Results Day 2022: What is clearing, A Level grade boundaries and UCAS codes for Newcastle universities

As students in Newcastle receive their results for the A Level exams, stress is also growing over getting into the university of their choosing.

Results day may be quite stressful for some students, whether it’s because there aren’t enough spots at their top-choice university or they didn’t receive the required marks.

However, there are still options, such as getting a place through Clearing, therefore, failing to get the necessary marks or acceptance to your desired university is not the end of the road.

So what is Clearing and how can you apply for it?

Here’s everything you need to know about the process.

What is Clearing?

Clearing is for students who haven’t met the entry requirements for their chosen course, or haven’t received an offer.

Those who meet these requirements are automatically entered into Clearing on UCAS. This route is also available to late applicants who still wish to attend a university.

According to the UCAS website: “Clearing is how universities and colleges fill any places they still have on their courses.”

If you’re not already holding an offer from a university or college, you can apply for a course using clearing if the course still has available spaces.

What are the criteria for you to be qualified for Clearing?

According to UCAS, clearing matches applicants to university places that are yet to be filled.

The option is available to anyone who has made a UCAS Undergraduate application and doesn’t hold any offers. Running from 5 July to 18 October, you’ll be eligible for Clearing if:

• you’re applying after 30 June
• you didn’t receive any offers (or none you wanted to accept)
• you didn’t meet the conditions of your offers
• you’ve paid the multiple choice application fee of £26.50
• you’ve declined your firm place using the ‘decline my place’ button in your application

When does Clearing open and how does it work?

Many universities now offer their own clearing services for students seeking a spot for the 2022–2023 academic year.

Calling a university for clearing, prospective students will likely be given a series of questions by university officials before being connected with a lecturer who teaches the course they are applying for.

Some clearing procedures involve simply an initial phone conversation, whilst others may need a second interview, depending on the institution and the course itself.

Clearing closes across the UK on Tuesday, October 18.

What universities are there in Newcastle?

Newcastle is home to two institutions that are recognised worldwide. They are:

• Newcastle University
• Northumbria University

Newcastle University

Newcastle University provides a comprehensive list of courses that can be applied for through the clearing process.

UCAS code: N21

Hotline: 0800 070 5050

Email: [email protected]

Northumbria University

Northumbria University’s website also provides a comprehensive listing of courses offered.

UCAS code: N77

Hotline: 0800 085 1085

Email: [email protected]

What are grade boundaries for A Level?

According to the exam board OCR, a grade boundary is the minimum score you need to get a grade, which is set at the qualification level.

The grade boundaries change every year, depending on the difficulty of the paper.

Grade boundaries in 2022 are expected to be lower than when summer exams were set in 2019, meaning students will likely receive higher grades than that particular cohort. However, the official boundaries won’t be available to see until Thursday 18 August 2022, when A level results are announced.

Government regular Ofqual, which is trying to gradually re-establish pre-pandemic criteria, said: “Grade boundaries change each year to reflect any differences in the demand of the question papers.

“Results (in 2022) will be part-way between those of summer 2019 and summer 2021. It is unlikely that results will be precisely at a midpoint between summer 2019 and 2021 – overall or for individual subjects. This will also likely vary at different grades, because it will depend on how students have performed.

“Results in summer 2021 were higher than in 2019 to a greater extent in some subjects than others. Our approach this summer allows us to begin to re-establish pre-pandemic relationships between subjects.

“Students’ grades will be determined only by the number of marks they achieve on the assessments. It doesn’t matter where in the country students are located, or the type of school or college they attend; the same grade boundaries will apply to everyone taking the qualification.”