Clearing 2023 will open in July

"I used Clearing when I didn’t achieve the grades I needed to get into my first or insurance choice universities. I’d met a Psychology lecturer at an Essex Open Day and found his research really interesting and exciting, so I decided to call Essex on their Clearing hotline. I actually spoke to a student ambassador who was on the course I wanted to apply for; Psychology with Cognitive Neuroscience. We chatted for ages about the course and the uni as a whole so I was thrilled when she offered me a place. That was in summer 2018, I now have two first class degrees from Essex and am currently studying for my PhD – something I never thought possible! I never expected to be in Clearing so I didn’t prepare for it and I found it quite stressful trying to find hotline numbers on results day, so I’d definitely say prepare yourself for Clearing, just in case. Write down the hotline numbers for universities you might be interested in and make a note of the courses you’d like to do. Clearing has shaped my academic journey for the better; after struggling through A-levels I found my course at Essex so engaging and I had such great support throughout all my degrees. I still can’t believe I’m now studying for my PhD at Essex, where my unexpected uni journey began!"