A Guide to Medicine Clearing

What Is Medicine Clearing?

UCAS Clearing allows universities to open course spaces to students who may have the grades required to gain a place but may not have received offers at other universities.

It’s an uncommon route to Medical School, because it’s rare to find Medicine spaces in Clearing. Find out how this student got a place at St George’s through Clearing a couple of years ago.

What Are The Options For 2021?

Unfortunately there aren’t any Medicine courses listed for Clearing in 2021.

If you’ve missed out on a place to study Medicine, you might want to consider alternative pathways such as:

• Taking a year out and re-applying next year
• Resitting your A-Levels and re-applying
• Studying a related course and then applying for Graduate Entry Medicine
• Studying Medicine abroad
• Exploring Allied Health career options, which you may find just as appealing

Catch up on our webinar, held in partnership with Swansea Medical School, to find out more about your options for 2021:

How Do I Make An Application For Medicine Through Clearing?

Applying for Medicine through Clearing is relatively straightforward. You can also find out more about Clearing on the UCAS website. 

1. Use the UCAS search function to search for Medicine course vacancies. These will be snapped up fast, so the quicker you contact them the better!
2. Contact the universities you’re interested in asking them if they will accept you.
3. If the university will accept you, you then upload the details of the course under ‘Your choices’ and then ‘Add a Clearing choice’ in Track.

Want advice from a student who has been through the clearing process? Take a look at this piece from a Swansea Graduate.

What Should I Do Before Results Day?

1. Make sure you have your Clearing number and UCAS Personal ID number (these can be found on your UCAS Track under ‘Your Choices’, so make a note of this beforehand), your predicted grades, your Personal Statement and your GCSE results. You could print these out if necessary.
2. Bring a pen and paper to jot things down while on the phone.
3. If you have an idea of the universities you might like to contact, make sure you research them before you call them – you may be asked why you want to attend that particular Medical School on the phone, so make sure you have an answer!
4. Remember to charge your phone before results day – you’ll need it to call the universities!