5. Higher Education
Clearing
Clearing is where all the universities share what spaces they still need to be filled for the upcoming year. Students who didn’t achieve their required grades for their firm or insurance choice, can go through the process of clearing on results day (around mid-August), and see what other universities and courses are available to them. This only happens after all results have been given to students nationwide. Students who have also changed their mind on degree course and university, even after choosing their firm choice, can go through clearing by rejecting their firm offer and find another course.
Conditional offer
This is where a university offers a student a place to study their desired subject but it is only available if they achieve a specific grade or grades in their post-16 exams. it is alternative to an unconditional offer (see below).
Coursework
A form of assessment that is used through secondary school to further education. This can be used alongside exams or as the only kind of assessment. It can come in many forms: written essays, performances, artwork, experiments and investigation, oral work/presentations, and fieldwork that involves a trip.
Deferring, defer
Once a student has received their offer from a university, they can request to defer if they have any issues that prevent them being able to attend the university in that September. The university can then hold the space for another year without the applicant entering the UCAS application process again.
ENIC
This is the UK national information centre for the recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills. It is a service that provides evidence of the level of your overseas qualification for employment, study, professional registration or another reason. There is a charge for this service, more information is available on the ENIC website.
Firm choice
After the student has received their offers from universities, they have to choose a favourite; this is referred to as their firm choice. Once a student has chosen their firm choice and has selected this on the UCAS website, they cannot change their choice. If this offer is conditional, they will be attending this university if they achieve the grades the university requires them to achieve, if not they will go to their insurance choice, and if they haven’t achieved the grades required by their insurance option, they can choose to go through clearing.
Halls/Student Accommodation
Halls and student accommodation are places of residence that are owned or managed by the university. They can be big apartment blocks, smaller flats, or houses, where the student can rent a room. This is often available for the first year of university and can be available for some students for later years.
Insurance choice
This is an alternative university that the student chooses when applying, just in case they don’t achieve the grades required for their firm choice. This is commonly a university which asks for lower grades
Master’s Degree
This is a shorter degree that someone can choose to do after they have completed their undergraduate/bachelor’s degree. It is normally to specialise in a subject, and lasts 1 (full time) or 2 (part time) years.
PhD
PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy, but that does not mean someone can only study the subject of philosophy. It is a research-based degree for students who have completed both the Undergraduate and Master’s degree but want to research more into their academic study. This normally lasts 3 (full time) to 6 (part time) years.
UCAS points
These are points that are used to allocate places for universities and colleges. Every qualification that is awarded during high school and sixth form can be converted into points.
Unconditional offer
This is where a university offers a student a place to study their desired subject and they are guaranteed this place even if they don’t get the grades they expect to achieve in their further educational exams. This offer only remains unconditional if the students selects this university as their firm choice.
Undergraduate/Bachelor's degree
A student studies for 3 (full time) to 6 (part time) years in a specific subject.
Further information on higher education.