Top tips for language courses in Clearing
Get advice for Clearing from our admissions tutor — including what to expect from a higher education language course and what we're looking for in applicants.
University language courses in Clearing 2024
We are now closed for Clearing 2024. If you are looking for a course starting in September 2025, please visit our subject pages.
My name is Frédérique Guéry. I’m an admissions tutor in the Department of Languages, Linguistics and the Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
You do not need to have an offer from a university to apply through Clearing. If you have not yet received any offers, you can apply for a course by making a UCAS application when Clearing opens on 5 July 2024.
Getting started
Ask yourself which areas or language you are most interested in.
We have lots of different options to suit your needs and help you find your ideal course. Have a look through our languages subject page. There’s a separate page for each undergraduate course, so you can see which one appeals to you.
Think about skills building
Learning languages takes practice: your skills do not get better by themselves. We offer lots of opportunities for you to improve, from contact with native-speaker teachers to living and studying abroad.
One of the main benefits of studying languages is developing the ability to communicate with all kinds of people. This will give you confidence and open up job opportunities, as many employers seek language skills.
Academic requirements
If you want to study French or Spanish as your main language, you’ll need a grade B at A-level in that language. For courses ‘and’ or ‘with’ French or Spanish, you won’t need such a high level.
All our other languages are studied from beginner level, with another main subject, so there are no specific language requirements.
If you choose Linguistics or TESOL, we prefer an A-level at grade C or above in a humanities subject such as English, History, Sociology or a language.
Personal characteristics
Learning languages requires perseverance and determination, but it’s also a lot of fun. You do not always need to have any experience of your chosen language, but you should have a clear idea of why you want to study it.
Make an impression when you call
Show enthusiasm for the course and tell us why you’ve chosen it. Be honest about your language level and your experiences of the language.
Make a list of questions before you call us. Hundreds of students apply to study with us every year. We can give you answers and help you decide. There are so many possible routes with a language, and it’s important to find the one that’s right for you.