How to get in to an international university during clearing

Results day 2011 promises to be a particularly arduous experience for many British students. Up to 100,000 are expected to miss out on their place at university.

Many will be able to find a place at British universities within clearing but for those students who are willing to look abroad there are some fantastic opportunities out there. Here is a testimonial from Ritwik Swain, a British student who found himself in the same situation last year.

"Results Day 2010. Dreadful news. I hadn’t gotten into university. I missed my offer to study Psychology at Warwick. My plans were shattered. What was I going to do? How could I explain this to my friends, my family, my teachers?

"I quickly realised that it was time to stop griping about the past and figure out my plans for the future. Would I re-take my A-levels and reapply next year? Would I accept a clearing place at an institution that didn’t appeal to me? Would I go to uni at all?

"I went to see my Head of Sixth Form to discuss my options when my Headmaster, overhearing my grievances, half-jokingly suggested Maastricht University in the Netherlands; after he had read about it in a newspaper. He told me about the fact that they offer courses entirely in English, that fees were around €1700 and that they were quite keen on getting students from the UK.
From that moment on, the words: “the Netherlands” began ringing in my ears. The thought excited me. I opened my laptop as soon as I got home to find out more. I scrolled down their English-taught course list but couldn’t find Psychology. However, this did not deter me. I was sure that there must be other universities in the Netherlands that could offer Psychology in English. I was right. Groningen!

"University of Groningen is a large, well respected, research university in the north of the Netherlands that offers many courses in English language; and importantly for me, it also offers Psychology. The more I began learning about Groningen, the more enticing it became for me. It is a very student-friendly city. It is the world’s cycling city. The university ranks well in international league tables. It has excellent sports facilities. What more could I have wanted?
Studying in the Netherlands has so many advantages: I’m learning languages, I’m saving a lot of money and I’m increasing my international profile – all at a young age; which I hope should bode well for the future when I start looking for a job.

"In my first year at University of Groningen, I could count on one hand how many British people I met in Groningen. But next year, this is set to change as the University has reported around 100 British applicants. "

University of Groningen is just one of many universities with places available for this academic year although its psychology degree is already full this year. Other universities in Europe with places for September 2011 include Prague College, John Cabot University, Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, Stenden University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Florida State University (London campus) and Avans University of Applied Sciences in Breda. Nearly all of these options work out cheaper than British universities from 2012.