Get prepared for Results Day

Clearing opens on 5 July 2024, but you can get ahead of the crowd and register your interest today. 

By signing up for Clearing updates, you will get tips and Clearing advice direct to your inbox, as well as support from our expert advisors during Clearing.

You might be able to secure a place at Stirling before Clearing by applying through UCAS Extra

Register your interest for Clearing at Stirling today

The countdown is on for results day. We know waiting can feel like agony especially if you need certain results to get your course place at University.

Results day can be stressful but keep calm and don’t panic. The best way to approach Clearing is research your choices so that you avoid making a panicked decision and you're ready for the day. Our guide will help you prepare for results day.

Whatever happens with your results, there will still be plenty of options for you. Clearing is now a very common way of applying to university.

When is results day?

Students in Scotland get their SQA results on Tuesday 6 August 2024

A-levels results come out on Thursday 15 August 2024.

International Baccalaureate results day is 6 July 2024.

Get prepared ahead of results day

Applying for Clearing can be hectic so it's important to research and think about your options before results day. 

  • Have plans for best and worst-case scenarios. Stay focused and think about your options.
    • Is it the course or going to a particular university that is more important to you?
    • Are there other courses you could do at your university of choice?
    • What other universities have similar courses to the one you wanted to do? .
    • Is going to a further education college or starting an apprenticeship an option?
    • Have a gap year and re-apply for university the following year?
  • Make a shortlist of the universities you are interested in. It’s likely you’ll be able to register your interest in Clearing with each of your chosen universities.
  • Note down the Clearing phone lines of the universities you want to contact.
  • To see what it’s like to study at your chosen universities make sure you follow them on social media. You can follow Stirling on InstagramX and Facebook.
  • Make sure all your UCAS contact details are updated.
  • Avoid holidays or trips that will make it difficult for you to work through the Clearing process.
  • Have all your important info and documents ready before you start making calls:
    • UCAS personal ID number
    • Clearing number (available on UCAS Hub if you've been rejected by your first and insurance choices and therefore become eligible for Clearing)
    • results
    • personal statement - you may be asked questions about this
    • National 5 or GCSE results - they can sometimes come up

What happens on results day?

For those in Scotland doing SQA Highers, your Scottish Qualification Certificate (SQC) will arrive by first class post. If you activated your MySQA account you'll get your results by e-mail and/or text.

If you've done A-levels you’ll receive your results from your school or college.

As soon as you’ve got your results you can log into UCAS Hub from 9:00am on SQA results day and from 8:15am on A level results day to see the status of your offer.

It’s important you don’t just assume you’ve automatically lost your place if you haven’t achieved all conditions of your firm or insurance offer. The university might still accept your results so check with your original choices.

UCAS Hub will tell you if you’re eligible to go into Clearing. You can then start searching for available university places.

It's worth looking at UCAS's information on explaining what your status in Hub means and what to do next. 

Start early

Call your shortlisted universities as soon as you know your results. We want to speak to you directly so please don’t get someone else to call on your behalf unless you’ve given them nominated access.

How to get the best out of your phone call:

  • Make sure you’ve fully charged up your phone the night before.
  • You may want to take notes so have a spare pen or two.
  • Make a list of any questions you want to ask about the university, the courses you’re interested in, or any aspect of student life such as accommodation, travel and support services.
  • In busy Clearing periods, don't worry if you're on hold for a while. You will get through and universities are keen to speak to you.

If you get a Clearing offer

If you get an offer over the phone, congratulations!! You're now at university.

You’ll be able to go onto UCAS Hub to formally accept the offer. You can then start an application for accommodation as well as student funding.

If you don't get a Clearing offer

We know this could be a difficult time for you but it's important to remember there are options for you. You can take a year out, regroup and retake your exams. You could build up some work experience or move over to a different qualification path on apprenticeships and traineeships. You could even study abroad on courses offered in English.

Get some advice and assess your options. There will be a way through to something that will be right for you.

Clearing experiences of Stirling students

Hear from some of our students who found coming to the University of Stirling through Clearing to be a simple, easy process and one of the best decisions they've made.

See more of our students' experiences with UCAS Clearing

Questions about Clearing?

Get in touch and talk to our admissions team about Clearing.