ANY students who have failed to get the grades for their first and second university choices will automatically be sent a clearing entry form by the Universities and College Admissions Service (UCAS).

It recommends that if a student has fallen back by one or two grades they should contact the university and check if they can still be accepted.

If not, the following helpline numbers are available for students going through clearing.

UCAS: Visit www.ucas.com for clearing listings, updated every two hours, or phone 0870 1122211 and have UCAS application number to hand in case the student has not received a clearing entry form.

University of Teesside: General inquiries - (01642) 384243 www.tees.ac.uk

Individual numbers - business school (01642) 342807, computing 342639, health and social care 384110, arts and media 384019, social sciences and law 342308, science and technology 342499.

Sunderland University helpline: 0191-515-3000 or www.sunderland.ac.uk

University of Newcastle helpline: 0845-788-7722 www.ncl.ac.uk

Northumbria University helpline: 0191-227-4777 www.northumbria.ac.uk

Durham University helpline: 0191-334-0740

University of York helpline: (01904) 433020

University of York St John helpline: (01904) 716980 www.yorksj.ac.uk

* For free Careers Advice phone Connexions Durham 0800 328 1195, Chester-le-Street 0800 783 3482 or Sedgefield 0800 328 1195. UCAS also recommends phoning the BBC's Onelife results service, with Connexions advisors manning the lines on 0808 100 8000.