How Clearing actually works

The mechanics, in plain English — who's eligible, what a Clearing number is, and how a place gets confirmed.

Clearing matches applicants without a place to courses with places left. It isn't a consolation round: plenty of people use it deliberately, including those who did better than expected and want to trade up.

You're eligible if

You didn't get the grades for your firm or insurance choice.
You applied after 30 June.
You declined your place, or had no offers.
You're applying for the first time this late in the cycle.

How a place is actually confirmed

You ring the university and they verbally agree to take you.
They give you a course code and ask you to add it in UCAS Hub.
You add it as your Clearing choice — one at a time.
They confirm it in Hub. That's when the place is yours.

A verbal offer isn't a place

Until it's in Hub and confirmed, nothing is settled. Universities do give more verbal offers than they have places, so add it as soon as they tell you to.

Clearing dates for 2026

Clearing opened on 2 July.
A-level results: Thursday 13 August, from 8am.
Clearing choices can be added in Hub from 1pm on results day.
Clearing closes on 19 October.

Just come off a call?

Tell us how it went — it takes under 30 seconds and it’s what builds the picture everyone else is using. Verbal offers stay private.

Report a call