Clearing 2020

Seriously though, what even is Clearing?

If you’re looking to start with us in October 2020, there’s still time. You can apply through the main application cycle until 30 June 2020. From July you’ll need to apply via Clearing, which we admit sounds a little scary but it shouldn’t, and here’s why…

Come July, universities such as Essex are likely to have spaces on courses starting this autumn, and students such as you are likely to be interested in filling these spaces. Clearing is simply the process of filling available spaces. It gives students the chance to change their mind or take a different path to their original plan.

So why enter via Clearing?

Well, there’s no simple answer to this. Everyone has their own individual Clearing journey but generally speaking there are four routes into Clearing:

1. You wanted to get your results before making any applications. Patience is a virtue, right? You don’t see the point applying based on predicted grades, you’d rather wait and see what you actually get, then make your choices.
2. You just changed your mind. Better grades, worse grades, exactly what you were expecting grades… Maybe you just want to change your mind. You may want to do a different course, study somewhere else, or perhaps you never thought university was for you but now you want to give it a shot.
3. You didn’t get the grades you’d hoped for. If on A-level results day you open your results and you’re faced with lower grades than expected, don’t panic. If you haven’t met the required grades to keep the conditional offers you received from main cycle application, Clearing is for you.
4. You got better grades than you’d hoped for. Picture the scene – come A-level results day you open your results and find out that you absolutely smashed it and exceeded your expectations. You’d made your original choices based on predicted grades and now you want to upgrade your university place.

Each year thousands of applicants find their university places through Clearing. We’ve even shared some of our current students’ Clearing stories so hopefully you’ll realise you’re not alone.

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