Clearing Arts Courses

Getting onto an Arts course through Clearing 2023

If you’ve set your heart on going to uni in the autumn to study an Arts course you may be looking forward to results day and confident that your uni offer will be confirmed. Or you may be starting to think about how your exams went, how you weren’t so happy with your coursework or your portfolio hasn’t shaped up as you’d hoped.

If you have any doubts at all that you may not make the grades you need to get into your chosen Creative Arts course, you need to prepare for results day and have a plan for Clearing Arts courses.

Have an arty summer

After exams have finished you have almost 2 months to results day, so loads of time to chill and relax and enjoy the summer weather (or stay under the duvet). You’ll soon be bored so why not plan in some constructive things to do to help you pursue your dream of taking an Arts degree and getting on the first rung of the ladder towards an artistic career?

Practise your art: Now is the time to fuel your creativity. Exams and assignments are finished – you can draw, paint, write, make music using whatever inspiration you like, all in your own time.

Build a new portfolio: If your portfolio for your Arts course is OK but lacks the wow factor, why not start building a private one? You have more experience under your belt now, so why not create a new collection of work that you can use in the future.

Make a plan for Clearing: A new or expanded portfolio could be part of this but you can also do more practical planning. Assume the worst: you haven’t got into any of your uni choices. What alternatives can you think of? How has your thinking changed over the last 6 months? Get looking at courses at different universities and put together a list of possibilities.

Keep calm and carry on to results day

Make sure you don’t get stressed out worrying about your art exam results. No amount of worrying can change them now and stress is a creativity killer.

When results day comes, get up early and check them online if you can. Howling with disappointment is always best done in your bedroom, not in the hall at college. Some places put students’ results up from 6am, so checking in this way gives you a head start.

With a couple of hours to go before the Clearing hotlines open, you have time to collect your thoughts, finalise your plan and have a good breakfast.

Refer to the Clearing plan you made over the summer, revisit the Arts courses you have shortlisted and look online at the websites of some of the universities you are thinking of applying to.

Top tips for getting an Arts course through Clearing

Before you do anything, check your UCAS track to make sure that your original choices haven’t accepted you after all. It’s not that uncommon for this to happen.

If the Clearing button appears on your UCAS track, you will know definitely that you need to get moving. As soon as the Clearing desk of your top choice opens, call to speak to the admissions tutor and go through your options.

Talk through the Arts courses you are interested in and check their availability. They will then help you from there but remember you don’t have to make a snap decision.

Take a little time to reflect, talk to friends and family or go into college for professional advice.