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Clearing Jargon Buster

Key terms and their definitions.

If you’re thinking of applying for university through UCAS Clearing, you may encounter some new terminology along the way.

To keep things simple, Northumbria University has put together a list of terms and their definitions to make your Clearing application that bit easier.

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CLEARING FAQS

If you are considering clearing, we know you may have some questions →

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UCAS 2024 CLEARING PROCESS

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW →

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CLEARING EXPERIENCES

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CLEARING HUB

ALL THE CLEARING 2024 INFORMATION YOU NEED →

So, let’s start with Clearing...

CLEARING

Clearing is another service you can use to look for alternative courses. If you didn’t get a place on a course – whether you didn’t receive offers, declined your offers, or didn’t get the grades you needed – Clearing allows you to apply for courses that still have vacancies.

Let’s get more specific. At Northumbria we often see 4 main types of applicants come through clearing. We call these:

Traditional Applicant

If you’ve not received the grades you need to qualify for your firm or insurance choice, you can call the clearing hotline and the University will help you find a place with the qualifications you have.

If you think you're a traditional applicant, visit our dedicated webpage where you can find all the information you need, tailored to you.

Mind Changer Applicant

If you’ve had a change of heart and would like to change your course or university, you can use UCAS Clearing to change your choice and find the right place for you.

If you think you're a mind changer applicant, visit our dedicated webpage where you can find all the information you need, tailored to you.

Direct Applicant

Are you looking to apply to university for the first time?

Then you’ll likely be a direct applicant. If you’ve not applied to university through the application cycle and are now looking to find a place for this September, you can apply directly through UCAS Clearing from the day it opens.

If you think you're a direct applicant, visit our dedicated webpage where you can find all the information you need, tailored to you.

Uplift Applicant

If you’ve received higher grades than you were expecting, then you might be considering upgrading your university place to a new course or a different university. You can do this through UCAS.

If you think you're a uplift applicant, visit our dedicated webpage where you can find all the information you need, tailored to you.

If you’ve already made a UCAS application, you may have...

A UCAS ID

A 10-digit number, used to identify students on UCAS. It is can also be referred to as a Personal ID. This, however, is different to your Clearing ID number.

A FIRM CHOICE

Applicants can select one university course based on a conditional offer as their firm choice. If the conditions are met, everything will be confirmed, and your place will be secured. If you don’t meet the conditions, you’ll move to your insurance choice, which will be confirmed if you meet those conditions.

AN INSURANCE CHOICE

This is a secondary choice which you'll move to if you don’t meet the conditions of your Firm choice. If you meet the conditions of your insurance offer then this will be confirmed. If you don’t meet the conditions of your firm or insurance choices you will be entered into clearing.

 

So, if you do not meet the conditions of either your firm or insurance offer you will be entered into clearing. Or, if you’ve changed your mind, and no longer wish to study your firm or insurance choice, you can decline both offers and chose to go through Clearing. You should however always ensure you have a clearing offer in writing before you decline any existing offers.

You’ll then have access to...

YOUR CLEARING ID NUMBER

If you’re eligible for UCAS Clearing, your Clearing ID number will show on your UCAS Hub welcome page. This number is different to your UCAS personal ID.

CLEARING PLUS

If your initial UCAS application is unsuccessful or you’re applying for the first time through Clearing, you may wish to use the Clearing Plus service. Here, UCAS use what they know about you, including your previous choices, your grades, and your preferences to give you suggestions of other universities which have available spaces and suit your needs.

Don’t worry, you don’t need to remember them all. Our Clearing support advisers will be just a phone call away if you have any questions and they will be ready to guide you through the process.

 

Find more information about Clearing on our Clearing Hub.

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