With results day approaching, you may be pondering what to do next. If a gap year's what you're considering, ensure you're realistic with your options.
Updated: 09 Aug 2026
Even close to the time, you may still be tossing up the prospect of going through Clearing or taking a gap year. If so, it's essential that you do your due diligence when it comes to research. Weighing up the pros and cons of each before making any decision will leave you satisfied with your choice.
We've got loads of handy Clearing articles and more on our Clearing Hub. Browse unis across the UK, find courses with open Clearing spaces, and get advice on your next steps in Clearing.
A key advantage of the Clearing process is that it shouldn’t cause any delay in your academic progress. Even if you missed out on your firm or insurance choice, you will find hundreds of courses to choose from in Clearing this year, from most institutions across the UK.
Unless you have had a fixed idea about what and where you wanted to study from the moment you started the UCAS application process, then Clearing is the most appropriate ‘next step’ for you to take – especially if you didn't receive any confirmed offers on results day.
The majority of students who do find courses through Clearing continue to thrive throughout their degree programme and thoroughly enjoy their studies. Just because a programme wasn’t your first or second choice doesn’t mean that you can’t have a fantastic university experience.
There may be many students who are disappointed with their grades, thus missing out on their firm or insurance choice. As a result, many courses in Clearing may well have filled up very quickly. This may leave it more difficult to find the course you wish to study.
As a result, it's important that you’re proactive when addressing Clearing. Before applying for any Clearing courses, you should make a shortlist of your top five courses. Write down the phone number of the corresponding university and get calling as soon as you can. You can search through what courses are available in Clearing this year, along with the relevant phone numbers to call, using our Clearing tool.
If you’re not willing to be rushed into a decision, or you can’t find a course that you want to study, then taking a year out to re-evaluate your options may be a more suitable option. Each year, many students do this and opt to re-sit their exams in autumn and re-apply to their university of choice (or another related course). This is particularly beneficial as it means when you start your course, you will have a stronger knowledge of your subject area.
Some students in this position decide not to resit, but instead to take a gap year and re-apply through UCAS when the main system reopens. Those who take a gap year tend to spend time travelling, gaining relevant work experience (which in turn will strengthen your application) or even working to save up some money for when you do go to university.
Alternatively, other gap year options could include doing a year studying abroad, or even doing a placement year abroad. However, these tend to occur in your second or third year of study, so would therefore result in you taking a gap year later on. It would also still give you the chance to enter Clearing.
The first disadvantage of taking a year out is that it can cause a little bit of a delay in your academic progress. If you have already mentally prepared to attend university this year, taking a year out may stifle some of the motivation to re-apply the following year. Once out of the swing of academic life, it can be tough to re-motivate yourself get back into the swing of things.
It's also worth considering that if you do choose to take a gap year now and re-apply for university next year, you will be competing against the cohort of students coming through that next year. If you aren't very confident with your grades, it's worth being aware that the upcoming year group could even outperform your current year group.
Whether you decide to take a gap year or choose to enter Clearing, ensure that you have thought through the decision thoroughly. Lay out all of your options, decide on the pros and cons, chat with your parents and peers, and make the most informed decision that best suits you.
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