Clearing & Adjustment 2023

C&A is first come first served so it’s worth getting organised! Prepare a list of all the courses you are interested in, along with their UCAS codes. UCAS codes are a combination of letters and numbers, these can be found on each of our course pages, under the ‘How to apply’ section.

Make sure you have all your results to hand before you apply – your final results for you’re A-Levels, BTECs or equivalent. You will also need to have your GCSE English (Language or Literature) & maths, or equivalent, since we need these results to process your application.

Before you apply, have your UCAS personal ID (if you’ve previously applied via UCAS), your results and the UCAS course code for the course you are interested in to hand. Don’t worry if you haven’t applied via UCAS before – we can send you a Record of Prior Acceptance (RPA) form to complete and we will then add you to UCAS. If you complete this form it is a firm acceptance of your place with us.

We have made the process to apply easy – Call  0345 658 8990 (Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm), email us on info@bedfordcollegegroup.ac.uk or talk to our team via our Live Chat. We suggest you note down our phone number/email address or save it to your phone!

To accept the offer, visit UCAS and add the course choice to your UCAS application. Once you select a course in Clearing and you have officially ‘referred’, you are effectively Firmly Accepting the offer, congratulations!

You can start exploring our courses as well as learning about what it’s like to study with The Bedford College Group. Check out our social media so you can get a flavour of what it is like to be a part of our College community.

The Bedford College Group offers a range of means-tested financial support packages to help overcome any barriers that could prevent you from coming to our Colleges, for more information click here.

Apply online or phone our Customer Contact team on 0345 658 8990 to speak to one of our friendly advisors about our courses, your qualifications, fees and financial support, accommodation, and/or applying to us.

Our Student Services team can offer guidance and support on a wide range of financial, personal and career-related issues and help make your College experience a happy and successful one:

Bedfordshire – 01234 291770 or studentservices@bedford.ac.uk

Northamptonshire – 01536 413232 or studentservices@tresham.ac.uk

Clearing assists numerous students each year in finding university placements. It proves valuable in various situations, including:

• Students who missed out on their offers due to exam results.
• Students who changed their minds about what or where they want to study.
• Students who decided to apply to university during Clearing.

If any of these situations apply to your young adult, they can apply through Clearing.

If your young adult does not meet the required grades for their Conditional, Firm, or Insurance university offers, their offers’ status in the UCAS Hub will change to ‘Unsuccessful,’ and their account status will change to ‘You are in Clearing.’ They will also receive a unique Clearing ID number on their account, which they may need when contacting universities for Clearing.

Clearing can be a stressful time for students, but with preparation, it doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips on how you can support your young adult:

• Engage in open conversations with your young adult about their possible options and how you can support them.
• Assist them in creating a list of potential courses and universities.
• Keep a record of contact details for universities and relevant departments, including UCAS.
• Ensure they have their details ready (UCAS ID, qualifications, pen, and paper) before contacting a university.

If your young adult is still anxious after discussing backup plans for results day, it would be beneficial to divert their attention from these anxious emotions. Encourage them to plan ahead or make plans together in the days leading up to results day. This will keep them occupied and prevent overthinking.

If your child has narrowly missed the required grades, remind them that it is worth contacting their firm and insurance university choices to see if they are still willing to offer them a place before considering the Clearing process.

Remember to remain calm and positive throughout this process.

A ‘centre assessment grade’ is a grade assigned by a teacher based on an estimate of what the student would have achieved. This is the original grade assigned to students before moderation.

Students who have exceeded the requirements of their conditional university offer and have changed their minds about what or where they want to study are eligible for adjustment.

Students can use Clearing to search for available courses and apply to those that interest them. If they receive an offer through Clearing, they can decline their original place and accept the new place in their UCAS Hub. If they are not eligible for a new offer, their original position remains available for them to take.

It is important to note that your young adult can only register for Adjustment once their offer has become ‘Unconditional’ on UCAS, and they have only five days from that point to find and secure a new offer.

If an applicant holds an unconditional firm offer and decides to change their mind, they can click on the ‘Decline my place’ button on UCAS and apply somewhere else during Clearing.

A word of caution: Please encourage careful consideration before releasing into Clearing. If they change their mind, it is unlikely that the current university place will remain open. Changing universities at this stage requires reapplying for accommodation and updating the student finance application.

If you want to support your child/dependent in their decision-making, you can actively engage with them during their research. Visit our campuses together to experience what life with The Bedford College Group will be like.