What is Clearing and how does it work?
Clearing can feel daunting, but it's also a great opportunity to find the right course and university for you. Whether you're applying now or just exploring your options, this guide covers everything you need to know – how Clearing works, who's eligible, and helpful information for parents.
What is university Clearing?
Clearing is a way of applying to university if you didn't get the results you expected, you missed the UCAS deadline, or you've changed your mind about your chosen course or university. During Clearing, universities offer their remaining places on courses for the upcoming academic year, making them available to new applicants.
How does Clearing work?
Each year, universities submit a list of courses available for Clearing, which can be found using the search tool on the . If you already have a university in mind, you can they offer on their website.
If you find a course you like, you can contact the university directly. All universities run a Clearing hotline where you can discuss your options with a member of staff. When you contact the universities, you need to provide them with your Clearing Number and UCAS Personal ID, so they can access your application.
If you're offered a place at the university, you can accept it on UCAS Hub.
Please note: if you already have an offer from another university, you need to decline it before you can accept a new one.
Who can apply through Clearing?
Most students looking for a place at university will be eligible to apply through Clearing.
You can apply if:
- You haven’t applied to university through UCAS that year.
- You don't already hold an offer from a university.
- You didn’t meet the conditions of your offers.
- You declined your firm choice because you changed your mind about the university or course.
Find out more about who is on our blog.
When does Clearing open?
People often think Clearing starts on results day, but it actually opens in early July and runs until late October. This means you can start researching your options weeks before results day – and even speak to universities before you receive your grades.
For 2026, and closes on 19 October.
How to apply through Clearing
There's no official application process for Clearing – if you meet the eligibility requirements, you can contact universities at any point during Clearing and they'll guide you through the process.
If you're interested in studying at a particular university but haven't decided on a course, many will let you and get in touch once your results are out.
Applying to St Mary's through Clearing
If you're interested in applying to St Mary's, opens in July. You can and we'll be in touch as soon as it opens, giving you priority access to places.
To apply through Clearing, we'll need to speak with the student directly to process the application. There are a few ways to get in touch:
Apply directly
If you have all your results, you can call the hotline to apply directly when Clearing opens in July.
Message us on live chat
We're also on live chat, ready to help you with any questions you may have.
Get in touch with us on WhatsApp
You can contact us directly by messaging us on
Opening hours
We're here 10am – 3pm every weekday.
What should I do when I call the Clearing hotline?
When the hotline opens in July, our friendly team is here to guide you through your Clearing journey.
Before you call, make sure you have the following information on hand:
- UCAS ID
- Highest qualification type (e.g. A-levels, BTEC, etc)
- Subjects studied and grades achieved
During the call, we'll also ask for your full name, email address, and phone number.
We know calling universities can be daunting, so we’ve filmed an example of what a Clearing call with us would look like.
What can I do to prepare for university Clearing?
- If you're thinking you might apply to universities through Clearing, research alternatives ahead of time. We recommend making a list of possible degrees and universities with their contact details, so you can easily give them a call on results day.
- Pre-register with your chosen universities if you can, so they'll you as soon as Clearing opens.
- Make sure you have your qualifications to hand, as well as your UCAS and Clearing numbers, as universities will ask you for these.
Our top tips for Clearing
- Be prepared and make sure you’re available on results day to speak to universities.
- Try not to panic, you don’t have to accept your Clearing offers straight away, so take the time to consider whether the university and course is right for you.
- Attend an Open Day to help you make your decision. Universities run around Clearing where you can tour the campus, meet academics, and speak to current students.
- Make sure you seek support from your current school or college, friends, and family.
Accommodation for Clearing students
We know that for around half of our students, living on campus is a big part of the University experience. If you’re applying through Clearing, we’ll try our best to make sure you don’t miss out on that.
During the application process, let us know your preferred type of accommodation, whether it's be full-catered, en-suite rooms, or shared options. While we cannot guarantee a specific room type, we'll try to accommodate your preference based on availability at the time.
After confirming St Mary’s as the firm choice on UCAS, Clearing students should navigate to the New students need to register for an account and complete an online application for accommodation. Please note, it can take up to 48 hours for our accommodation system to update after accepting an offer.
For further information, you can:
- Explore our .
- Take a look at
Clearing information for parents
We're here to support students and their families throughout the Clearing process. If you have any questions, you can always reach us at , and we’ll be happy to offer advice whether your young person ultimately chooses to come to St Mary’s or not.
This shouldn't be a stressful or complicated process, and there are many reasons that a student may still be looking for a university to study through Clearing.
The most common reasons are:
- They did not meet the entry requirements of their offer and they’re looking for a new place
- They have an offer from UCAS, but they want to study at St Mary’s
- They haven’t applied to any universities yet.
If you’d like to know more about St Mary’s – you don’t need to wait for Clearing to open to make a choice. We’d be happy to arrange a campus tour, or call with an academic. Just and we’ll be in touch.
For more information, please visit our