Here at Stirling, we recognise that the last couple of years have been tough for students and their families. As a parent or carer, you’ve probably had your hands full providing support to your teen — but when it comes to Clearing and Results Day you’ve got this.
If your student doesn’t end up with the exam results they were hoping for, it’s important to stay calm and stay positive. If you act fast, your teen can still secure a place at university for September 2022.
Just follow our top tips in this guide, and you’ll be able to give your student the support they need to make it through Clearing and end up at university this autumn.
Tips for helping your teen through Clearing
There’s a lot of ground to cover but bear with us. Clearing is actually a lot easier than it looks.
How does UCAS Clearing work?
UCAS Clearing is part of the undergraduate application process. It enables applicants to be matched with UK university places that are still unfilled — and it’s actually now a pretty common way for students to apply to university.
Your student can apply through Clearing if they:
- Didn’t get any offers
- Declined the offers they got
- Failed to meet the conditions of their offers
- Did better than they were expecting
- Applied after 30 June 2022
- Want to switch courses or universities
Clearing dates you need to know
Clearing opens on 5 July 2022. That being said, your teen will only be able to kick start the Clearing process once they’ve got their results. That will be 9 August for students in Scotland, and 18 August for students from the rest of the UK.
For more information on key Clearing dates, check out our guide.
Get ready for Results Day
In the run up to Results Day, it’s important that you and your teen do research in advance. Here at the University of Stirling, we publish all of our Clearing vacancies from 5 July 2022. That means there will be plenty of time for you to check out options for your teen before Results Day.
Most universities will also set up Clearing phone lines that your teen can use to call and discuss their options with advisers. Encourage your teen to look up all of the universities they’re keen on and note down the corresponding phone numbers for Results Day.
You should also get your teen to register their interest in Clearing. This is the perfect way to stay up-to-date on Clearing opportunities and get reminders on key dates. Register now for Clearing support at the University of Stirling.
We also provide Clearing updates for parents and carers! You can sign up for updates here.
When Results Day arrives, you’ve got to start early.
The minute your teen gets their results, encourage them to log onto their UCAS Hub so they can find out if they’re eligible for Clearing. Then, it’s time to start calling the universities you’ve been saving numbers for.
It’s important to note that you can’t make calls on behalf of your teen. To offer them a place, we’ll have to speak directly with them on the phone.
Before chatting with our team, make sure your student has their:
- Exam results
- UCAS personal ID
- UCAS Clearing number
- Information about their qualifications
Make sure your student is prepared to answer a few questions. Universities will normally have questions about why your teen is interested in a particular course. They may be asked to elaborate on their UCAS personal statement, so it could be worth having a few mock phone calls with your teen before Results Day.
You should also get them to write down any extra questions they might have because this is their golden opportunity to find out more about student support, accommodation, funding and more.
Get ready for an emotional rollercoaster
Results Day can be pretty stressful, and both you and your teen need to be prepared for a long and emotional day.
As a parent or carer, you’ve got to be ready to have difficult conversations with your teen. Just remember to stay calm and stay positive. There are loads of options out there, and we’ll do our best to help you find them.
What happens after your teen gets an offer?
If your teen is able to secure an offer over the phone, they’ll need to log onto UCAS Hub. This is where they formally accept their Clearing offer.
After that, they can start an application for university accommodation and student funding if required.
And don’t forget to celebrate! This is a big deal, and we’re sure you’ll be proud.
Additional Clearing support
If you need extra resources to support your teen, we’re here to help. We offer a range of how-to guides and information. Here are a few good places to start:
- Guide to What is Clearing
- Clearing experiences of Stirling students
- Advice for parents, guardians and carers
Want your teen to stay up-to-date on what’s happening with Clearing this summer? Make sure they register for our Clearing updates. We’ll be able to give them all sorts of Clearing tips, tricks and advice direct to their inbox and do everything we can to help them find a university place for September 2022.
We also offer Clearing support for parents and carers. Sign up for updates here.