Coventry University expert reveals everything you need to know about Clearing 2020

This is the busiest time of the year for the Coventry University (Coventry and London) and CU (Coventry, Scarborough and London) student recruitment team but regional student recruitment manager Dylan Cozens took time out of his hectic schedule to reveal what Clearing is all about.

Many people associate Clearing with A-Level results day, which is Thursday 13 August this year, but Dylan and his team have been working non-stop since the start of July when Clearing opened.

Dylan graduated from Coventry University in 2009 and has been a fixture in the university’s Clearing team since 2015.

He has been on call answering queries about Clearing and will be coordinating the campus operation this week.

And as Coventry University prepares to welcome students to Coventry and London and CU readies its bases in Coventry, London and Scarborough the experienced recruiter has revealed everything you need to know about clearing. Here’s what he had to say:

• What is Clearing?

The Clearing process, which is operated by UCAS, is designed to help people find a university course that matches their needs and aspirations. From July to October would-be students can apply for a course using Clearing if they are not already holding an offer from a university or college, and the course still has places.

Clearing can be used if people apply after 30 June, didn’t receive any offers (or none they wanted to accept), didn’t meet the conditions of their offers or if declined a firm place by using the ‘decline my place’ button in Track.

• How have you prepared for Clearing?

This year has been different for us and will be different for every university and all students due to COVID-19. We have done all of the planning from home and started handling calls in July. We planned for a virtual clearing but we are now able to be on campus next week. We will have 80 staff on campus answering calls and managing our new digital chat function, 15 supervisors on hand to help and a number of university colleagues working from home to support.

We care about our colleagues and future students and we have ensured that the process prioritises safety for all.

• What are the key dates I need to know?

Clearing opened for 2020 entry on July 6. If you know your results, you can contact us to see if we can make you an offer.

On Thursday 13 August, A-Level results will be announced and the Coventry University and CU Clearing Hotline opens.

The final day to add a Clearing choice is Tuesday 20 October. However, applications received after Monday 5 October for a September start date will be considered on an individual basis. What’s more, our flexible study options and multiple intakes throughout the year offer the opportunity to join us after this clearing deadline and start your studies at later date.

• I already have questions about Clearing - can I get in touch now?

Yes! you can speak to one of our team and they can answer your questions about Clearing, or even offer you a place if you know your results.

If you have all your results, we could offer you a place now. You can contact us on +44 (0)24 7688 8888 or chat with us online.
If you are waiting for your results you can still talk to an advisor. You can chat to us online to ask questions about Clearing.

• Can I change my mind about which university I attend?

If you have you already made your decision in UCAS but are interested in joining a different university in September, don’t worry. You can ‘self release’ into Clearing.

Self-release gives you greater control over your UCAS application.
Instead of contacting your chosen university or college and waiting to be released into Clearing, you are now able to do this yourself. Self-release is available in UCAS Track to all placed applicants now.

The process of self-release is simple, but several warnings are flagged up throughout the process to ensure you are fully aware of what you are doing. We would recommend you seek advice from UCAS to make sure this is the right route for you. Here’s how to self-release: Step One, Sign into UCAS Track, then click ‘Decline my place’ on the homepage. For Step Two you will be taken to a page explaining what you are about to do. Then prompted with a drop-down question before confirming. Once this has been completed you are in Step Three and you will receive an email confirming you are released into Clearing.
If you have made a mistake, you will be advised to phone the university or college that you have declined.

• I have gained better results than expected, can I use Clearing to change my university?

Yes. This is called adjustment. If you do better in your exams than expected, you may want to think again about your study options. You can do this through a process called 'Adjustment'. The UCAS website has more information on the Adjustment process.

• What can I study?

Our Clearing course list is available now – with a wide variety of courses open, across all six of our locations.

• What is Clearing Plus?

Clearing Plus is a new feature on UCAS Track. It allows you to see a list of courses that are ‘matched’ to you if you are an unplaced applicant, based on your application and what universities are looking for.

You can then say you're interested in a course, and the university will get your details and can contact you directly if they can offer you a place. If you already have a confirmed place, you can release yourself into Clearing to use Clearing Plus – see ‘Changed your mind?’ above.

• How do I sort out accommodation?

We are offering a guaranteed place in halls for all Coventry University and CU Coventry applicants accepted through Clearing - including university and privately-owned halls.
Our friendly phone operators will talk you through the process of securing your accommodation after you have accepted an offer.

• What measures have Coventry University and CU taken to ensure accommodation is COVID-19 secure?

We have brought in additional health and safety measures in our accommodation due to COVID-19. For enhanced building hygiene, hand sanitisers are located at the entry points to all accommodation, ground floor lifts and social spaces, high traffic common areas will receive a regular deep clean with anti-viral disinfectant, day cleaning staff will focus on cleaning touch points using anti-viral disinfectant, alterations will be made to increase ventilation within university buildings where reasonably practicable and additional mobile sanitising stations will be installed in communal areas.

To encourage social distancing, reception areas are fitted with clear plastic screens, social distancing posters, markers and advice are on display and there is clear signage in relation to one-way systems and directional travel.

• Will you be offering face-to-face teaching in September?

As a university, we are fully committed to delivering as much face-to-face teaching and the widest university experience as possible from September 2020, for both our new and returning students.
Based on current government guidelines, our campuses will reopen for teaching from the following dates, based on your location:
Coventry University – 14 September 2020
Coventry University London – 21 September 2020
CU Coventry – 21 September 2020 (Block 1)
CU Scarborough – 21 September 2020 (Block 1)
CU London – 21 September 2020 (Block 1)
Subject to there being any changes in government advice, we will be offering a blend of on-campus learning and online learning to ensure you have a consistent and high-quality experience. We are currently working course by course to determine how timetables will look from September, and hope on most courses to provide at least five hours of on-campus timetabled learning per student each week during each semester/block, with the remainder delivered online. We remain committed and prepared to deliver the TEF Gold-standard teaching for which we are known. To help us do this, we are introducing Aula, an interactive and engaging virtual learning environment, to all of our courses starting this September. Obviously, the current situation is likely to change quickly, and our planning is preparing us to be flexible.

Find out more about clearing.