So, You've Got Into Uni Through Clearing? What Now?
16 August 2024
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This article was written by Costume Design for Film & Television BA(Hons) student Natalie.
Whether you’ve switched universities, switched courses or made a last minute decision to go to university, the time period between results day/the Clearing period can seem quite short. I only decided that I wanted to go to university a month before move in day, so here are my top tips to get ready for university last-minute.
First of all, make sure not to panic. There are a few key things you must do before university starts, but beyond that, things like buying kitchen equipment or tickets to freshers’ events are often more convenient to do once you’ve arrived.
The initial thing I did, once I had secured my place, was to apply for Student Finance. To find out more about applying for Student Finance visit this page. If you are an international student you can find information on this page. You should make your Student Finance a priority, as it can take them time to process your application.
Next, you should think about setting up a student bank account. They all offer different benefits such as interest free overdrafts, railcards or cash incentives, so you should do your own research to see which one would work best for you.
Accommodation should also be a priority once you’ve secured a place at university. If you are applying through clearing you will have missed the initial accommodation ballot. This means that there will probably be limited university-owned accommodation available. You can find out about applying for accommodation after applying through Clearing on this page. Most likely, you will be offered a shared room in Glasney Student Village, as I was, unless you have a medical reason why you cannot share a room, in which case you should fill out an ILP form (independent learning plan). There will be an option to do this after you've applied. If you want to know more about my experience sharing a room, you can read my blog about it here. If sharing a room isn’t for you, then you can look into student accommodation in the private sector or you can join a waiting list upon arrival to get a single occupancy room. Historically, the university has been able to offer everyone a single room by Christmas.
When your place at university is secured, you’ll be sent an email about enrolment, usually at the beginning of September. There are just a few forms you'll need to fill out before arriving. I’d suggest you do this as soon as you get sent the link, as it is easy to forget about it amongst all the other things you have to be doing and it really doesn’t take that long.
One thing that can make preparing for university daunting, is the amount of things people believe that you should buy. The expense of purchasing all these things is unrealistic for many, especially if you have to buy it all at once. My best advice would be to ask around family or friends, as most people have extra kitchen equipment or bedding that they would happily part with. Alternatively, charity shops are very affordable and sustainable place to get everything you need for uni. For most courses, you will also receive an equipment list of everything you’ll need. Often these lists can be quite extensive, so I’d recommend waiting until you arrive before buying anything you feel you might not use and by then you’ll have your maintenance loan to help cover the costs.
Before going to university, it’s nice to know what to expect. You can find out all about societies and freshers’ events before you arrive on the Students’ Union website. However, there is no pressure to do extensive research, as you can go to the freshers’ fair to find out all about these after you’ve arrived. If you want to find out what it’s like to study your course, you can find a current student on the same course as you on the Ask our Community page and they will answer any questions you may have, so you can feel prepared. The university also has a Discord server for offer-holders with a Q&A section and many students set up course group and accommodation chats of their own across Social Media. You can find these prior to arrival or just ask to be added when you arrive.
Once you’ve completed this list of things you should be ready to go. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message here!