To help you get your head around the UCAS Clearing 2018 process, and what it all means, we’ve put together a handy glossary of frequently-used terms, so that you’re ready to discuss your options with us when you get your exam results.
Adjustment
If your grades are better than predicted, you may be able to get a place on a course with higher entry requirements. To do this, you can go through the Adjustment process – while still holding your original confirmed place.
Choice
A Choice is a course you apply for. If you’ve already applied through UCAS, you should have made multiple choices. When you get your exam results you can view our Clearing vacancies (courses with available places) and make your choice through UCAS Clearing.
Clearing
UCAS Clearing 2018 is the process you can go through if you didn’t get a place on a course of your choice – whether that’s because you didn’t receive any offers, declined your offers, or didn’t get the grades you needed.
Conditional offer
An offer of a place on a course subject to certain conditions – usually linked to your exam results.
Confirmation
If you meet the terms of a conditional offer – for example, you get the required exam results, you will be offered a place on the course. Confirmation can also refer to you accepting our offer of a place through Clearing.
Course
View our UCAS Clearing 2018 courses to find vacancies across different subjects and levels. These will vary depending on which country you’re applying from.
Deferral
If you think you’d like to start your course in the following academic year, you can choose to defer an offer.
Entry requirements
Each course has criteria that you must meet or exceed to be offered a place. This may include grades from specific subjects (e.g. B in English) and overall grades, to admissions tests and interviews.
Firm choice
An offer you accept as your first choice within your UCAS application. You can still apply to Stirling through Clearing even if you hold offers.
Helpline, UCAS Clearing 2018
A phone number (+44 (0)1786 466166) set up by the University of Stirling specifically for Clearing 2018 enquiries. Whether you have your 2018 exam results – or you’d just like to chat through your options – give us a call. Operational hours can be seen on the University of Stirling Clearing pages.
Informal offer
Through UCAS Clearing, you may receive an informal (or verbal) offer. Once you add this as your Clearing choice in UCAS Track, and it has been processed, it will be confirmed.
Insurance choice
An offer you accept as your second choice within your UCAS application, in case you don’t meet the conditions of your firm offer.
Point of entry
This is the year of the course you start at. Your point of entry may not always be the first year, depending on your qualifications and the requirements of the course.
Track
UCAS Track allows you to track your application. During Clearing, if you receive an offer and are applying through UCAS, you will need to add the course to Track so it can be processed.
UCAS
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the UK, through which most students apply to undergraduate courses.
Unconditional offer
An offer of a place on your chosen course that is subject to no conditions.
Unsuccessful
The outcome of an application if you either haven’t been made an offer or you have not met the conditions of an offer.