Clearing is another way of getting into university, which gives students without offers a second chance to pursue their university aspirations.
In 2024, around 74,000 students secured their spot at a university through UCAS clearing across more than 30,000 courses. Of that number, more than 18,000 hadn’t got the grades they needed for their original universities.
With A-level results day here, we know it can be an anxious time and you need to act quickly.
Read on for our guide, designed to help you through the intimidating process.
What is clearing?
Clearing is a UCAS service and it opened on July 5 this year. It acts a way for students who don't have a university place to find one amongst universities with spare places.
It also helps those who might have changed their mind about their university or course, or who did better on their exams than expected, to find the right place for them.
With universities sometimes undersubscribing for certain courses, the clearing process matches students with universities that still have available places.
If you already have your grades but aren’t holding an offer from a university, you can use the clearing service on UCAS right now.
Alternatively, if you hold a conditional offer but haven’t achieved the required A-Level grades, you can still enter clearing. The service is available until October.
Who is eligible for clearing?
Students can apply for clearing if the following applies:
How do I apply for clearing?
You can browse vacancies according to your preferred subject, location or university via the UCAS site’s search tool. Once you’ve identified one you would like to apply to, you will be prompted to fill out your details.
Submit your application, and you will receive an invitation to the UCAS Hub service, where you will be provided with a clearing number. This number can also be found under your ‘Application Status’.
The next step is to contact the university directly to confirm whether they’ll offer you a place. Trained advisers will be on hand to guide you through the process. You’ll be identified through your UCAS personal ID and clearing number, so make sure you keep a note of it.
Once you’ve received a verbal offer, add the university to UCAS Hub and wait for the university to confirm.
You have until October 20 to put forward your choice and for universities to make their final decisions.
Which universities take part in clearing?
More than 30,000 courses take part in clearing and the list is updated regularly up to mid-September. It’s important to note some universities, including Oxford and Cambridge, do not take part in the clearing process.
Top universities accepting applications include the University of Warwick, which is the seventh-highest-ranked university participating in clearing. The university is respected for its boundary-breaking research and business collaborations. They are offering slots for courses in classics, English literature, and history of art.
Another university in clearing that is in the top 10 is Bath. Established in 1966, Bath University is highly regarded for its effectiveness in preparing students for the workplace. The courses they are offering are civil engineering, mathematics, and modern languages.
Meanwhile, Loughborough University, which ranks the same as Bath, is offering courses in chemistry, geography, and mathematics.
Other fantastic universities which still have offers available include Lancaster University, Cardiff University, University of Southampton, University of Leeds, University of York, and the University of Manchester.
What is Clearing Plus?
Clearing Plus matches students with courses that UCAS thinks they may be interested in, based on their application. When they start an application, a button will appear called “My matches” which will show students their top 50 course matches.
Students will then be able to tell universities that they’re interested in the courses and, if they have space, the universities may call the students to offer them a place.
