THE University of Cumbria - recently voted second nationally for graduate employability - opens its Clearing hotline on Thursday to support students as they receive their A-level results.

The call centre opens earlier than in previous years, at 6.30am, and expert call handlers will be able to offer guidance on the availability of courses, eligibility, interviews, course details and other support services.

There are still some spaces left for students in the following subject areas: Teaching, Sport, English, Business, Law and Social Sciences, Creative Arts, Performance, Applied Psychology, Social work, Sciences and Policing. For the most up to date list please check our website www.cumbria.ac.uk/clearing.

This year there will be even more Clearing hotlines, with 39 phone lines which will be manned by more students and academics. The chances are callers will be speaking to students or even their course tutor who will be able to offer advice on their options and give them the ‘low down’ on what it’s really like to study at the university.

The university has a wide variety of routes into learning so even if students haven’t got the grades they were hoping for or are returning to studies later in life, the university says it may offer the solution

It is also offering specialist advice and guidance to teachers and others supporting and advising students who are contemplating Clearing. The dedicated number for teachers is 01228 616333.

The team will also this year be based at various schools and colleges throughout the county and Lancashire, so they can offer immediate help and advice as students receive their results.

Gill Haigh, director of marketing and recruitment, said: “People choose to come through Clearing for all sorts of reasons and there are more opportunities than ever before to get into university this year. The University of Cumbria has a 97 per cent rate for graduate employability and many of our courses have top satisfaction rates so my advice is, give us a call and we’ll take you through your options. The possibilities are endless.”

Course vacancies will be kept up to date on the university website www.cumbria.ac.uk and students can follow the university on Twitter (@CumbriaUni) or Facebook www.facebook.com/universityofcumbria throughout the day.

The clearing call centre number 08081 787373, which is free from landline and mobiles, will be open from 6.30am to 8pm on Thursday, 8am to 6pm on Friday, 9am to 5pm on Saturday and then 10am to 4pm on Sunday. It is normal office hours, 8.30am to 5pm from Monday.

There will also be opportunities to visit the university campuses on Saturday. The university also has a range campus tours available in the week after clearing which can be booked through the university's clearing section.