal to change to a new course or subject in your Clearing choice, but make sure you explain why you're legitimately interested in the course and try not to change your options too drastically.
9. Whatever the outcome of the call, thank the member of staff for their time.

At Newcastle, our trained Clearing advisers will support you through the Clearing process.

What NOT to say during a Clearing call

1. Don’t say you’ve ‘never really thought about’ something when asked.
2. Don’t say you’re only getting in touch because you don’t have any other options.
3. Don’t try to get a parent or carer to make the call on your behalf. 
4. Don’t be impolite or rush the person on the other end of the phone.

What to do after the Clearing call

Once you've received a verbal offer from a university you're interested in, you need to add your choice to your UCAS Hub.  

You'll also need to update your student finance. Alternatively, if you haven't applied for your student finance yet, read our guide on applying for student finance after you've missed the deadline.

Find out more:

• Hear from our students about what Clearing is really like
• Find out about the practical things you need for Clearing 
• Get your Clearing questions answered