How does UCAS Clearing work in 2026?

Clearing matches students without a place to courses with vacancies. You find courses in the UCAS vacancy tool, call university hotlines directly with your Clearing number and grades, collect verbal offers, then from 1pm on 13 August add your chosen offer to your UCAS Hub. The university confirms or declines through the Hub.

When can I add a Clearing choice to UCAS Hub 2026?

You can add a Clearing choice from 1pm on 13 August 2026. Before 1pm, use the morning to call universities and collect verbal offers. You can hold multiple verbal offers simultaneously but can only add one to the Hub at a time.

What do I say when calling universities in Clearing?

State your name, UCAS Personal ID, Clearing number, and grades. Say which course and course code you are interested in and ask if places are available. If asked why you want to study there, give one to two specific reasons related to the course or university. Do not commit to accepting until you have spoken to everyone on your list.

Is Clearing a bad option for university?

No. Over 50,000 students find university places through Clearing each year, including at Russell Group universities. Whether it is right for you depends on the quality of courses available in your subject area through Clearing and whether you would genuinely be happy attending. If Clearing options do not match what you wanted, a gap year to reapply may be worth considering.

How do I find Clearing courses in 2026?

Use the UCAS Clearing vacancy search tool at ucas.com/clearing. Filter by subject, location, entry tariff, and university. The listing updates in real time — check frequently on and around results day as courses fill rapidly.

What happens if I change to a different university through Clearing?

Update your Student Finance England application immediately to reflect the new institution and course. Contact the new university's accommodation office quickly — halls fill fast and Clearing students are often at a disadvantage on accommodation. Enrolment information will come by email from the university.

UCAS Clearing 2026: How It Works, Best Courses Still Available, and What to Say on the Call

UCAS Clearing 2026 runs from 2 July to 19 October, with the busiest period in the week following A-Level results day on 13 August. Thousands of university places across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are filled through Clearing every year — including at Russell Group universities. This guide covers the complete process, what to say when you call, how to search for courses, and whether Clearing is worth using or whether deferring to next year is the better route.

Clearing Is Not a Consolation Prize

The word "Clearing" carries connotations of failure that do not hold up against the actual data. Every year, more than 50,000 UK students find their university place through Clearing. Russell Group universities — the selective research-intensive universities that include Manchester, Leeds, Exeter, Birmingham, Bristol, and others — regularly have Clearing vacancies. Some courses offered in Clearing are genuinely excellent: oversubscription at the application stage does not always reflect course quality, and some very good courses have Clearing places available simply because applicant demand varies unpredictably.

Clearing is a route. Whether it is the right route for you depends on your grades, your alternatives, and what you actually want to study.

How UCAS Clearing Works in 2026

Clearing for 2026 entry opened on 2 July 2026. The official Clearing window runs until 19 October 2026 — after which any remaining places are filled through late applications reviewed by universities individually.

The mechanics:

Who is eligible for Clearing: Students who applied through UCAS for 2026 entry and are not holding any offer (firm or insurance). Students who missed both their firm and insurance offer conditions on results day. Students who declined their offers and chose to re-enter the application cycle. Students who applied after the UCAS June 30 application deadline automatically enter Clearing.

Finding courses: The UCAS Clearing vacancy tool at ucas.com/clearing is the primary source. Courses with available places are listed there, searchable by subject, entry tariff, university, and location. The listing updates in real time — courses added as universities release them, courses removed when they fill. Check it frequently on results day and in the days immediately following, as the vacancy landscape changes rapidly.

Getting your Clearing number: When you enter Clearing, your UCAS Hub displays a Clearing Number. You need this number every time you call a university. Write it down before you start calling.

Calling universities: You call the university's Clearing hotline directly. UCAS provides a central search but does not connect you to universities. Each university in Clearing lists a hotline number in the vacancy tool. Call hours are typically 8am to 8pm on results day, with reduced hours on subsequent days.

What the call looks like: When you get through, you will speak with an admissions officer or tutor. They will ask for your UCAS number and Clearing number. They will ask for your grades. They will ask which course you are interested in and why. They may make a verbal offer immediately, tell you they will call back, or tell you the course has filled.

Holding multiple verbal offers: You can speak with as many universities as you like and hold multiple verbal offers simultaneously. Do not tell one university you are accepting while still talking to others — be honest that you are gathering information. "I'm very interested and I need to call one more university before making my decision" is a completely normal and accepted thing to say.

Adding your Clearing choice to the Hub: After 1pm on 13 August, log into your Hub and add a Clearing choice. Enter the university and course code. The university then confirms or declines through the Hub. Once confirmed, you are enrolled. You can only have one Clearing choice on your Hub at a time.

What to Say on the Clearing Call: A Script

Preparation before the call saves time and projects confidence. Have ready: your UCAS Personal ID, your Clearing number, your actual grades written in front of you, and the specific course name and code you are calling about.

When the call connects:

"Hello, I'm calling about a place in Clearing. My name is [Name], my UCAS Personal ID is [number] and my Clearing number is [number]. I've just received my A-Level results and I'm interested in [Course Name, Course Code]. I achieved [your grades]. Could you tell me whether you have places available and whether you would consider my application?"

If they ask why you want to study there: prepare one to two genuine reasons before calling. Look at the course page briefly — mention a specific module, a placement year option, or a feature of the course that genuinely interests you. Generic enthusiasm ("I've always wanted to study here") lands worse than specific, accurate interest.

If they make a verbal offer: "Thank you. I'd like to confirm whether there are any conditions attached to this offer. I'll call you back within [reasonable timeframe] to confirm my decision." Write down the name of the person you spoke with and the time of the call.

Searching Smart: Courses That Have Clearing Places

Clearing vacancies in 2026 include places across almost every subject area. Some patterns from recent cycles:

Subjects often with Clearing places: Computer science, engineering, mathematics, physics, economics. These subjects have strong demand but also large cohort sizes at many universities.

Nursing and allied health: Many NHS-aligned programmes have Clearing places due to the critical national need for healthcare workers. Foundation Year pathways in medicine and dentistry also sometimes appear.

Business and management: Large departments at post-92 universities and some Russell Group institutions frequently have business places in Clearing.

Education and teaching: Primary and secondary PGCE and undergraduate education programmes often have significant Clearing availability.

Subjects rarely with Clearing places: Law and medicine at selective universities, architecture, veterinary science, and highly oversubscribed creative arts programmes fill well before results day and rarely appear in Clearing.

Is Clearing Better Than Deferring and Reapplying?

This is the most important question after results day for students who are disappointed with their outcomes. The answer is not universal — it depends on:

Your specific grades versus what you wanted to study. If you are two or more grades below what your chosen course typically requires, Clearing may not offer a route into that course at the level of institution you wanted. Reapplying after a gap year gives you the possibility of resitting and achieving the grades needed.

The quality of what is available in Clearing for your subject. Search Clearing vacancies honestly. If the courses and universities available in your subject area through Clearing are ones you would be genuinely happy attending and studying at, Clearing may be the right call. If they are courses or institutions you would resent for four years, a gap year to reapply is probably the right choice.

Your financial situation. A gap year has costs — foregone student finance for the year, living costs, potentially employment needed. Clearing gets you into university this year with student finance beginning this autumn.

Your mental state. Results day is not a good time to make a decision that requires calm reflection. If you are uncertain, most universities will hold verbal offers for several hours. Sleeping on the decision is reasonable for students who are genuinely torn between Clearing and deferring.

After Clearing: Practical Next Steps

Once your Clearing place is confirmed, the to-do list that follows:

Student Finance: Update your Student Finance application to reflect the new university and course. Do this immediately — processing takes longer in the weeks after results day due to volume.

Accommodation: Many Clearing students are disadvantaged on accommodation because university halls allocate in advance. Contact the university's accommodation office immediately. Ask specifically about late accommodation availability. Some universities guarantee halls for Clearing students; many do not. Private student accommodation is an alternative but tends to fill quickly around results day.

Enrolment communications: Your new university will send enrolment instructions by email. Ensure the email address on your UCAS application is current and checking regularly.

Celebrate appropriately. Getting into university through Clearing is getting into university. What happens next is the degree — and what you do with it.