How to use Clearing to apply for a different course or university

Check upcoming open days and book your place

Alistair went through Clearing after changing his mind about his course choice. Hear his story.

Applying through Clearing if you decide on a different uni or course

Having second thoughts about your course or university choice is perfectly normal. Thousands of uni applicants find themselves in this situation every year. The good news is it’s not too late to change your mind – just apply again through Clearing.

In fact, Clearing may be the perfect time to rethink your choices. It gives you a chance to discover courses and subjects you might not have even considered before. Ultimately, you want a course and uni you’re most happy with, that aligns best with your future aspirations. Clearing is an opportunity for you to find just that.

Our website has everything you need to help you through the Clearing process, from our Clearing course search tool to expert tips and FAQs to guide you along the way. You can find and compare courses, book open days, find out which unis have places available, and see your chance of acceptance, all in one place.

Alistair quote

How UCAS Clearing works

Think of Clearing as another chance for you to find a place at university. An increasingly popular route for students, it matches students looking for a place at uni to unis with unfilled places.

When Clearing opens, unis will publish a list of courses with places still available – you can find them using our Clearing tool.

Key dates for Clearing 2024

5 July: Clearing opens
21 October: Clearing ends

Remember you can’t enter Clearing before you have your grades.

How to apply for Clearing courses

The first thing you'll need to do is 'release' yourself into Clearing. You can do it in two ways:

Contact the university you originally applied to and ask to be released – once they release you, you'll be automatically entered into Clearing
Self-release yourself into Clearing (see below)

After you're released, follow these four steps:

Search and compare Clearing courses – register with Whatuni to search, save and compare courses all in one place
Contact shortlisted unis through their Clearing hotlines – have your UCAS ID, Clearing number, personal statement, results and any questions on hand before calling
When you have a verbal offer, add the course on UCAS Hub – the uni will then confirm your offer
Start preparing for uni – once your place is confirmed, it’s time to update your student finance details and sort out your accommodation

Clearing self-release

Self-releasing lets you enter Clearing if you're already holding a firm offer from a university but want to decline it to accept an offer from another uni.

To self-release, log into your UCAS Hub account and select ‘decline my place’ next to the course you want to be released from. Be thorough in your research and make sure you get an informal offer from another uni over the phone before taking this route, as you won't get your old offer back if you change your mind again.

Learn more about Clearing self-release.