For students hoping to gain a place at university, A-level results day can be especially tense. Many will be relying on grades to secure a place on a given course and some will inevitably be left disappointed.
For students who do not make it on to their chosen course, there is still a route into higher education. These students can find unfilled places via the university clearing process.
What is university clearing?
Clearing is a system run by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) to fill vacancies on university courses. Clearing Plus is a Ucas tool that matches students to suitable courses available through clearing.
Clearing provides an opportunity for students who have not accepted university places or have not met the requirements for their conditional offers to find themselves a place.
When does university clearing open?
University clearing opens on 5 July 2025. This system is for students who haven’t accepted an offer from a university or who have failed to meet the conditions of their offer or who have agreed with the university whose offer they have accepted to be released to go through clearing.
When does university clearing close?
University clearing closes on 20 October 2025.
What if a student does better than expected?
If a student does better than expected with their results, they can decline their university offer and use clearing to find a course.
What is Clearing Plus?
Clearing Plus is available to students who have been unsuccessful with their application to university or are applying for the first time for a place in clearing.
Students are matched to courses based on their profile. You can read more about Clearing Plus .
University clearing: 2025 timeline
30 June 2025: The deadline to apply to a specific university course. All applications after this date will automatically be entered into clearing by Ucas.
5 July 2025: Clearing opens.
14 August 2025: A-level results day. Students can receive their results from 8am.
20 October 2025: Clearing closes.
When students are using clearing to search for courses, it is advisable to have all the relevant information to hand when they are contacting university admissions.
This includes: Ucas personal ID number, details of their qualifications (including GCSEs) and copies of personal statements and references.
Students can search for clearing courses via the .
How many students use clearing?
In 2024 around 74,000 students found a place through clearing across 30,000 courses, show.
Some 18,015 candidates used clearing because they didn’t get the grades required to meet their university offer. And 21,090 used it because they did not apply to university before the deadline.
A growing number of students are choosing “decline my place” during clearing and applying to new courses or universities. In 2024 some 14,940 students switched course or university in this way - a 9 per cent increase on 2023.
Read more about how to support students who have missed their grades on A-level results day.
