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