With A level results day less than 48 hours away, the UCAS website has all the information university applicants need to be fully prepared, whatever grades they achieve.
Students can sign in to Track on the UCAS website from 08:00 on Thursday (18 August) to see if their place in higher education has been confirmed, or if they are eligible to use Clearing – the service that can match unplaced applicants with suitable vacancies.
No one can make a formal Clearing choice until 15:00 on results day. That leaves time to research courses with vacancies on the UCAS website, and to get in touch with universities and colleges to discuss the options.
Admissions officers will then decide whether to make a verbal offer, which they can later confirm through UCAS.
One in eight people accepted to university in 2015 got their place through Clearing, UCAS data shows.
Mary Curnock Cook, UCAS’ Chief Executive said: ‘In recent years, the majority of 18 year old applicants from the UK have been accepted to their first ‘firm’ choice of university. But if things don’t quite turn out as planned, there will be thousands of courses with vacancies in Clearing, in a wide range of subjects.
‘The UCAS website has all the advice you need to research the options before speaking to universities about alternatives.’
UCAS advisers will be on hand from 07:30 on Thursday morning and the admissions service’s website has all the details on how to get in touch by telephone and on social media channels.
For advice on the full range of options after getting your results – not just university – experienced careers advisers from the Exam Results Helpline are ready to talk to you on 0808 100 8000.
