Clearing in the UK is a difficult time for both institutions and prospective students. This week, we share a cheat sheet on optimizing your marketing strategy for Clearing, with practical tips on enhancing digital presence, communication, supportive content, personalized outreach, and more.
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Our 7-step UK Clearing cheat sheet: how to optimize your marketing strategy

Content strategy Digital marketing Events Student Recruitment Tips & advice

UCAS Clearing in the UK is a critical process for both higher education institutions and prospective students.

For marketers in higher education, understanding the friction students experience during  Clearing is essential to guide students through this pivotal time effectively.

This week, we look at what it is (for our higher ed marketers outside the UK) and share a cheat sheet on optimizing your marketing strategy for Clearing.

And watch this space for our next blog, which showcases some great ways to stand out and grab those late-stage applications with current Clearing university landing page examples. 

What is Clearing?

Clearing in the UK is a process that allows students who haven’t yet secured a place at a university to apply for available courses after the main application deadlines have passed.

These students may not have received any offers, or they may have declined offers they did receive, or their exam results may not have met the conditions of their offers.

Clearing provides them an opportunity to find a suitable course and for universities to fill any remaining places.

The common catchline is “It’s not too late to find a place at university.”

Key dates for clearing

Higher education marketers still have time to create effective landing pages and marketing strategies for Clearing.

  • Early July: Clearing opens.
  • Mid-August: This is the peak time for Clearing activity as students receive their results
  • Late August: Deadline for applicants to meet academic conditions of their offers.
  • September: Clearing continues until the end of the admissions cycle, with some courses remaining open for applications.

The Clearing Process

The Clearing process is quite simple on paper, but is often a time of stress for prospective students as they navigate it. 

Here’s how it works:

  1. Eligibility: Students are eligible if they didn’t receive offers, declined their offers, or didn’t meet offer conditions.
  2. Course search: Students can search for available courses on the UCAS website, university websites, or via Clearing hotlines.
  3. University contact: Students directly contact universities to inquire about vacancies and express interest.
  4. Offers: If a university offers a place, the student can add the course to their UCAS application to formally accept it.

Your 7-step higher ed digital marketing Clearing Cheatsheet

1. Optimize your digital presence:

  • Courses updates: Ensure that all Clearing courses are up-to-date on your website and UCAS profile.
  • SEO: Optimize your website for relevant keywords like "UCAS Clearing courses," "university places available," and "Clearing 2024."
  • Landing pages: Create dedicated Clearing landing pages that are easy to navigate and provide all necessary information. Include strong calls-to-action and make it easy for students to find and apply for available courses.
  • Mobile optimization: Ensure that your website is mobile-friendly since many students will be accessing information via their smartphones.

 2. Effective communication channels

  • Clearing hotline: Bring on extra hands and set up a dedicated hotline with trained staff to handle inquiries and guide students through the process.
  • Live chat: Implement a live chat feature on your website to provide instant support to prospective students during Clearing.
  • Email campaigns: Send out targeted email campaigns to prospective students who may be eligible for Clearing, highlighting available courses and support services.
  • Social media campaigns: Use targeted ads and organic posts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to reach students and provide real-time updates on available courses.

3. (Re)use supportive content

  • Guides and FAQs: Reuse or create comprehensive guides and FAQs to help students understand the Clearing process. Make these resources easily accessible on your website and share them via email and social media.
  • Student testimonials: Share stories from current students who joined through Clearing to build trust and relatability. Use videos, blog posts, and social media to showcase these testimonials.

4. Personalized outreach

  • Targeted messaging: Use your CRM systems to segment your audience and send personalized messages to students based on their interests and application status.
  • Virtual Open Days and webinars: Host virtual events to answer questions and showcase your institution's strengths. Use these platforms to provide detailed information about courses, campus life, and support services.
  • Follow-up strategy: Develop a follow-up plan to engage with students post-inquiry. Ensure that your admissions team follows up promptly with interested students to provide additional information and support.

5. Collaborate with academic departments

  • Real-time updates: Work closely with academic departments to ensure real-time updates on course availability and entry requirements.
  • Flexible entry requirements: Where possible, offer flexibility in entry requirements to accommodate a broader range of students.
  • Faculty involvement: Involve faculty members in virtual open days and webinars to provide academic insights and answer prospective students' questions.

6. Enhanced student support

  • Wellness: Emphasize the support services available at your institution to help students feel more confident in their decision. Highlight counseling services, academic support, and community-building activities that can aid in their transition.
  • Orientation programs: Develop comprehensive orientation programs to help students acclimate to university life quickly and smoothly.

7. Continue to monitor and improve

  • Data tracking: Use analytics tools to track the performance of your Clearing campaigns and identify areas for improvement.
  • Feedback: Collect feedback from students who go through the Clearing process to understand their experiences and refine your strategies accordingly.
  • A/B testing: Conduct A/B testing on your digital ads, landing pages, and email campaigns to determine what works best and optimize your efforts.

Next week, we’ll share some great landing pages universities have set up for Clearing that implement these strategies.

Watch this space!