Clearing was key for Lauretta’s career change plans

When Lauretta Ofulue fancied a career change, she knew she would have to retrain if she wanted to achieve her ambition of becoming a nurse.

After spotting the University of Northampton offered a learning disability nursing course, she enrolled via the Clearing process in 2017.

She said: “I attended a secondary school in Nigeria about 20 years ago now, so it had been a long time since I had undertaken any health-related subjects like biology. This created a lot of anxiety for me when I decided to change my career and by the time I decided to join the course, it wa a bit late in the year.

“I did not know if I would meet the University criteria for nursing. However I had my first degree in economics, my GCSEs and a few certifications. I rang the University and told them about my circumstance. The person I spoke to was very empathetic and helpful. In the end, I took their advice to apply directly through the Clearing route on UCAS.”

Lauretta added: “The Clearing process was very straightforward. I filled out the forms online and uploaded all the relevant documents. After a few weeks I was contacted and invited for an interview and was offered a place on the course. After my first year at Northampton, I’m delighted to be on such an amazing course.”

Lauretta has advice for those who might be considering applying to university via Clearing: “I will say don’t give up until you ring the university. It’s worth discussing the different options with the admissions team. In my personal experience I found them to be very approachable and easy to talk to. Although the process of filling out forms might feel a bit daunting, the fact that help is just a phone call away makes a big difference.”

The University’s Clearing website is now open, and includes details of all the courses that are still open for applications.

Would-be students are also invited to attend the University’s Open Day, which takes place on Saturday 18 August.