Entering Clearing because your grades are below the entry requirements for your firm or insurance choice universities? We’ve answered your most frequently asked questions.
Updated: 18 Mar 2025
Afia went through Clearing after getting lower-than-expected grades. Hear her story.
You can use Clearing if one of the following applies:
You didn’t get the grades needed for your firm or insurance choice
You got better grades than expected and want to apply for a different course or uni
You’ve decided you want to apply for a different course or uni
You’ve applied through UCAS but don’t have any offers
You want to go to uni this year but are applying for the first time after 30 June
NEXT: Learn more about UCAS Clearing.
No, you can only get a place on a Clearing course once you get your grades on results day. You should still research Clearing courses before results day and shortlist any you’re interested in. You’ll be able to call universities as soon as you get your grades.
Contact the university as they may still be considering your application and be willing to accept you onto the course with lower grades. Let them know if you’re no longer considering the course so they can reject you and you can enter Clearing.
Yes, if they have places available in Clearing.
You can call as many universities as you like, but you’ll only be able to accept one offer.
No, you can apply for any course if you meet the entry requirements.
Yes, when courses are in Clearing grades can sometimes be lowered for their entry requirements, but this doesn't happen all the time. It will depend on the university and the course.
This depends on the course and university you’re interested in. We suggest preparing for Clearing well before results day, even if you aren’t sure whether you’ll go through Clearing. Research available Clearing courses, shortlist any you're interested in and compare your options. This will mean you can call universities as soon as you get your results.
Have these with you when calling universities:
Your Clearing number
Your UCAS ID number
Course name and code
Your personal statement
Your grades
Any questions you’d like to ask
Sinem, who went through Clearing to find a place at SOAS studying development studies, advises: "The biggest tip I would give to fellow students is to ensure that you have all your details at hand, including your qualifications, personal info, UCAS ID and Clearing number - prepping in advance will help you significantly. As places get filled very quickly, collate all the Clearing hotlines at different universities that you're interested in prior to the big day as it will save you a lot of time and pressure."
A Clearing decision can happen immediately over the phone. If the university wants to offer you a place on their course, they'll do it when you call.
You’ll typically have 24 hours to accept a Clearing offer via your UCAS Hub account. The university will then confirm your place within 24 to 72 hours of you accepting the offer.
According to Sinem: "Ensure you take the name of the person who gives you an informal offer over the phone - this will be of use if anything goes wrong down the line."
Your university will usually guarantee you a room within their student accommodation. You’ll be given information on how to sort your student accommodation once your place on the course is confirmed. Research student accommodation options before you apply through Clearing to speed up the process and secure the accommodation you want.
If you’ve already applied for a student or maintenance loan before you switch to a Clearing course, simply let your student finance provider know once the change is confirmed. Do this by logging into your student finance account, or give them a call.
If you’re yet to apply for a loan, do it as soon as you have a confirmed place. The sooner you apply, the sooner you’ll get your funds.
Your other options are:
Study a degree apprenticeship
Study an HNC or HND
Study a foundation degree
Study a foundation year
Take a gap year
Resit exams