Confirmation and Clearing

What is Clearing?

Clearing is another opportunity for you to secure your place at university this September. 

You will be able to apply through Clearing if you:

• haven't done quite as well as you expected and you haven't met the conditions of your offers,
  
• haven't made a UCAS application this year,
  
• or if you haven't received any offers (or none that you wanted to accept).
  

When is Clearing?

• Clearing opens Wednesday 5 July for those who already have exam results or hold no offers. 
  
• Clearing officially opens on results day, Thursday 17 August.
  
• Clearing closes on Wednesday 20 September. 
  

When Clearing opens you will be able to call our Clearing hotline to speak with our Admissions team about the Clearing process and your application to study with us this September. Our Admissions department is open Monday to Thursday 09:00–17:00 and Fridays 09:00–16:30.

For more information on Clearing and advice on whether Clearing is for you, please visit the UCAS website.  

What is Adjustment?

Adjustment is the perfect chance for you to find an alternative course or place to study if you do better than you expected in your exams. 

You will be eligible for Adjustment if you meet and exceed the conditions of your conditional firm choice offer. 

If you try Adjustment but you don't find anything, you'll still keep the course place you gained on results day.

When is Adjustment?

Adjustment is available from Thursday 17 August until Thursday 31 August and is entirely optional. 

You have five 24 hour periods (including weekends) within this time to use it, starting from when your conditional firm offer changes to unconditional firm, or on A level results day - whichever is later. If your offer goes to unconditional firm less than five days before Wednesday 31 August, you'll only have whatever time is left between then and Wednesday 31 August. 

For more information on Adjustment and advice on whether Adjustment is for you, please visit the UCAS website. 

Tweets from @PlymUniApply

Clearing top tips

Be prepared

• Do your research before results day and make sure that you have a good back up plan if you don't do quite as well as you expect. 
  
• Talk with your school or college careers advisers about the different courses that can still help you along the same career path.
  
• Consider the fact that entry requirements for courses with vacancies during Clearing can be more flexible so it's worth phoning up the university to find out more.  
  

Don't panic

Keep calm and take your time before you make any decisions. UCAS won't allow you to make any applications until 3pm on results day so there is time for you to phone universities and consider your options on results day.

Consider your options

Think about courses that are similar to the one you originally applied for, joint honours and maybe the option to study at foundation level.

Prioritise

Decide what is the most important thing for you. This could be the location, the course, or the university itself.

Keep an open mind

You may eventually settle for a course that is completely different to the one you originally applied for but it may work out much better than you expect.