After the announcement of A-level results, UCAS runs a process called the Clearing Vacancy Information Service (simply known as 'Clearing') to match applicants without places with courses that still have places available.
You are eligible for Clearing if:
- you have not withdrawn from the UCAS scheme
AND one of the following:
- you are not holding any offers
- you declined your offers
- your offers have not been confirmed because you have not met the conditions
- you applied too late for your application to be considered before Clearing (after the end of June)
Applying through Clearing
If you are eligible for clearing, UCAS will automatically send you a Clearing Entry Form (CEF) and an instruction leaflet.
The first thing you'll need to do is to decide which course you want to apply for - this does not have to be the same course that you applied for on your original form. Courses with vacancies are published on the UCAS web site and also in the national media (The Independent, The Independent on Sunday and The Mirror). Make a note of the courses you are interested in, find out if the content of the course meets your needs, and check that you meet the entry requirements.
You will then need to contact the institution directly, either by phone, e-mail or in person. Make sure that you do this yourself - the admissions officer will want to speak to you in person- not your parents or your teacher! You'll need to keep your Clearing Entry Form handy as you may be asked for your CEF number and your UCAS application number.
