Friday, 07 March 2025
Clearing is one of the busiest and most challenging times of the academic year for schools all throughout the United Kingdom. With thousands of students applying, updating records, and accepting offers in a short period of time, university IT infrastructure is under tremendous strain. Candidates may become irate and stop enrolling if there is any system outage or performance snags. To guarantee that their Clearing systems continue to be dependable, scalable, and robust when it counts most, institutions collaborate with us year after year.
Why Clearing is a Pressure Test for IT Teams
For IT staff, clearing is a crucial measure of how well their systems can manage high demand. To maintain system uptime and data security, universities must concurrently handle spikes in traffic, real-time student applications, and payment processing. Even small problems can have a big impact on staff and students, from poor response times to total outages.
Clearing success depends on the smooth integration of several platforms, not merely volume. Communication channels, finance systems, CRM platforms, and student information systems (SIS) must all function together. To safeguard student data, institutions must also make sure that GDPR, accessibility laws, and cybersecurity standards are followed. Universities run the danger of downtime, security flaws, and a subpar student experience if they don't do thorough IT performance testing.
How We Make Sure Universities Are Prepared for Clearing
By offering customised solutions that ensure optimal system efficiency and smooth operations under duress, we take a hands-on approach to clearing preparation.
Performance Testing for Peak Traffic Management
Handling large spikes in web traffic is one of the biggest challenges universities face during Clearing. Our performance testing for universities simulates real-world Clearing scenarios, identifying performance bottlenecks before they impact students. Using tools like JMeter, we conduct cost-effective load testing to detect weaknesses and ensure platforms remain stable and responsive.
Additionally, we optimise both on-prem and cloud-based IT infrastructure, fine-tuning load balancing configurations to prevent downtime and ensuring auto-scaling functions as expected.
Providing for Cloud Readiness
As more universities move to cloud-based Student Information Systems (SIS), ensuring scalability during Clearing is essential. We assess cloud migration strategies, validate cloud-to-legacy system integrations, and optimise database performance to deliver a flawless experience for students and staff.
Testing Every System from Start to Finish
Successful clearing requires more than simply managing apps; it also requires making sure all linked systems operate without hiccups. We carry out thorough end-to-end testing that includes:
- Portals for student applications
- Gateways for payments
- Platforms for enrolment
- CRM systems
- University call centre telephony systems
Our telephone system testing ensures university call centres can handle surging inquiries, preventing long wait times and communication failures.
Fixed-Price Agreements for Predictable Budgets
We understand that universities operate within strict budgets. That’s why we offer fixed-price testing engagements, providing institutions with full cost visibility and no hidden fees. This allows universities to plan their Clearing preparation without financial uncertainty.
Monitoring in Real Time and Prompt Assistance
Once Clearing goes live, universities require real-time system monitoring and immediate incident response. We provide live performance tracking, proactively identifying issues before they escalate. If a problem arises, our experts respond instantly to minimise downtime and ensure uninterrupted student access.
Analysis of Post-Clearing Data for Ongoing Enhancement
Our work doesn’t end when Clearing closes. We analyse transaction volumes, system uptime, performance reports, and student feedback to identify areas for optimisation. This allows universities to refine their digital infrastructure and stay competitive in future Clearing cycles.
Why We Are Selected Year After Year by Universities
For their Clearing performance tests, prestigious universities like UWE Bristol, Queen Mary University of London, University of Birmingham, University of Kent, and University of Portsmouth rely on us. They keep coming back because we offer:
- Quick deployment—projects finished in less than three weeks
- Proficiency in IT performance testing for higher education, having worked in the field for more than 16 years
- Teams from the UK that are aware of the unique difficulties faced by universities
- All-inclusive solutions, including post-event analysis, real-time monitoring, and performance testing
Get in touch with us to find out how we can make your Clearing process smooth and stress-free.
Jonathan Binks - Head of Delivery
Prolifics Testing UK
