UCAS Clearing listings awarded to The Independent

9 January 2008

Following a tender process, UCAS has awarded The Independent and Independent on Sunday newspapers the rights to publish UCAS Clearing Listings for three years from 2008.

The contract also includes the print publishing of course listings to support UCAS Extra, plus the rights to publish national electronic listings for both Clearing and Extra as supplied by UCAS.

Anthony McClaran, Chief Executive of UCAS said: "We are looking forward to building on the relationship with The Independent in order to reach as many prospective students as possible with definitive and comprehensive lists of courses with vacancies."

"Publication of the Clearing and Extra listings in a national newspaper during a critical period of the application process will help students and their parents base decisions on the best information and provide the higher education sector with a highly effective platform for reaching potential applicants."

Terry Grote, Managing Director of The Independent said: "The Independent has had a long and successful partnership with UCAS and we are delighted to be able to continue this relationship for the next three years.

"In addition to the Clearing listings, we have developed our offering to maximise the awareness of UCAS Extra as well as offering regular UCAS postgraduate listings supplements. From 2008 we will also be offering an enhanced multi media platform which will offer an unbeatable service to both students and HEI's."

In addition, The Belfast Telegraph, the sister paper to The Independent and the Independent on Sunday, will be publishing the official UCAS Northern Ireland listings.

The tender process received bids from both national and regional newspapers and provides the successful bidder with the opportunity to maximise print sales, greater online exposure and a suite of advertising, marketing and other revenue generating opportunities.

Media contacts

Byron Price, Communications Executive
Telephone: 01242 544987
Email: communications@ucas.ac.uk
Out of hours: 07768 740 461

Jo Redfern
Classified Advertising Director
The Independent & Independent on Sunday
Telephone: 0207 005 2298
Email: J.Redfern@inuk.co.uk

Notes to editors

UCAS Clearing is used by applicants who have not managed to secure a place at university or college for the current year. It begins in August and it can help people to find suitable vacancies on higher education courses: more than 30,000 people gain a place during Clearing every year.

UCAS Extra is a process that makes it possible for you to apply to additional universities or colleges that still have vacancies. Extra operates from the end of February until the end of June. It means that you do not have to wait until Clearing to apply for other courses.