Today we started “clearing” at the university where I work. This is a new phenomenon to me. I had never even heard of the term before going to work in a British university. Of course, the entire British education system is new to me. Nothing is the same as it is in the US. I’ll try to explain:
School in the UK begins with Primary School from ages 5-10, and continues with Secondary School (also known as Upper or Comprehensive School) from ages 11-16. British schools don’t operate on a grading system like the US does. Kids do make “grades” on tests and projects, but these do not count towards a final passing grade. Instead, all kids advance to the next level regardless of their performance.
At age 16 students then take their GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) exams in a variety of subjects. These exams are NOT mandatory and students not wishing to pursue higher education are not required to take them. Everyone is basically free to leave school at 16 if they choose and are not awarded a “diploma” or anything of that nature for their achievements.
However, if anyone wants to pursue higher education, they must first attend “Sixth Form College” between the ages of 16-18. To gain entry to these schools, they must have passed a minimum number of GCSEs. Upon completion of 2 years at Sixth Form College, they are then eligible to take their A-level (Advanced Level) exams, which are required for university entry. Students must attain a passing grade (A, B or C) on at least 5 different A-level tests in subjects of their choosing.
Students normally apply to their universities of choice at the beginning of their 2nd year of Sixth Form studies. If they do not pass their A-levels or do not make good enough grades on them, they may not gain entry places in the universities of their choice. This is where “clearing” comes in.
Clearing is the process whereby all the universities list vacancies for undergraduate courses – starting on the same day (this year it was Aug 16th). Some have clearing for a day; others carry on for a month or until classes start. Students are free to call in to the various universities during clearing to try and gain entry to specific courses based on openings available. As long as students are flexible and willing to take courses that might differ from what they wanted to take, they can normally gain entry to at least one university willing to take them.
In other words, clearing is a big thing for both the student and the university. The student – because they gain entry to a university even if it’s not their first choice. And the university – because they are able to get the income for a seat that might have otherwise gone unfilled.
