Ask James

If you are enquiring about the availability of a particular course, or want to know if you are eligible for a particular course, please refer to our list of clearing vacancies and contact the Clearing hotlines.

Confused about Clearing? Ask our resident agony uncle, James Ringer.

• What should I do if I have got the results I needed for my firm choice university?
  Congratulate yourself, sit back and relax! Your firm choice university will contact you directly. Please do not call the university to check as this blocks the phone lines for the students who didn’t do as well.
• What should I do if I have only just missed my grades? (eg expected ABB and gained BBB)
  Firstly do not panic. You should ring your firm choice university to see if they will still consider you. They may have been extremely impressed with your UCAS form and offer you a place.
• What if I didn’t get the grades for my firm choice offer but made the grades for my insurance?
  If you find yourself in this situation then you are obliged to attend your insurance offer and that particular university will contact you directly.
• Can I decline my firm and insurance offers and enter clearing instead?
  If you are considering this as an option please think carefully as your acceptance is a serious commitment. You will have to contact the individual universities and ask to be released from your contract with them, so be prepared to explain why you have changed your mind.
• What do I do if I have missed my predicted grades completely?
  If you were unlucky and didn't get the results you expected for either your firm or insurance choice then you will be automatically entered into clearing.
• How do I find out which courses have places left?
  All courses with spare places will be shown in the official Clearing Listings published in The Telegraph newspaper; other newspapers all publish lists. Additionally, see the UCAS website and universities' own websites.
• I’ve found a course I like the look of – what do I do now?
  You need to act quickly! Call the university’s Clearing phone number and tell them which course you’re interested in and what grades you have got.
• What is a Clearing Number?
  Your Clearing Number is displayed on the 'welcome' page and 'choices' page in Track.  When you contact a university or college, they will ask you for your Clearing Number to confirm that they can consider you in Clearing.  They can then view your complete application immediately on the UCAS Secure online system.  If a university or college provisionally offers you a place in Clearing, they will give you a date by which you must enter their course details on TRACK.  You should only enter a Clearing choice if the university or college has provisionally offered you a place on the course and you want to accept it.

To find out more about Clearing, please visit the UCAS website.