A student holds a pool cue and leans on a pool table. She is smiling at the camera.

Tia's Clearing story

After missing out on her first-choice university, Tia found where she truly belonged at UEA. This is her Clearing story.

When researching universities and going to their Open Days, I made a shortlist with a rating system – how much I liked the accommodation, what I thought of the town, and if the campus was nice.

The course was the most important thing to me though. I'm not the most academically-inclined so I knew I didn't want something that was really theory-based. I wanted something that felt a bit broader and more practical to align with my interests. I had properly compared everything before I made my choices and my heart was set on Sheffield. I hadn't considered UEA at that point.

Then came results day... I remember it so clearly. I was nervous, as everyone was, and then I got the UCAS email. Within the first sentence, I saw the word 'unfortunately'. I was already crying before I'd even reached school to get my grades. It felt like my future had crashed before it had even started.

But I remembered that this was not the 'be-all and end-all'.

My brother had also gone through Clearing to UEA and said their process was really good. So he told me to start calling universities. Some others left me on hold for an hour or two. In the end, I got offers from Brighton, Brunel and UEA.

I remember the person on the phone at UEA being really, really nice. The whole process was really simple. They gave me time to think about it as well. Then I looked properly at the course. It offered the flexibility of coursework instead of in-person assessments to cater towards my ADHD, and I could mould the content to my interests by choosing my own modules. I realised I could do a study abroad semester as well, and that really caught my attention.

A student sits in the university bar. She is smiling at the camera.

Clearing helped me adapt. Things didn’t go the way I wanted, but coming to UEA pushed me to put myself out there. I took control of it.

Tia

A student plays foosball and smiles at the camera.

I got to be with my friends from home who had also chosen UEA. And then I ended up making loads of new friends as well. Some of them became my best friends for life, and I would have never met them if I'd gone somewhere else. I'd never have met the friends I made in America on my study abroad semester either.

Whenever I do outreach work now as a Student Ambassador, I always tell students not to worry if their A levels don't go the way they'd planned. Mine didn’t, and I've ended up having a really good university experience. I always believe in the idea that 'everything happens for a reason'. My course, study abroad semester and the people I've met have opened up opportunities I would never have had otherwise. It's what you make of it.

Clearing helped me adapt. Things didn’t go the way I wanted, but coming to UEA pushed me to put myself out there. I took control of it. I had really bad social anxiety before university, and I’ve ended up running societies and taking on leadership roles!

My decision wasn't one defining moment. It was more an accumulation of lots of different things that all pointed me towards UEA.

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Feeling unsure about results day? We've got you.

At UEA, we understand this can be an overwhelming time, but you're not alone - and you've got options. Clearing isn't just a backup plan; it's an opportunity to find your path. Whether your plans change or your results surprise you, Clearing could be the start of something amazing.

But don't just take our word for it. Hear from some of our students who came to UEA through Clearing, and find your perfect course.

Tia Yagnik's Clearing experience

Tia is a Politics with a Semester Abroad student in the School of Politics, Philosophy and Area Studies. She didn’t get accepted to her first choice and entered Clearing to secure a place at university. She’s currently finishing her semester abroad in California. This is her Clearing story.

Search our Clearing courses

Select your subjects from the dropdown or show all courses in Clearing.

Refine your selection for home or international fee paying courses.

If you already have your results, call us on 01603 591515 to talk through your options.

If you have any questions about our courses, please email our Admissions team at admissions@uea.ac.uk.