Clearing is a great opportunity to consider your options, whether you want to change your mind about your course or university, or didn’t get the grades you were hoping for. Being prepared will help you feel more confident and assured about the process. That’s why we’ve created a Clearing checklist that takes you through each step. It will help you learn how to prepare for Clearing this year. You can refer back to it at any time and work with your tutor, your parents or a friend to complete it.
Beginning of April - Learn about Clearing
The first task on the checklist is learning about what Clearing actually is and who it’s for.
Clearing is a period outside of the normal UCAS application window, where students can apply for places at a university that haven’t already been filled. It’s a fantastic opportunity for students who:
- Have changed their mind about what course they want to study
- Haven’t received any offers from the universities they’ve applied to
- Decided they want to attend university after the application deadline on the 30th of June
- Received grades they weren’t expecting
You’re eligible to apply through Clearing if you haven’t already accepted an offer from another university, and there are spaces available on the course you are interested in. Most courses available through Clearing will be for full-time, on-campus undergraduate courses.
When is Clearing?
This year Clearing starts on the 5 July and ends on the 21 October*.
If you have any questions, contact one of our experts at admissions@port.ac.uk (for Home applicants) or globaladmissions@port.ac.uk if you are an EU or Overseas applicant for further advice.
*Please note this is the date UCAS keeps their Clearing service open and we can close applications earlier than this.
Beginning of May - Hear from our students
Alongside choosing the right course, you’ll want to know what it’s like to live and study in Portsmouth. To help you make a decision, hear from our students themselves. Their experience will give you a unique insight into life here. They’ll also have tips on how to prepare for Clearing at the university.
The best place to get to know Portsmouth, is to visit in person at one of our Open Days. You’ll be able to ask questions to our staff and students.
End of May - Sort out Student Finance
It’s best to apply to Student Finance as soon as possible, so that you’ll have enough money for living expenses from the beginning of your study. As soon as you know you want to go to university, read our information on undergraduate fees and student finance.
Beginning of June - Research courses you want to study
Whether you’ve changed your mind about what to study, or are curious about what’s available here at the University of Portsmouth, browse through our course list to see what degree you could study. You’ll find lots of information on our courses pages about the modules you’ll study, the teaching staff and the facilities available to you.
Applicants are encouraged to review the standard entity requirements to see if an interview is required. Please note, that if an interview is required in the standard entity requirements, it will also be required at Clearing.
If you have a dream career in mind, you could ask your Careers Advisor at your college or school to help you find the best course to get you there.
End of June - Look at accommodation options
It’s a good idea to know what accommodation is available to you. You may want to live in halls during your first year, or move into private housing with a friend. Whatever you decide, our 24/7 support will be available to you.
Once you’ve accepted your place through Clearing, you’ll receive an email from our student housing team within 24 hours. This email is your invitation to apply for accommodation.
If you want to secure accommodation with a friend, both of you will need to email student housing and make a request.
You may be considering staying at home during your studies. If this is the case, please let our admissions team know when you ring our Clearing phone number.
July 2024 onwards - Call us during Clearing
You can apply to Clearing once you have all your final, confirmed exam results. If you're waiting for results in August, doing all the prep work will get you in the best position possible if you decide to go through Clearing.
Whatever your reason for going through Clearing, we’ll welcome a call from you during the Clearing period. Now you know what to do for Clearing, the next step is ringing up.
Good luck with your Clearing application this year.