Clearing 2024 FAQs

We aim to alleviate any concerns or uncertainties you may have about Clearing. This article will address various aspects of the clearing process, including what it is, how it works, and what offers you may receive.

What is UCAS Clearing?

Clearing is the process for applicants to find spots on university courses that still need to be filled. The service is offered by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). It is available to any student who has made an undergraduate application but has no other offers.

Officially, university Clearing runs from Wednesday, 5th of July, 2023, to Tuesday, 17th of October, 2023. The process is a chance for students to find different courses and universities if they receive worse or better grades than expected.

What is Clearing Plus?

Clearing Plus is a tool designed by UCAS to help students find their perfect course. The service is only open to students who have yet to be successful with their applications and are using Clearing for the first time.

You can prepare for a Clearing interview the same way you would typically prepare for a university interview.

The tool is designed to give students a more personalised list of university courses that are likely to accept them. If students are eligible for Clearing Plus, the UCAS Clearing team will look at your original choices, cross-reference these with the courses that universities and colleges have told them are available and then send these to you. You can then see your choices in the “see matches” button on your UCAS Hub.

Am I eligible for Clearing?

To use the Clearing service, you must meet certain criteria first. Any student can use Clearing, though not all students necessarily require it.

To be eligible for Clearing, you must:

• Be applying after Friday, 30th of June 2023.
• Have declined your firm place using the ‘decline my place’ button in your application.
• Have paid the multiple choice application fee of £26.50.
• Have not met the conditions of your offers.
• Have not received any offers (or none you wanted to accept).

Contrary to popular belief, Clearing courses are not just the ones that no one wants to apply for. There are several reasons why a course may still be available. Often, courses may even lower their entry requirements after students have received their results.

What is a conditional offer?

A conditional offer is an offer made to a student by a university. It effectively offers you a place at a university, providing you meet the terms of their offer.

This is usually related to academic performance. This means you will be asked to achieve a certain amount of UCAS tariff points or specific grades in certain subjects. If you meet the terms of this offer, you will be immediately accepted by the university.

Clearing is the process for applicants to find spots on university courses that still need to be filled.

What is an unconditional offer?

This is an offer made by a university to a student. This offer guarantees a student a place at a university regardless of their academic performance.

This offer is rare. An unconditional offer is usually made to students before they receive their A-Level, BTEC or T-Level results. Generally, these offers are made to students whose predicted grades are exceptionally high or if they are on an academic scholarship.

What is an informal offer?

An informal offer is sometimes known as a verbal offer. Essentially, this is an offer made to a student by a university that has yet to be formally completed.

These offers grant students more time. With an informal offer, you will have a greater chance to research a university and the course before you accept. Informal offers are only ever offered to students entering Clearing.

A conditional offer is an offer made to a student by a university. It effectively offers you a place at a university, providing you meet the terms of their offer.

What is self-release?

Self-release is the process of a student releasing themselves into Clearing. If you are holding an offer from a university or course but don’t want to accept it, you can release yourself into Clearing.

Those who do this should do so only when they have done their research. You cannot back out of this decision if you change your mind and you will need to have done extensive research on the university or course you are applying for before you do this.

What is a firm choice?

A firm choice is your first choice when you make your UCAS application. Assuming you meet the university's conditions and requirements on results day, you will be offered a place there.

What is an insurance choice?

This is your backup option. If you do not meet the terms of the offer from your firm choice university, you will attend your insurance choice, provided you meet their requirements.

What is UCAS Extra?

UCAS Extra allows you to apply for another course or university. This is only for students who have not received any offers or have turned down all of their five places.

An informal offer is sometimes known as a verbal offer.

It is possible to use the service if you are not holding any offers. It is also possible to use UCAS Extra if you are awaiting a response from any of your initial five applications.

Can international students use Clearing?

International students can use Clearing, which works in the same way as it does for students from the UK too.

The criteria for an international student to use Clearing is:

• Applied through UCAS at an earlier stage before Clearing opens.
• Be applying after Friday, the 30 of June, 2023.
• Been rejected by your firm and insurance choices.
• Have paid the multiple choice application fee of £26.50.
• Met the conditions of your firm or insurance choice but have rejected them.

International students are advised to begin work on their application earlier. This is because students will need to ensure that they have their student visa, begin preparation for a university interview or potentially sit an entrance exam or English language test.

Can you reject your insurance offer and go through Clearing instead?

Yes, you can. This is called “self-release”, and students can reject their insurance choice and enter themselves into the Clearing process.

This was not always the case. In prior years, students would need to wait for their insurance choice to formally release them from their offer before they could enter into Clearing. However, as of 2019, UCAS has introduced a system whereby students can release themselves.

A firm choice is your first choice when you make your UCAS application.

What are the Clearing dates?

Clearing officially opens on Wednesday, the 5th of July, 2023. Clearing closes on Tuesday, the 17th of October 2023. Though A-Level results day, BTEC results day and T-Levels results day are a bit later, meaning that if you apply before this date, you may not have such a wide variety of options to choose from.

How much does Clearing cost?

If you have made an application before the 30th of June, 2023, you will need to pay an additional fee. The initial fee is £22.50 and then an additional charge of £4.50.

It is possible to use Clearing if you are not holding any offers.

Do universities lower entry requirements in Clearing?

This depends on the university and the course. If a course is not getting many applicants, the university may potentially lower the entry requirements.

Not all universities will do this. You will need to keep an eye on a university’s entry requirements on UCAS or by speaking to the university directly.

Can you still attend open days before making a decision through Clearing?

Yes, you can. Many universities that enter Clearing often offer university open days for students specifically going through Clearing.

Some universities do not do this. You will need to speak to the university beforehand to find out if they offer any open days for Clearing students.

Clearing officially opens on Wednesday, the 5th of July, 2023. Clearing closes on Tuesday, the 17th of October 2023.

Is it hard to find student accommodation through Clearing?

This depends on when you apply. Some universities will have their accommodation gone very quickly, and others will not.

Researching the university’s accommodation before applying is a good idea. That way, you can at least apply for the accommodation when you apply for the course, giving you a greater chance of securing it. Some universities may allocate accommodation quicker than others, so you may have to make do with what they offer you.

Do Russell Group Universities enter into Clearing?

Yes, they do - but not all of them. Unsurprisingly, universities such as the University of Cambridge or the University of Oxford do not offer Clearing courses.

This changes every year. Some Russell Group Universities will offer Clearing one year and then not for the following year and vice versa.

Can I use Adjustment if my grades are better than expected?

Adjustment does not exist anymore. UCAS abolished Adjustment in 2022 in favour of Clearing Plus and self-release. If your grades are better than expected, you will now enter Clearing.

Many universities that enter Clearing often offer university open days for students specifically going through Clearing.

Previously, Adjustment worked similarly to Clearing. This was a process where those who had exceeded their predicted grades or performed better than expected could look for different universities or courses.

Where is my UCAS number?

Your UCAS number can be found in your UCAS Hub.

When does UCAS Hub update on Result’s Day?

Your UCAS Hub will update at 08:00am on results day. You will also have your offers from your university in your Hub. If you receive your results before results day, they will automatically appear in your UCAS Hub.

Do universities accept T-Levels in Clearing?

Some universities accept T-Levels during Clearing. It depends on the university and whether they accept them as part of their overall application, as some universities may still need to recognise them formally.

Do I need a new personal statement for Clearing?

No, you do not need a new personal statement for Clearing. Your personal statement will already be a part of your UCAS application, so you won’t need to write a new one.

Adjustment does not exist anymore. UCAS abolished Adjustment in 2022 in favour of Clearing Plus and self-release.

However, if you are applying for a new subject, you must write one. In this instance, you will not upload the personal statement to UCAS. Instead, you will send it to the university directly, who will assess it from there.

Can I apply to Clearing if I have already accepted an offer from a university but changed my mind?

You can. You will need to speak to the university directly and ask them to release you from your offer. After you have done this, the university will release you into Clearing.

It is best to give the university plenty of warning. Calling up to withdraw your place with time to spare means that the university can facilitate your release quicker. If you ask too late, the university may not release you.

How can I prepare for Clearing interviews with universities?

You can prepare for a Clearing interview the same way you would typically prepare for a university interview. You may not have much time to prepare, but you will have some.

Some universities accept T-Levels during Clearing.

The best preparation is to have everything you need. Find yourself a quiet room with no distractions, all the information you need (your results, Clearing number, work experience, personal statement etc.) as well as a pen and a pad and think about what questions you may have for the interviewer, the same as if you were attending an open day.

Are there any specific scholarships or financial aid options available for students going through Clearing?

There is no specific form of financial aid for students going through Clearing. That is not to say that the university you are applying to does not offer any funding support of any kind, there just aren’t any specific to Clearing.

What deadlines do I need to be aware of when going through Clearing?

There are only two you need to be aware of:

• Clearing opens: 5th July 2023.
• Clearing closes: 17th October 2023.

There are no specific deadlines aside from these that you need to be aware of.