Writtle University College and ARU have merged. Writtle’s full range of college, degree, postgraduate and short courses will still be delivered on the Writtle campus. See our guide to finding Writtle information on this site.

When does Clearing open and other FAQs

On this page, you'll find information about applying to ARU through Clearing, and making plans for university – such as arranging student finance or looking for accommodation.

Applying through Clearing is quick and easy. From July-September, you can browse our list of courses with Clearing vacancies and apply online or by phone.

Anglia Ruskin University student pictured in front of a large letter C for Clearing

When is Clearing?

We accept Clearing applications from 3 July: browse courses with Clearing vacancies and apply online or by phone. The details you need will be on individual course pages.

If you haven't already applied to university, you can apply directly to ARU from 3 July.

If you have already applied to university through UCAS, you can still apply to ARU from 3 July and we may make you an offer. However, you'll only be able to update your UCAS Hub account from 5 July. That's the date that UCAS officially switches to Clearing.

There is no official closing date for Clearing. In many cases you can apply from July through to September, when the new university year starts. However, some courses may fill up before September, so we usually recommend applying earlier if you can.

Who can apply?

You're eligible to apply through Clearing if you:

  • are late applying – perhaps you decided to go to university after the UCAS application date had passed
  • you've received your results but didn't quite get the grades you expected
  • you took exams some time ago and want to return to education
  • you applied to other universities but have changed your mind about where you want to study – staying closer to home might work best for you.

Not everyone has to apply through UCAS or have a UCAS Hub account.

You might be applying through Clearing because you decided to go to university after the UCAS application date had passed. Or perhaps you took your exams a few years ago and want to return to education. That's fine. Once Clearing opens, you can apply directly to your chosen university. You won't need to set up a UCAS account.

Once you know your grades, our Clearing advisers will be on hand to give you some guidance. Give us a call on 01245 686868, email [email protected] or speak to us on live chat.

Accepting your offer

We'll send you a formal offer email. Once you get this email, you can do one of two things:

  • if you've applied to university through UCAS, you'll have 24 hours to refer yourself to us via your UCAS Hub account
  • if you haven't applied through UCAS, simply follow the instructions in the offer email we send to you.

If you're waiting to be released into Clearing and are concerned that you will miss the deadline that you have been given by us, just let us know and we'll extend the deadline.

As your offer is being processed you may receive a text message confirmation from us as well as an email. If you don't receive a text message please don't worry, your provisional or confirmed offer still applies.

Check your spam/junk folder. Sometimes our emails get caught up in there.

UCAS updates the information on its system twice a day, so it may take some time to see any changes.

If you're waiting to be released in to Clearing by your firm (first) choice university, this process can take a few days depending on how far through the individual university's processes you have got. For example, if you have already registered it will take longer than if you've only just accepted your offer.

If you're concerned that you will miss the deadline we've given you, just let us know. We'll be able to extend the deadline.

If you haven't applied through UCAS, please follow the instructions in the offer email that we send you.

If you’ve accepted your offer, you'll get a welcome email from us with your student ID number and details on how to officially register as an ARU student. You'll register using a system called e:Vision.

If you've applied for a social care or health course, we may still be processing your Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or occupational health checks. This should take no longer than a week, but does depend on how quickly you respond to our communications. In the meantime, keep an eye on your email (including spam/junk folder). Visit our Disclosure and Barring page for more information.

When you accept an offer to study at ARU, we'll send you some information about registering as a student and accessing our systems.

This information includes an email containing:

Once you have these details, you can start your enrolment.

Change your password
It's good practice to change your password as soon as possible. You can register for multi-factor authentication (MFA) at the same time; this helps to ensure it's only you who can access your University account.

Visit our multi-factor authentication page for more details.

Start your enrolment on e:Vision
You'll need to register with us to start your enrolment and let us know how you'll be paying your fees (if applicable). You can do this on e:Vision.

Registering on e:Vision will activate your:

  • student email address
  • library access
  • student ID card
  • teaching timetable, which should be ready four to five days after you register. You can access it in e:Vision.

Log in to e:Vision using your short username and password.

Questions?

If you have not received your joining instructions after accepting your offer, and there is nothing in your spam/junk folder, please email [email protected].

You’ll get your timetable four to five working days after registering. You can access it through e:Vision or the ARU app, which you can download from iTunes or Google Play once you've registered as a student.

Can I transfer to ARU during Clearing?

Yes, we welcome your application.

From 3 July you can browse courses with Clearing vacancies and apply online.

Simply indicate on the application form that you're applying for admission with prior learning, and let us know which year you'd like to join (for example, Year 2).

When we're reviewing your application, we'll ask to see a transcript from your current university or college. This is a record of the modules you've studied so far and the grades you've achieved. You can apply first and send the transcript to us later; we'll email you to ask for a copy.

Our BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science, BSc Hons) Medical Science and BOptom (Hons) Optometry courses are all potential routes into studying a degree in medicine.

You'll need to complete your first year to an exceptionally high standard, before applying to transfer to Year 1 of our MBChB Medicine in Chelmsford. We encourage your interest in medicine but ask you to note that places are limited and cannot be guaranteed.

Deferring your application

Contact the admissions team that's handling your application – details should be in your offer letter.

We can’t accept deferred applicants through Clearing. Please contact us on 01245 686868 and we’ll be happy to discuss your options.

Courses available in Clearing

Browse courses with Clearing vacancies and apply online or by phone. The details you need will be on individual course pages.

We have a wide variety of courses on offer at ARU: browse all courses with Clearing vacancies.

If you're interested in a course offered at ARU London, University Centre West Anglia or the London School of Osteopathy, please contact them directly.

Student finance and scholarships

Visit our undergraduate student finance web page for information about tuition fees and how to apply for a student loan. There's also information about additional grants and allowances.

You can still make your application after the deadline, but payment of your loan may not begin before you start your course. Please contact us for advice if this will cause hardship for you. Call 01245 686868 or email [email protected].

Visit our scholarships and bursaries page to find out more about scholarships. We offer a number of scholarships and bursaries to UK and international students.

Our ARU Bursary is for UK and eligible EU students who have an annual household income of £42,875 or less. It's worth up to £300 each year. There's no need to apply, you'll automatically receive this bursary if you meet the eligibility criteria.

Applying for accommodation

You can apply for accommodation online but before applying, take a look at our accommodation options, and frequently asked questions about who can apply and when.

If you have any questions, our Residential Service Team is here to help. Call 01223 698900 or email [email protected] (if you'll be studying in Cambridge); call 01245 683110 or email [email protected] (if you'll be studying in Chelmsford).

You can find all the information you need on our Paying for your accommodation page.

You should receive these dates after you apply for accommodation, in your accommodation offer letter. Soon you’ll be asked to complete our online induction for new students, which gives you more specific information.

Yes. Our House Hunting Team can answer all your questions, and help you find the right place to live.

You can email [email protected] or call 01223 698900 (if you'll be studying in Cambridge) or 01245 683180 (if you'll be studying in Chelmsford). Our private rented accommodation page has some handy hints and tips, too.

About ARU

As we have four campuses in the East of England, we've traditionally offered more student places than other universities in the region.

There are lots of reasons to study with us:

Questions about studying at ARU?

We're here to answer your questions about courses, applying to university, and studying at ARU.