Every year, thousands of students use Clearing to find a university place. You’re eligible for Clearing if you have applied in the current application year and have not met the conditions of your firm and insurance choices.
Results Day can be an emotional time and it can be hard to organise all the thoughts and questions you may have. To help you, we have compiled a list of frequently asked questions about UCAS Clearing!
When does Clearing open?
Clearing officially opened on Friday 5th July but not all Clearing courses will be advertised then. Most will be advertised around A-level results day on Thursday 18th August.
When does Clearing close?
Clearing officially closes on Tuesday 18th October, but most vacancies will be filled before this date. Some universities or colleges may offer places in late October at their discretion, so it’s always best to check with their admissions team.
When do I register for Clearing?
You can register any time up until the last day of Clearing (see above).
Can BTEC or IB students apply through Clearing?
Yes, in fact some BTEC and IB results are released in July (before A level results day) so you can enjoy a head start. If you don’t see something straight away, keep checking UCAS Track as most vacancies are published around A-level results day.
Can I defer my offer if I’m accepted onto a course through Clearing?
Most universities/colleges offer Clearing vacancies for this academic year. If you don’t want to enrol this September you will need to contact their admissions department and discuss your options. They may ask you to withdraw your offer and apply again next year.
I applied for student finance before going through Clearing. What do I do?
Now that you’ve selected a choice through Clearing you will need to change your application details with Student Finance England. Visit gov.uk/studentfinance or your loan provider to quickly update your details.
Its results day and I have not applied for student finance yet. What do I do?
You will have missed the official student finance deadline, so your loan may not arrive in time for the start of your course. Don’t worry, just start your application as soon as possible so that Student Finance England can begin processing your details.
We wish you the very best of luck for your exam results!
Click here to download a copy of our Clearing Handbook, and make sure you have a Plan B on results day. For more Clearing support and stories from real applicants be sure to follow our Facebook and Twitter pages.