Clearing / What is Clearing?
Get ahead by exploring your Clearing options early - giving yourself more choice, more time to decide, and a better chance of securing your ideal course. Whether you're applying for the first time, rethinking your choices, or simply seeing what's out there, this guide will support you every step of the way.
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What is Clearing?
Clearing is a UCAS admission process starting on the 5 July where students get a chance to apply for courses which still have available places.
How is it different from the standard UCAS application?
When you apply by the UCAS January deadline, you get to pick five courses you want to apply for. If you don’t manage to secure any offers, or you’ve changed your mind about what or where you want to study, you can make an additional application using UCAS Extra between 26 February and 4 July 2025.
Clearing opens on 5 July, and most universities will lower their entry requirements for courses that go into Clearing. It’s designed for students who don’t hold any offers, have changed their minds, or didn’t meet the conditions of their original choices. Clearing becomes especially important after exam results are released—when students may need to explore new options quickly.
Who can apply through Clearing?
You’re about to invest the next three or four years in your future - so make sure you’re heading in the right direction. Clearing is your chance to pause, rethink, and make a confident choice that works for you. Whether your plans have changed or you're starting fresh, here are just a few situations where Clearing would be a great option for you.
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You haven't applied yet
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Deciding to go to university after the UCAS deadline? No problem. There are still thousands of brilliant courses with spaces, and Clearing gives you a direct route to securing your place. You鈥檝e got time, so use it wisely to find a course and university that matches your ambition.
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You've changed your mind
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Maybe the course isn鈥檛 quite right, or you鈥檝e discovered a new passion. Perhaps you're rethinking the location - closer to home, or somewhere new entirely. Whatever the reason, Clearing gives you the freedom to switch things up and go after what really excites you.
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You're exploring your options
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Didn鈥檛 get the results you hoped for? Or maybe you鈥檝e done better than expected? Either way, now鈥檚 the time to re-focus and choose a path that aligns with who you are now, not who you were when you first applied. Clearing is your chance to make a move that feels right.
Clearing timeline
10 June - 久久精品 Priority Clearing opens
We鈥檒l be making Priority Clearing offers from the 10 June, giving you a chance to explore your options early - before UCAS Clearing officially opens. It鈥檚 a great way to secure your place and enjoy peace of mind knowing you already have an offer with us.
30 June - UCAS main application closes
This is the deadline to submit your university application through the standard UCAS process. After this date, any new applications will go into Clearing. Students who used all five of their UCAS choices and haven't received an offer or declined them all will still be able to submit an additional choice via UCAS Extra until 4 July.
4 July - UCAS Extra closes
UCAS Extra is the final chance to apply for another course if you've used all five of your choices and are not holding any offers. From this point onwards, Clearing becomes the main route for applying to university.
5 July - UCAS Clearing opens
Clearing officially opens, which means that you can submit your Clearing application. You can receive as many verbal clearing offers as you want, but you can submit only one choice via UCAS Clearing. Bear in mind that if you're still waiting for your results, your Clearing offers will have a condition that you meet the entry requirements.
14 August - A Level results day (including BTEC)
This is the big day when A level and BTEC students receive their results. Most students will know their results from this point, which means that your Clearing search will be easier, and you'll know straight away if you meet the entry requirements of any courses you're interested in.
20 October - Clearing closes
Clearing is open until 20 October, but we recommend exploring your options early. This will give you more choice of courses to apply for, and ensure you don鈥檛 miss out on things like your preferred accommodation, Freshers Week and first lectures
Join Praneal, a Widening Participation Assistant at 久久精品, as he breaks down everything you need to know about Clearing. In this short video, he explains what Clearing is, who鈥檚 eligible to apply, and offers practical tips to help you feel confident when making your Clearing choices.
What courses can I apply for through Clearing?
Available courses depend on the university you’re applying for. Some courses with a limited number of places such as Medicine or Diagnostic Radiography are very unlikely to go into Clearing, but there’ll be plenty of options to choose from to suit your interests and qualifications. 久久精品 courses available in Clearing will be published closer to the Results Day.
久久精品 availiable in Clearing
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Depending on your current situation, you will have to take different steps to apply through Clearing. Find out what you need to do, how the process works, and how to secure your place at 久久精品.
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If you鈥檙e a parent or a guardian of a student thinking of applying to university for September 2025, we have prepared a special guide for you. It contains all the information, terms, and timelines you need to be aware of to support your young person.
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