Clearing is used by applicants who haven’t managed to secure a place for university or college for the current year. You will be eligible for Clearing if you hold no offers or your place has not been confirmed at your chosen university or college after the publication of exam results and you have not withdrawn your application. You can also go through Clearing if you have declined your offers, not responded by the due date or have applied after 30 June 2008 (12 June for Route B art and design courses). Once you become eligible for Clearing you will be sent your Clearing Passport. The Passport contains your Clearing number, though this can also be found on Track at www.ucas.com. The Clearing system is a well-organised and efficient service, backed with a core team of advisers whose knowledge and understanding will make the whole process easy and simple to use. Last year, over 38,000 people found places at a university or college through Clearing. The key to successfully finding a place in Clearing is research and preparation. You may approach as many universities and colleges as you feel necessary during the Clearing period. Always remember that you do not have to accept the first offer that you receive; you will be spending at least three years studying there, so you have to make sure that it is right for you. Get some advice. If you are unsure about anything, there are plenty of people who can help. You can contact a careers adviser or a Connexions personal adviser at your school, college or local careers office. For advice on the application process and Clearing you can contact the UCAS Customer Service Advisers on 0871 468 0 468. When you have decided to look for a place through Clearing you can start researching vacancies. The official lists will be published on www.ucas.com and in the national media from Thursday 14 August (Tuesday 5 August for Scottish vacancies only). Once you have decided on a course, make sure that the content of the course is suitable for you and that you meet the entry requirements. Feel free to contact any universities or colleges that you are interested in and ask them questions about the courses you like the sound of. When you have found a course and institution you like and they are happy that you meet its requirements, they will ask you for your Clearing Passport. It is recommended that you don’t book any holidays over the Clearing period as you will be required to answer questions and make important decisions. Only send your Clearing Passport to the university or college that you are sure you want to attend. You must send the original document and make sure that you read the information on the Clearing Passport carefully before sending it. Once you have accepted your offer, the university or college will inform UCAS who will in turn contact you with a Confirmation letter, this will explain what to do next. Once you have received this letter, you will be pleased to know that you have officially gained your place. If you are flexible and you have reasonable exam results, there is no reason why you can’t find a good course through Clearing. Jobs you can make it big without having a degree.