UCAS Clearing Explained

What Clearing is

Clearing is the official UCAS process that matches applicants who do not hold a confirmed place with courses that still have vacancies. It typically runs around results time and into the autumn, giving students a route into university when they are not already placed.

It is a normal, established part of the admissions cycle — not a last resort to be ashamed of. Many students find a good course through Clearing each year, and the whole process is run through your UCAS account.

Who Clearing is for

Clearing is generally for applicants who are not holding a confirmed offer — for example, if you did not receive any offers, declined the offers you held, missed the conditions of your offers, or applied later in the cycle. It is also used by people applying for the first time after the main deadline.

Exactly who is eligible and when, and how late applications are handled, is defined by UCAS and can vary by cycle. Check your UCAS account and the official Clearing guidance to see whether and how Clearing applies to your situation.

• Applicants who did not receive or accept any offers
• Applicants who did not meet the conditions of their offers
• People applying later in the cycle, after the main deadline
• Eligibility and timing are set by UCAS — verify for your year

How the Clearing process works

In Clearing, you search for courses with available places (UCAS publishes vacancy listings), contact the universities you are interested in to discuss whether they will accept you, and then, if a university agrees, you add the choice in your UCAS account to formally accept the place.

Universities may ask about your results and suitability before agreeing informally to a place, after which you confirm it through UCAS. Always follow the steps in your UCAS account exactly, and use the official UCAS course search rather than unofficial lists.

• Search official UCAS vacancy listings for available courses
• Contact universities to discuss whether they can offer you a place
• Add the agreed choice in your UCAS account to accept it

Dates, availability and a no-guarantee note

Clearing opening times, deadlines, and which courses have vacancies all change every year, and popular courses can fill quickly. There is no guaranteed place through Clearing — availability depends on what each university has open and your meeting their requirements.

Because the timetable and course availability are set by UCAS and individual universities and change annually, always confirm the current dates, deadlines, and live vacancies on the official UCAS website for your application year before acting.