How to Call Universities During Clearing

Clearing is the process of changing your university and/or degree choices. While navigating Clearing can be overwhelming, one of the most effective ways to seize the opportunity is to directly contact universities by calling them on the phone.

What to expect from a Clearing call

Some calls are as simple as confirming your actual grades after Results Day. If you have not applied to the university before, you may need to give your grades over the phone and answer some quick questions.

Other Clearing calls may feel like a university interview. This is not always the case, and you may still be summoned to an interview with the university before they confirm your place anyway. However, prepare for your call as if it were an interview. That way, you are prepared if you are questioned and relieved if you’re not. You may still be summoned to a university interview, even if you used the Clearing Plus service.

How to prepare for a Clearing call

Ensure you have all the relevant documents you need (your ID, grades etc.) and know enough about the university and the course before the Clearing call. Have the UCAS helpline number and email available, too, in case you have any questions the university may be unable to answer.

Do your research

Research the university and the course before you start. This doesn’t mean knowing every single detail about the university’s history by heart, but you will need to know what modules your course has and what kind of career you want to have by the end of it.

Research is vital for any call. The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel. You can prepare some questions of your own, but try and pull down any information you can find from other sources. Uni Compare’s university profiles and course pages should provide you with ample information for your call.

Be enthusiastic on the call

Enthusiasm can get you further than you think. Enthusiasm for a course can often factor into a university’s decision to take you on. They want someone on the course who actually wants to be there!

Enthusiasm shows interest. The more interest you show, the more attractive you are to a university. Universities are sometimes picky about who they will allow to attend their courses, but they would prefer it if the students showed an interest in the course. If you are applying for a course with a very high application rate, then your enthusiasm for the course could turn the tide in your favour.

Showing your interest doesn’t just mean talking a lot or sounding happy. Asking genuine questions about the course, how it’s taught and what it’s like at that university proves you’re considering studying there.

Make notes

These notes can help you if you find yourself a little tongue-tied. If you struggle to find any questions you want to ask, or wish to reference key dates etc., then notes will help you more than simply trying to guess.

The university will tell you things that you need to know too. This could be important information about your start date, where you will be staying, what the payments may look like for your first term and what equipment you may need to pick up. Most of this information will be sent to you before you start, but it always helps to be organised and it gives you an idea of what things to look for when you go to university.

Make sure you practice your answers

Think about the questions you might be asked and then practice your responses. Rehearsing your answers can make it feel more natural and will give you the safety blanket of having something prepared beforehand. You can also rehearse the prompts with friends, family members or a teacher as well.

If you don’t want to practice, keep some bullet points handy. We all lose the thread of what we’re saying sometimes, so keeping a small bullet-pointed list nearby will give you some important points to touch on when answering questions.

What questions will I be asked on a Clearing call? You may be asked a range of questions on your Clearing call. Universities tend to use these opportunities as a “soft interview” for prospective students.

Why do you want to study with us?

What is it that the university offers that makes you so interested? This is your chance to flatter the university and speak about the facilities and equipment or lecturers they have that interest you so much. Do they have a dedicated space for your speciality? Do you like the late library study hours or how the course is taught?

What makes you want to study this course?

What attracts you to the course? Speak about the course in-depth and what makes you so interested in it. For example, if you are studying a film course, was there a film, actor or director that interested you in the medium? Do you like how it’s more practical over theory-based coursework? If you are studying a psychology course, did you perhaps read a book that prompted your interest in the subject?

How do you motivate yourself?

This tells the university what kind of worker you are. Universities like to know what it is that makes you work as hard as possible. That way, lecturers can tailor their own teaching approach to you. This also gives the university insight into what kind of student you will be with regard to completing tasks on time.

Some courses may be predominantly coursework, while others rely on practical assessments or end of year examinations. If you know your course has exams, you can tell them how you stay determined with your studies and make yourself a timetable to stick to, as an example.

How do you deal with stress?

Stress is a natural part of the process at university and some do not handle it as well as others. The university may offer you the opportunity to use its in-house counselling or mental health services. This is also a chance for them to see how you may cope with the amount of coursework you will have. It’s also an opportunity for you to find out about them!

What would you say is your biggest weakness?

This is not a trick question. This question is usually something that people applying to university or for a job struggle with. Universities (and employers) are not looking for you to give strengths that are disguised as weaknesses (for example: “I feel I’m too nice”). Give an actual weakness you have and talk about what steps you are taking to improve them.

For example, if you struggle with time management you could explain how you set alarms on your watch and phone to ensure you don’t miss appointments.

What is your school like?

Be respectful. It’s important to be honest, but you don’t want to be too colourful in your descriptions. Universities are looking to see what background you had in order to achieve the grades you've achieved and also to see whether you can recognise the part the school will have played in your education.

They don’t want to hear about you moaning about that science teacher you didn’t like. Instead, talk about the qualities you enjoyed at school and any unique opportunities you had while studying there.

Why did you take a gap year?

If you didn’t take a gap year then this question will not apply to you. Did you perhaps take a gap year in order to retake exams? Did you fancy a year out to discover the planet? Did you decide to earn some extra money ahead of going to university? Universities want to know what the reasons are and they want to know what you learned when on the gap year.

Can you give an example of when you have demonstrated leadership skills?

This is another chance for the university to gauge what kind of person you are. Not all universities will ask this, but it is best to prepare for it all the same. For instance, did you lead a group project at college or sixth form? Or perhaps you directed a school play, or managed your sports team?

What are your plans after you graduate?

How will the course help you in your career? This is a question designed to see why the course is so useful to you moving forward, how you plan to use what you've learned and how you plan to make a career for yourself in this field.

Most of the questions you will be asked will be contextual. For example, students who missed out on the top grade at A-Level or T-Level or for their BTEC may be asked what held them back. Prepare for personal questions and have your answers ready. If you have a career in mind, tell them, but if you’re still unsure that’s okay too! Be honest. Explain you’re choosing to study the subject because it intrigues you and you can list various jobs you think it can lead to that excite you. The person on the other end of the Clearing call is not expecting you to have a five or 10-year plan prepared.

Clearing checklist

A checklist is an excellent way to prepare for your Clearing call. It’s best to set your checklist into three sections “before the call”, “during the call” and “after the call”. This will give you a sense of structure and rhythm.

Before the call:

• UCAS number.
• UCAS application number.
• Clearing number from UCAS Hub.
• Pen and paper or notepad.
• UCAS contact number (just in case).
• Any previous offer letters.
• Computer or laptop.
• Your actual results.
• Your personal statement.
• A charged mobile phone.

The call:

• Move onto the next option if you can’t get through.
• Take down the names, email addresses and contact information of anyone you speak to.
• Keep a note of all accommodation and student finance information.
• If you don’t like the sound of the course or university, then move on.
• Find out what your next steps are.

After the call:

• Create action points.
• Sort out accommodation and student finance.
• Tell your student finance body where you will be studying.

If after speaking to one university you decide it’s not for you, call another one that is on your list. Your first conversation won’t always be the right one. It’s okay to speak to more than one university. Clearing isn’t just about finding a course, it’s about ensuring you find the right course for you!

A checklist is an excellent way of getting yourself into the right mindset for your call. Ensure you keep some good notes from your call and create action points on what to do next. This will differ for each student, so pay attention to what the university tells you to do and go from there.