So, the results are in and you haven’t got the A Level grades you needed for your university course. What do you do now?
The first thing we can say confidently is don’t panic. Many students find themselves in this position each year and they still go on to study at university.
There are numerous options available to you if you haven’t secured a university place yet. Or if you’re rethinking the offers you’ve been given. You just need to see which one is right for you.
What’s UCAS Clearing?
UCAS Clearing is a system that’s been put in place to advertise available spaces on university courses.
Unused spaces don’t benefit anyone. Universities lose out on course fees and would-be university students miss out on the opportunity to study their ideal course. That’s why UCAS Clearing was put in place to get the maximum number of students enrolled onto university degrees, even if they didn’t meet the course entry requirements.
So, once the students who have been offered a place on the course accept or decline their offer, the remaining spaces get advertised through UCAS Clearing.
UCAS Clearing Options Explained
You can secure course spaces that would be advertised through UCAS Clearing in a number of ways.
Pick Up The Phone
You might think your first choice university won’t want to hear from you if you didn’t make the cut with your grades. When actually the truth can be far from it. Universities are often open to speaking to students who haven’t got the grades they require. After all, your grades aren’t the only thing you’re offering to them.
Your tenacity and enthusiasm to study the subject can go a long way. Universities also understand that pressure can get the best of everyone and each person’s circumstances are different. So, if you flunked your A Levels, you might be surprised at how understanding the university may be. If you can prove your dedication and determination to work hard, they may just offer you a place that otherwise would be advertised in UCAS Clearing.
Focus on UCAS Points – Not Grades
Each university sets its own entry requirements. So where one looks at your grades, another may look at your UCAS points. In this case, you may be able to boost your offering to universities by including other qualifications in your application that contribute to UCAS points, like general studies.
Also, if you research which universities accept UCAS points in place of grades early on, you’ll know exactly which ones to contact as soon as UCAS Clearing becomes available.
Apply via the UCAS Clearing System
A great way to see the entire range of courses available to you is by using the UCAS Clearing system. To get started, you’ll need to complete a UCAS application, which you can do online through UCAS Apply.
You’ll then receive your UCAS Clearing number and details of how you can log into the account where you track the progress of your university offers.
Now you can start viewing the courses that are being advertised in the UCAS Clearing system. Don’t panic if the course you’re after isn’t one of the options. The courses advertised will change regularly as spaces are accepted or become available.
Remember, just as much as students are accepting offers, some will decline the ones they’ve been offered too. So, it’s well worth checking in regularly as your course could be advertised later on.
If your course doesn’t become available, or it isn’t offered at universities you want to go to, you could always consider taking another subject. Or opt for a joint honours course that couples your ideal subject with another that compliments it. This is a great way of broadening your employment opportunities after you’ve graduated.
When you find a course you like, you need to contact the university offering it to get their permission to add it to your choices list. This is because they need to chat with you first to make sure they want you as a student at their university.
A chat to discuss your situation, why you want to study the course and why you feel you deserve a place with them is typically the process you’ll go through. Then, with their permission, you add it into the UCAS Clearing system.
It’s important to note that you can only add one course to the UCAS Clearing system at a time. If you find another you like, you’ll need to wait for your other choice to make a decision on your application. Or ask them to release you so you can add the course you’ve found that you prefer.
Can I Apply for UCAS Clearing?
If you’ve made a UCAS Undergraduate application and don’t yet hold a place, you can use UCAS Clearing. This means you can use it if you:
- Applied to university late – after the 30th June
- Haven’t received any university offers
- Received a conditional university offer but didn’t get the grades needed
- Received an offer, but you’ve changed your mind and want to look for another course
When Does UCAS Clearing Become Available?
The UCAS Clearing system opens in early July and runs through to mid-October each year. You can find the exact dates on the UCAS website.
What’s the Difference Between UCAS Clearing and UCAS Clearing Plus?
Where UCAS Clearing allows you to search for courses you like yourself, UCAS Clearing Plus sifts through the many options for you.
With so many courses advertised through the system, it can be a bit overwhelming trying to find the one you like best. UCAS Clearing Plus takes that stress off your shoulders and makes finding courses a simple and efficient process.
By taking your details – like the courses you originally applied for, your qualifications and grades – the system then compares this against what universities are ideally looking for in their students. If it finds what it thinks is a good match for you, it submits your information. You’ll also receive details of the courses it’s found, and if you like any, you approve the choice and the institution can then contact you directly.
What Are My Other Options if I Don’t Want to Use UCAS Clearing?
If the UCAS Clearing services don’t appeal to you, don’t worry. There are other ways you can get what you need to study your ideal course.
While you might think you need to rush off to university right away, you shouldn’t feel pressured to take a course you get offered if it’s not right for you. There are plenty of other routes you can take to reach your goal.
Many students go back to college to resit their A Levels. However, there’s another way to get the grades you need much quicker.
Online A Levels and Access to Higher Education (HE) Diplomas enable you to get the grades for university, without having to go back into a physical college and study at a set pace. So, rather than waiting for the next term, you can get back on track to university quickly, in time for next years round of applications.
The thing you need to bear in mind is the degree you sit and the university you study at can all affect the way your life pans out. So if the options in UCAS Clearing aren’t really what you wanted, don’t feel you need to settle for a subject you’d rather not study, or live somewhere that isn’t where you want to be.
This is a really important decision, so it needs to be the right one. That’s why taking the time to study to meet the entry requirements for your first choice can be the best move to make. And Stonebridge Associated Colleges have the courses to help you do just that.
What Courses Does Stonebridge Provide?
We have courses available to help you meet the requirements for all kinds of degrees. Our A Levels and Access to HE Diplomas satisfy the needs for a host of courses, from engineering to accounting, nursing and psychology.
You can study them over two years, or complete them in as little as 6-12months. So your goal of studying at university isn’t so far away.
Our A Levels
The online A Levels we provide are accepted by every university and can help you secure a place on the most competitive degree programmes.
We offer:
- Accounting
- Biology
- Business Studies
- Chemistry
- Economics
- English Language
- English Literature
- Maths
- Physics
- Psychology
- History
- Sociology
Our Access to Higher Education Diplomas
The Access to HE Diplomas we provide are available to students in the UK and are accepted by most universities. The knowledge and skills provided are so specific to certain vocations that the qualification can go in place of up to three A Levels.
They also help you advance onto a number of related degrees. However, please be aware that it’s your responsibility to make sure your university accepts this qualification as part of its entry requirements.
We offer:
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Business and Management)
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Computer Science)
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Education)
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Engineering)
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (English Studies)
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Midwifery)
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Nursing)
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Science) - Medicine and Healthcare Professions Pathway
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Social Science) - Psychology and Sociology
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Social Work)
- Access to Higher Education Diploma (Sports Science)
Please see the Access to HE Diplomas course page for a full list of the Access to HE Diplomas we offer.
What do I need to enrol on Stonebridge’s courses?
No prior qualifications are needed to enrol on these courses. However, most universities will want you to have GCSEs in Maths and English (or equivalent) at grade C or above. So if you haven’t already, it’s best to have these when you’re ready to apply to university.
Besides this, all you need is a computer or laptop and an internet connection.
What Are The Benefits of Studying My Course with Stonebridge?
There are so many benefits of choosing to resit your A Levels or study an Access to HE Diploma with Stonebridge Associated Colleges. These include:
Flexibility
With online courses, there’s no need for teachers or set classes. The course content is readily available online, so you can work through it at a time and place that suits you.
Reduced Costs
There are far fewer costs involved with distance education. You don’t need to pay to travel to class and besides your computer or laptop, you don’t need any physical resources or stationery. Plus, the overheads for the course provider are far less, so your course will often be cheaper when studied online.
Course Variety
With courses being cheaper to run online, there tend to be a lot more options available. So you have more chance of finding one that suits your needs.
Tutor Support
You’ll have the support of a dedicated tutor who will give you guidance and feedback throughout your learning journey.
Faster Completion
Since you can work through the course at your pace, this gives you the freedom to complete it quickly. Many of our students finish their courses and are applying to university within a year.
You’ll just have to bear in mind the dates of your exams if your course includes them. Despite most of them being delivered online, they might only be provided at certain points in the year.
What Are My Payment Options?
We don’t just provide flexible courses, we also provide flexible ways to pay for them.
If you like peace of mind, you can pay for your course in full. Whereas if you’re looking for a more manageable way to pay for your course, you can spread the cost of the fees over instalments.
You can find out more about these payment options by visiting our payment options page.
How Do I Get Started?
In traditional education, you’d have to wait for the next term to get started. Whereas with our online courses, you can make a start today.
All you need to do is:
- Pick the A Level or Access to HE Diploma that suits your needs and enrol via the course page
- Call our student support team directly
- Or contact them online
This is your future, so make the move towards the one you want by calling our team now on 0121 392 8288.
