Clearing 2026 — live
UCAS Clearing 2026
Scottish results are out and A-level results follow shortly. Have your shortlist, your grades and your phone ready. This page covers the dates, the process as it actually works, and what to do in each of the three situations students arrive in.
Find your situation
You missed your grades
Your firm and insurance choices both rejected you. This is what Clearing exists for, and it is not a downgrade — good courses at good universities appear every year.
- 1Check the UCAS Hub — your firm choice may still accept you, or offer an alternative course
- 2If both choices are gone, your Hub will show 'You are in Clearing'
- 3Search courses and write a shortlist of five to ten, with phone numbers
- 4Call them yourself — universities want to hear from the applicant, not a parent
- 5Once a university verbally offers you a place, add it as your Clearing choice in the Hub
You applied but hold no offers
You were unsuccessful with all your choices, or declined them. You can use Clearing regardless of your grades.
- 1Confirm your Clearing number in the UCAS Hub
- 2Be open about subject — related courses often have more availability
- 3Ask admissions what they would accept, rather than assuming you fall short
- 4Consider foundation years, which frequently have places when the main course does not
- 5Add your Clearing choice once you have a verbal offer
You did better than expected
You beat the conditions of your firm offer. You are not obliged to stay where you are — you can look for a course with higher entry requirements.
- 1Your firm place is already secure — you keep it while you look
- 2Contact universities you would prefer and ask whether they can take you
- 3Only release yourself from your firm choice once another university has confirmed in writing
- 4Nothing changes until you actively make the swap
Ask the Clearing adviser
Hi — I'm here to help you find a place through Clearing.
Tell me where you are right now: did you miss your grades, are you holding no offers, or did you do better than expected? If you'd rather just start with the course, that works too.
Clearing questions, answered
What is Clearing?
Clearing is how UCAS matches applicants who do not hold a confirmed place with universities that still have course vacancies. You contact universities directly, they make you a verbal offer over the phone, and you then add that university as your Clearing choice in the UCAS Hub.
Am I eligible for Clearing?
You can use Clearing if you applied through UCAS and hold no confirmed place — because you missed the conditions of your offers, declined your offers, applied after 30 June, or were unsuccessful with all your choices. You can also enter Clearing by releasing yourself from a firm place you no longer want.
When does Clearing 2026 open and close?
Clearing 2026 opened on 2 July 2026 and closes on 19 October 2026. Scottish SQA results are released on 4 August 2026 and A-level results on 13 August 2026. Most Clearing places are taken in the first few days after A-level results day.
Do I call the university or apply online?
You call. Universities give Clearing offers verbally over the phone, and only once you have that verbal offer do you add them as your Clearing choice in the UCAS Hub. Some universities also run online Clearing forms, but a phone call is still the fastest route on results day.
How many Clearing choices can I hold?
One at a time. You can call as many universities as you like and collect several verbal offers, but you can only add one Clearing choice in the Hub. If that university declines you, you can add another.
Can I use Clearing if I did better than expected?
Yes. UCAS Adjustment no longer exists — it was withdrawn after 2021. If you exceed your offer and want a different university, you self-release into Clearing. Crucially, you keep your existing firm place until you release yourself, so secure a written confirmation from the new university first.
Are Clearing courses worse than the ones advertised earlier?
No. Clearing vacancies exist because of how offers and acceptances happen to fall in a given year, not because a course is weak. Russell Group universities routinely appear in Clearing. Entry requirements in Clearing are often lower than the standard published offer.
What should I have ready before I call?
Your UCAS ID and Clearing number, your actual results including GCSEs, your personal statement, a pen and paper, and a shortlist of courses with their phone numbers. Call yourself rather than asking a parent to — universities usually need to speak to the applicant directly.
Can international students use Clearing?
Yes. International students can apply through Clearing on the same basis, though you should factor in visa processing time before term starts and check that the university can issue a CAS in time.
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