Clearing guide for parents and supporters

Clearing is a part of the UCAS application process that allows students who are not currently holding any offers to obtain a place at university in September by matching them with institutions that have remaining spaces on their courses. 

Clearing is for students who:

• Haven't got the results they expected and therefore have been unable to secure their first or second choice of course
• Sent their application to UCAS after 30 June 
• Haven't already applied through UCAS and would like to make a new application
• Have changed their mind about the uni/course they originally applied for.

Clearing is open between July and September. Most universities will publish their Clearing course vacancies on Results Day (Thursday 14 August 2025) with many opening for Clearing before this. Clearing opens on 5 July, however your child won’t be able to apply for any courses until they receive their official grades.

Results Day can be stressful. If your child didn't get the results they were hoping for, or have only just made the decision to apply to university, Clearing is their next step after the 30 June UCAS deadline. There are a few things your child can do to give themself a head start before they start their Clearing journey. Every year thousands of students find a suitable university place through Clearing, so it’s important they don’t panic and feel pressured into making a hasty decision on results day:

1. Call Clearing helplines (when open) to discuss their options. You can't call universities for them, but you can make sure they have everything they need for the call:
   • GCSE (or equivalent) grades
   • Year 13 results
   • UCAS ID
   • A list of questions about the course and university they'd like to apply for.
2. Chat to current students.
3. Speak to their school/college careers adviser for advice on alternative courses that will still keep them on the same career path, in case they can’t get on to the course they originally applied for. 
4. Universities will be able to tell your child about the similarities between their courses, as some units may be the same between two degrees with a different title – so if their preferred course isn't available, there are still options out there. 
5. Search university websites or UCAS and take a look at the courses and entry requirements that are a good match for them. Try to be realistic about the grades you think they might gain but remember that universities are likely to be more flexible with entry requirements during Clearing (this also means they could get their original place when they didn’t expect it – good news all round). 
6. Ask your child to think about the things they’d like to ask the university about e.g. course content, course structure, assessment, placement opportunities, career prospects, facilities, location, accommodation, financial support, and other stuff that's important to them, and make a shortlist. 
7. Consider the accommodation options.

If your child has already made a uni application, their eligibility for Clearing will show up on their UCAS Hub page – their status says ‘You are in Clearing’ or ‘Clearing has started’. This will also be where they will find their Clearing Number (universities will need this so that they can access their application) and the ‘Add a Clearing choice’ button.

It’s also possible to apply through Clearing if your child hasn’t already made an application earlier in the year. There are two options for them to consider:

• Start a new application in UCAS Apply. Their application will go straight into Clearing and they will be able to explore all the options by calling different universities. Once they've found the one for them, they need to go to the ‘Your choices’ section of their application and click 'Add Clearing choice'. Then enter the details of the course.
• Let universities start an application on their behalf. Not all universities will offer this option - we will do this at Bournemouth University, by completing a 'record of prior acceptance' form.

If your child would like to make a Clearing application to BU, regardless of whether or not they have made an application earlier in the cylce, they can also choose to apply direct via our online application form. Other universities may also offer a self-apply option. Alternatively, your child can call universities to apply for a course and assess their eligibility. 

UCAS self-release gives prospective students more control over their applications. If they no longer want to go to their firm choice, they can use the 'decline your place' button in their UCAS Hub, instead of having to contact their chosen university or college and wait to be released into Clearing.

Once your child has been made an offer verbally from BU, we will send them an email confirmation of that offer. This email will also contain information on what they need to do next, such as:

• Go to the ‘Your choices’ section of their application and click 'Add Clearing choice.’ Then enter the details of the course (our institution code is B50) and complete the course details – we will give them a deadline to do this. Once they’ve done this, they’re accepting the offer and it will show as 'accepted' on the choices page of their application. UCAS will then send them a confirmation letter and we will send them a Welcome Pack.

If your child is changing university, or changing where they plan to live (such as staying at home instead of being in halls), they will need to let student finance know. If they haven't yet applied for student finance, then they need to do it as soon as possible. With a late application it's worth thinking about how your young person might be able to cover a gap in funding if their loan doesn't come through before term starts.