We held a Clearing Clinic on Facebook Live to field any questions you had about the Clearing process and we had loads of queries. Our panel of ULaw experts got through a lot of questions and we want to make sure that if you missed it, you can still find the answers to those important Clearing questions. Here’s all of the FAQs that came through during our Clearing Clinic.
By Cara Fielder. Published 12 August 2022. Last updated 27 September 2023.
When do applications open?
Clearing applications for a September 2022 start opened on 5 July 2022.
If you’re looking at studying with us next year, as soon as our Clearing applications for 2022 close on 18 October, we’ll be accepting applications for September 2023.
Are there many spaces for Clearing?
We have spaces left on all our undergraduate courses currently. This can, and probably will, change quickly, so we recommend getting in early to make sure you still have the broadest range of options available to you.
What information will I need to have to hand when calling the Clearing hotline?
Prospective applicants will need to have the following things to hand when they call the clearing hotline on 0808 3019834 or speak to us on Live Chat:
- UCAS ID number
- GCSE grades
- A-Level or equivalent results
- The name of the course you're interested in
- Something to take down important notes
If you’re unsure whether you have the grades for your chosen course, call us so we can look into your personal circumstances.
I’ve been made an offer by another university but I’m thinking of applying to ULaw instead. Can I do this through Clearing?
Absolutely, you’re completely able to change your mind. We recommend that you call our Clearing hotline (0808 3019834) before declining any other offers, just to make sure that we can definitely offer you a place on the course that you want. Your next step will be to get released from your firm choice through UCAS and then adding ULaw as your Clearing choice. Be sure to also check the cancellation policy of whichever university you currently have an offer with too. It should be pretty straightforward but it’s always best to check.
Do I have to pay anything to apply through Clearing?
If you’re applying for one of our 3 or 4 year full-time courses you will need to submit your application through UCAS. For 2022 entry, the application fee is £22 for a single choice, or £26.50 for more than one choice. If you’re already on the UCAS system and adding an extra UCAS choice through Clearing then there isn’t a charge.
Is deferred entry something that ULaw offers through Clearing?
Yes, you can call our Clearing hotline (0808 3019834) and ask us to defer your entry. Deferred entry means that you will guarantee your place on the course but take a year out before starting it. So, if you defer your 2022 course to 2023, it means you’ll start in September 2023. Please note that ULaw can only defer your entry for one year.
How can I fund my undergraduate course?
Most students will choose to take out a student loan for their undergraduate degree. As we’re a private institution, loan allowances for our students are a little different to other universities. We have comprehensive funding pages on our website which is dedicated to going through all your options and explains how your loan and payments can work.
It’s also worth noting that we have a series of scholarships available too.
Do I need IELTS?
If you’re an international student and need a Visa to study with us, one of the requirements we have is an IELTS or equivalent qualification. You will need this to demonstrate a sufficient level of English language understanding to ensure you’ll be able to follow the curriculum of the course. We ask all of our students to meet English language requirements and there are several ways that this can be achieved. The score varies for each of our courses. See our entry requirements the individual course pages or email [email protected].
Are your campuses modern?
All of our campuses provide modern facilities but we have a variety of campuses across the country and their buildings vary greatly. Guildford, for example, is probably the most traditional style university campus, with a collection of different buildings across 25 acres. The main building dates back to the 16th Century, so it has that classical English university feel to it, whereas others are more modern. Compare that to our London Bloomsbury or Leeds campuses and you’ll find quite a contrast; those campuses are right in the centre of the city in very modern buildings. You’ll be able to apply to any our campuses through Clearing and you can arrange to visit any of our campuses before you start your course to make sure that you’ll be happy to study there.
What if I’m not sure which campus I want to study at?
That’s fine. An offer that we make you is for the course. So long as both campuses run that specific course and there are spaces available at both, you can easily switch with a campus transfer request by talking to our Admissions Team.
Is 42 too old to study law?
No way. We have mature students on almost every year of our undergraduate law degrees, so don’t ever think that age would be a hindrance to studying. In fact, your broader life experience can mean that you actually bring more to classes and have great perspectives to diversify the active discussions we have.
Are students who come through Clearing treated any differently to other students who haven’t?
Absolutely not. Unless you choose to divulge that information, nobody would know. And we actively encourage our tutors and staff to keep all personal information like this entirely private. A tutor would never tell another member of staff or student about an individual’s circumstance.
What should I include in my personal statement?
If you are coming through Clearing you do not need to submit a personal statement, but if you are thinking of applying next year, there are a few key things that we can recommend including. Talk about what motivates you and why you are interested in studying law or business. What can really help here is if you have any particular experience or extra-curricular activities that you have been involved in during the lead up to your application to university that lend themselves to the legal profession. This can range from work experience to things you have observed or researched, such as visiting courtrooms to watch cases or regularly keeping up-to-date with legal news. If you enjoy acting, for example, that would be a good passion and skill to have as a barrister. Charity work demonstrates a desire to help people, which we see as a big motivator in a lot of our students.
Does it matter if I’m not sure whether I want to be a solicitor or a barrister?
At the undergraduate level, it really doesn’t matter if you know you want to be a solicitor or barrister or neither. All we want of our students is to come to study with us with an interest in their chosen subject and an eagerness to learn. In fact, even if you’re not sure about becoming a lawyer, that’s fine too. A qualifying law degree is a great starter for moving into loads of different fields and there are plenty of brilliant professionals who specialise in fields completely unrelated to what they studied at undergraduate degree level. The same applies to all of our degrees; you can easily take the skills learned on these courses and apply them to other fields.
What subjects do we learn about on the LLB?
Our LLB consists of seven foundation subjects, which are crime, contract, tort, EU, equity, land and public law. You’ll also study some foundational work at the beginning of the course, looking at common law method and ethics – this is basically how our legal system works and how we make sure to work within it ethically and appropriately.
There are some academic and professional skills modules in there too; these focus on key skills that lawyers need, such as good writing and personal presentation skills.
Nearer the end of the course you get to make some module choices to tailor your education a bit. You can choose to focus in on areas that are of particular interest to you: employment, tax, criminal litigation, human rights or immigration.
Alongside these options, you will also have a few compulsory modules to take near the end of the course: actions, transactions and law of organisations. These help to bridge the gap between the foundational subjects and the ones you have chosen yourself so you can put them into a practical working context.
I want to be a criminal barrister – will the undergraduate law degree help with this?
Yes. Within our LLB you’ll study seven foundation subjects. This is sufficient for you to then go on to study the BPC, which is the postgraduate qualification you need to become a barrister.
We also offer a great selection of extra-curricular activities that can enhance your experience and skillset to becoming a barrister.
If my A Level grades aren’t the best but I study at ULaw will I be able to get a job at a Magic Circle firm?
This would be very dependent on each individual case. We know that Magic Circle firms do typically look for strong A Level or equivalent results, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t consider candidates with a well-built CV by other means. This can be achieved through developing those skills and experiences that our Employability Services team specialise in helping our students enhance. Combine this with excellent results during your degree and it’s likely that you would be able to overcome any difficulties that your earlier grades might have put in your way.
Can ULaw help students to get work experience?
Absolutely. We offer plenty of opportunities to get a variety of work experiences throughout your studies. The big one is pro bono – voluntary work assisting on active legal cases with loads of chances to get a taster of different elements of legal practice. This is great way of developing connections with law firms and chambers too. We find a lot of students go on to get work experience within those firms or chambers.
The ULaw Employability Team also have access to a great database of jobs and short work experience opportunities, some of which are paid. These can be admin or clerical work that will give you a great insight into what it’s like to work within a firm. This experience will help you develop commercial awareness – another key skillset to enhance your employability.
I like the idea of being a practising lawyer but I’m nervous about having to read lots of books. Is it going to be a lot of books?
Not really, no. There is quite a lot of reading involved but we’ve designed the course to make sure that the reading you do is really targeted. It focuses on the things that matter, with most of the reading being either online or with downloadable documents. We also like to mix up the ways that materials are delivered, so there’s a lot of in-class active participation and videos to complement the reading. We always aim to give our students plenty of opportunity to apply what they have read in a practical environment.
Can I visit a campus before accepting my offer through Clearing?
Yes you can. You can book a place on any of our in-person or online campus Open Days through our events page.
We highly recommend you attend one of these Open Days so you can meet some of the tutors, staff and students and learn all you need to know about your chosen course.
You can also get a feel for your future campus by going on a virtual tour. Tours of our campuses are available now on their individual location pages.
If you are considering a campus away from home, we also recommend researching the new town you will be living in to make sure it can provide everything you need.
And don’t forget our top tips…
- Stay calm
- Take your time and be sure you make the right decision for you
- Try to arrange an online open day so you know you’ll be happy where you choose to study
- Interact. Don’t just wonder alone. Ask questions and get interactive to find out what you need to know
Want to know more about Clearing? Visit our dedicated Clearing webpage for more information.
