Thousands of students across the UK will find out on Thursday 13 August whether their exam results match the offers they need, and for many the next step will be navigating clearing to secure a university place. Clearing lets prospective students who missed their grades, changed their minds, or outperformed expectations find or switch a course, and it runs this year from 2 July to 19 October. This guide sets out how the system works and what to do before and on the day itself.
What exactly is clearing?
Clearing is the mechanism universities and colleges use to fill remaining places on their courses, and it also gives students a route to change their course or institution after applying. It is open to a wide range of applicants, not just those who have underperformed.
You can use clearing if any of the following apply to you:
- You received no offers, or none that you actually wanted to accept
- You failed to meet the conditions attached to your offers
- You declined your firm place by selecting "decline my place" within your application
- You are not holding any offer at all, and a course you're interested in still has space
- You would rather take up your insurance choice than your firm choice — though you will need to confirm through clearing that the insurance university will still accept you
- You exceeded expectations and now want to switch to a different university altogether
Guidance for parents from the university admissions service notes that students have been able to release themselves into clearing from 5 July using the "decline your place" button, but warns that once this step is taken it cannot be undone, according to the admissions service's parent guidance.
What preparation can students do before results day?
Education consultant and content creator Clementine Wade recommends mapping out every plausible grade outcome in advance, then attaching a realistic course alternative to each scenario.
As an illustrative example, a student might plan that three A grades could lead to physics at Sussex, three Bs to physics at Aberystwyth, and grades of C, C and D to physics at Nottingham Trent, depending on which places remain available.
The admissions service's own search tool allows students to filter available courses by year of study, course type, and clearing vacancies, and functions as the single official and most current vacancy listing. Separate guidance describes this tool as updating live throughout the day, meaning applicants can browse it even before they have formally entered clearing themselves, according to a clearing guide for the 2026 cycle.
Wade advises anyone reconsidering their original course choice to speak first with someone they trust, such as a parent or teacher, and to reflect on why they picked that course initially before deciding to change direction. She observes that most students who go through clearing tend to be first-time university applicants rather than those retaking or reapplying.
Haadi Nasir, now a student at the University of Manchester, fits that pattern. He had initially planned to take a gap year after his A-levels and had not applied to university at all, but changed course after achieving strong grades and being encouraged by family and friends to apply.
On results day itself, with support from his A-level teachers, Nasir completed an application form and contacted six universities through clearing before settling on Manchester to study politics and modern history.
"The good thing about clearing is that you can apply to as many universities as you want, unlike with Ucas, where you are limited to five," he says.
"That was definitely stress-relieving," he says.
Nasir suggests that even students unsure about attending university should submit an application "just in case", to avoid unnecessary pressure on results day — advice that Wade also endorses.
"You will need a referee, which is why I'd suggest doing it now," she says.
"Let's say [you've] got to email the teacher, the teacher's got to add a reference, then Ucas only gets sent once all of those parts are sent together."
Looking back, Nasir wishes he had gone into clearing better prepared and recommends jotting down key details — location, accommodation options and cost — for every university being contacted.
"Make sure you know whether you qualify before calling," he says.
"With my university I was required to have a specific A-level, so make sure you meet the requirements."
Other guidance echoes this call for preparation: applicants are typically advised to have their personal ID, exam results and application details ready before phoning universities, according to the University of Leicester's clearing guide. Recommendations on how many back-up options to have vary — some guides suggest a shortlist of three to five universities, while others advise keeping five to ten realistic alternatives in reserve, per the same guide.
How does the process work on results day itself?
The admissions portal typically updates at 08:00 on results day, meaning students can sometimes see whether they've been accepted onto their firm choice before they have even collected their physical results.
Wade nonetheless urges students to resist checking the portal immediately.
"I would say try and steer away from the temptation, get your results in hand and then look at your Ucas track, because then you can action that decision as opposed to having 90 minutes of freak-out."
Jamie Bradford, head of future students at Leicester De Montfort University, agrees that conversations about clearing are more productive once a student actually has their results in hand rather than trying to plan around hypotheticals.
Before adding a clearing choice within the application system, students must first contact the relevant university directly and supply their clearing number — found within their application — along with their personal ID, so staff can locate their record.
"It's amazing how many students don't actually talk about the course or the place at all," says Bradford.
"All they want is just the offer - 'I've got these grades, can you take me?' - in reality, it's three or more years of your life. The university is a big decision."
Bradford recommends students ask about day-to-day course content, the campus environment, and accommodation availability rather than focusing solely on securing an offer.
"Work up a priority list," he says.
"For us, it's about fitting the right student to the right course, not just about getting any offer."
Wade advises students to work through their pre-prepared list of alternatives once results are known, and after gathering offers and discussing student finance, to take a break and talk things through with someone they trust. She stresses that students should feel confident enough to phone universities directly.
"I know it feels scary, but you are the client, you do get to ask these questions," she says.
"You don't even need to ring this university to say, 'Can I get into this course, please?' You could say, 'Hey, what course could you offer me?' Because you know what, universities need these students."
Some institutions, including Leicester De Montfort, now run clearing conversations over WhatsApp in addition to traditional phone calls. Separate guidance suggests that during these calls, universities may extend a verbal offer which is later confirmed by email, before the applicant formally adds the clearing choice within their account, according to the University of Leicester's guide. One further guide recommends gathering several informal verbal offers from different universities before committing to a final decision, according to the same clearing guide for 2026.
How much time do students have to accept an offer?
Bradford notes that many students cannot afford to deliberate for days, since popular courses fill quickly, but cautions against accepting the very first offer without any consideration.
"Spend a small amount of time thinking, what do I really want from my experience? Don't panic buy and accept the first offer that comes along."
Wade advises students to directly ask their preferred university how long they have to accept an offer, since timeframes vary considerably between institutions.
"The more super-selective the university, the less time they will have," she says.
"Generally, I would always say sleep on it. Most universities will give students some time, but ask that question on the phone."
Students north of the border follow a slightly different timetable. According to our earlier coverage of Scottish exam results, results in Scotland are due to be issued from 08:00 on Tuesday 4 August 2026, more than a week ahead of results day in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with support lines and appeals guidance available to Scottish learners.
What happens after results day?
Once a verbal or informal offer has been secured through clearing, the next formal step is for the student to add that university and course as their clearing choice within their online application account, after which the university confirms the place, according to the admissions service's clearing and results day guidance. The same sequence — securing an offer, then adding it in the applicant's online hub before awaiting confirmation — is echoed in the University of Leicester's clearing guide. For international applicants, clearing also serves as a route to secure a UK undergraduate place for those who missed their original application window, declined earlier offers, or applied after 30 June, according to a guide for international students.
Key Facts
- Results day for England, Wales and Northern Ireland falls on Thursday 13 August 2026, while Scottish results are issued from 4 August 2026
- Clearing runs from 2 July to 19 October this year
- Students can apply to an unlimited number of universities through clearing, compared with a five-choice limit on a standard application
- Students should have their clearing number and personal ID ready before contacting universities
- Some universities, including Leicester De Montfort, now offer clearing support via WhatsApp as well as by phone
