Applying directly into Clearing

CONTENTS

1. What’s a direct Clearing application?

2. How do I apply this way?

3. Who can apply directly?

4. Why should I apply directly?

What’s a direct Clearing application?

A direct application is made for a Clearing course by a student who hasn’t already applied for university. Any student applying to university for the first time after the 30 June deadline will have to make a direct Clearing application. 

How do I apply this way?

Direct Clearing applications can be made in two ways. 

The most common way is to apply through UCAS Clearing. This opens on 5th July 2023. You’ll need to create a UCAS Hub account, where you’ll be given a unique UCAS ID number. You’ll need to write a personal statement and provide an academic reference.  

Once you’ve received your grades, you can start calling universities to see whether you get any verbal offers. Each university will have a dedicated Clearing hotline for you to call, which can be found when searching for Clearing courses.

You can also apply directly without UCAS, through Record of Prior Acceptance (RPA). Some universities will let you do this, but not all. The university will typically send your offer via email with a link to complete an online form. Check this with the university when you call.

It's more common for international students to apply directly without UCAS via an agent or a guidance counsellor, it’s rarer for a UK student to choose this option — unless their route doesn't fit the usual UCAS deadlines.

Who can apply directly?

Students who haven’t made a university application by the 30 June deadline can apply directly via UCAS Clearing.  Many direct applications are made by mature students but also by students who are:  

• waiting to see their results before applying to university,  
• still unsure whether to go or not, or  
• who have only decided to go to university after the deadline.

Why should I apply directly?

Applying directly gives you more time to consider what you’d like to study and where. You may not know what degree you’d like to do by the 30 June application deadline, so applying directly into Clearing gives you extra time. 

You may prefer to wait until you have your results, so you know what courses are realistic to pursue. By waiting you could have a greater chance of acceptance onto a course, as many universities lower their entry requirements in Clearing. 

However, choosing to apply directly means you could miss out on certain courses and universities. Medicine and Veterinary Medicine courses often fill their places before Clearing opens, so you won’t find many available Clearing courses in these subjects, but this can vary from university to university.