What advice should I give my students if they have not received the A-level results they needed?

Stay calm. It is not the end of the world. Every year thousands of students find themselves in this situation and yet go on to have hugely enjoyable and fruitful experiences at university.

How do students apply for a place using clearing?

If students find out they are in clearing, make sure they don’t panic. Explain to students that they should go to the Ucas website where they can view the full list of vacancies available through clearing at all universities. If there’s a particular university they’re interested in, students can go directly to their website to see their available courses. After doing a bit of research, they should start drawing up a shortlist of universities and courses they might be interested in.

The next step is calling the universities they’re interested in to find out if they would be willing to make an offer. It’s usually a first come first served basis so you need to be organised and have all the relevant information to hand to help make the process as streamlined as possible.

This includes the student’s Ucas personal ID number, details of their qualifications (including GCSEs) and it’s also important to be ready to explain why they want to go to that university and why they want to study that course. Universities need to speak directly to students - not to parents or teachers.

• All you need to know about A-level results day
• The key dates for clearing 2017 
• Clearing 2017: Top 10 UK universities with courses available

Do students have to look for the same subject they originally applied for? Could they be accepted on to a different course through clearing?

No, they don’t have to look for the same subject. Clearing is a great opportunity to find a place on another course - it could be a chance to go for something they might never have thought of. 

How long do students have to decide whether to accept a place offered through clearing?

At most universities, if students are offered a place through clearing, this will be confirmed by email. The offer will then usually be held open for 48 hours to allow time to consider your options before making a final decision. However, this can vary between universities.

If students get better results than expected, can they still use clearing to find a different course?

Yes. If they have done better than expected, they will have the option to apply to another course or university with your higher points through the adjustment process.

If students have met and exceeded the terms of their conditional firm offer and have been accepted on that course, Ucas adjustment allows them the opportunity to look for a different course at a different institution while still holding their confirmed place. Therefore, if students register for Ucas adjustment, but don’t find anything, they’ll still keep the course they gained on results day.

Students are only eligible for adjustment from the day they are confirmed at their firm choice. They have five calendar days to make an adjustment choice and their original place is held for that time.

If students are taking a gap year but haven’t got the place they wanted for the following year, can they still use clearing to get a place for after they finish my gap year?

Yes, they can look for a deferred university place through clearing - although it is at the university’s discretion as to whether they make a deferred offer for the following academic year.

If a student has met the conditions of one of their offers, but want to see if they find something better through clearing, do they have to accept their offer straight away, or can they try to get a place on a different course through clearing while keeping hold of the offer they’ve already got?

Students can only apply through clearing if they have no other offers, so they’ll need to ask the university that has confirmed their place to release them into clearing, however, this will be at their discretion. They might want to make sure they have a verbal offer somewhere else before doing this.

Many universities will ask students to confirm the request in writing before they release them, so be patient. It’s a very busy time but most will try to reply as quickly as possible.

Why do universities offer places through clearing?

The clearing process can be beneficial to both students and universities alike. Clearing allows universities to match up vacancies on its courses with students who, unfortunately, haven’t got into their first- or second-choice universities.

How many universities can students approach?

They can approach many as they would like but taking a more focused approach is recommended - they should target those that they think might say yes. It is worth remembering that a university may make an offer for a different course to the one that your student was asking about.

When does clearing finish?

Ucas will process new applications up to 20 September and a list of course vacancies in clearing will be available on the Ucas website until 30 September. The last date for students to add clearing choices, and for unis/colleges to accept applicants, is 23 October 2017. 

All of the key dates for clearing 2017 can be found here. 

For all the latest news and views on A-level results day, please visit our specialist A-level results hub.