Clearing is upon us! Don’t know what Clearing is? Don’t worry, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about Clearing. This includes answering FAQs like What is clearing, Which are the top universities for Clearing, How to register for clearing, What is Clearing Plus, and much more! So sit tight and let’s get started!
Clearing is how universities and colleges fill any places they still have on their courses. From 5 July – 18 October, students can apply for a course using Clearing if they’re not already holding an offer from a university or college, and the course still has places. In 2020, Clearing helped over 70,000 students get a seat at a university. Clearing allows students to get into UK universities, including some of the most prestigious ones.
Top 2022 Universities For Clearing?
Here are the top 15 institutions in the UK that are providing undergraduate spots in at least five different programmes in Clearing in 2022 –

- University of Warwick
- University of Bath
- Loughborough University
- Lancaster University
- University of Southampton
- University of Leeds
- University of York
- University of Manchester
- University of Strathclyde
- University of Aberdeen
- University of Birmingham
- University of Sheffield
- Royal Holloway, University of London
- University of East Anglia
- University of Chichester
How Does Clearing For University Work?
Need a place at uni? Clearing 2022 can make that happen. Through Clearing, you can apply for a course if you’re not already holding an offer from universities for Clearing and the course still has places.
You are eligible to use Clearing 2022 if you meet the following criteria –
- you’re applying after 30 June
- you didn’t receive any offers (or none you wanted to accept)
- you didn’t meet the conditions of your offers
- you’ve paid the multiple choice application fee of £26.50
- you’ve declined your firm place using the ‘decline my place’ button in Track
Don’t forget to read: Everything You Need To Know About Clearing In The UK
When Does Clearing Begin And Close?
Clearing begins on July 5 and ends on October 18. Students who have not met the entrance criteria for their preferred programmes or who have not received an offer from a UK institution are automatically placed in Clearing. Those applying after 30 June can also apply in this way. You will not be able to apply through Clearing until you have received your exam results.
What Is Clearing Plus?
Clearing Plus is a new tool that was introduced this year. The intent behind Clearing Plus is to speed things up. Clearing Plus takes what it knows about you and what it knows about the types of students universities are looking for and suggests some courses you might like.
If you happen to like a particular course, the university or college can contact you. And don’t worry, you can still browse courses in Clearing using the search tool.
PS. There are restrictions on applying to universities for Clearing via Clearing Plus. If you’re unsuccessful with your application or are applying for the first time for a place in Clearing, then only will you be able to use Clearing Plus.
What To Do For University Clearing?
It is totally up to you to find a university that is prepared to accept you.
1. Seek Advice
Before you start the Clearing process, consult an adviser at your school, college, centre, or careers office. They can talk you through alternative courses/subjects. If you’re applying independently, you’ll find everything you need to know about the Clearing process on the UCAS website.
2. See What Courses Are Available
Make use of the search tool to find courses. It is the only official vacancy list, so it’s the most up-to-date. If you can’t find the course you’re looking for:
- Consider different subjects – you can always follow Plan B. You could also look at joint honours courses, so you can study a mix of subjects
- Keep checking – UK universities for Clearing update their course information regularly. You might not find the exact unis/colleges/courses you were looking for as some might be full, but some might get vacancies later on.
- Check the course details – Find answers to important questions like – how is it structured each year? What modules make up each year? What are the entry requirements?
3. Talk To Any Unis Or Colleges You’re Interested In
Before you add a Clearing choice in Track, you need to call the uni and give them your Clearing number (you can find this in Track), and Personal ID, so they can look up your application.
- You can ask them if they’d accept you. There have been instances where they might reconsider you (maybe for the same course) even if you applied to them earlier in the year.
- You should also try to get informal offers from universities for Clearing over the phone. Once you have a variety of university and college offers, you can then decide which one you want to accept.
- Ask about Student accommodation in the UK. There is a high chance that by the time you ask for on-campus accommodation, they’d be sold out. A great alternative to this is off-campus student accommodation. This type of accommodation is located very close to universities and offers you a wide range of amenities like 24/7 security, secure access, on-site staff, contents insurance, free WiFi, lounge access and more. Head over to UniAcco to get the best possible deals on your student accommodation.
4. Add Your Clearing 2022 Choice In Track
You must add a Clearing choice only when you have permission from the university or college. Click ‘Add Clearing choice’, and fill in the course details by the date the university/college gave you on the phone. This means you are definitely accepting the offer, so if they confirm, it’ll show as an acceptance on your ‘Choices’ page in Track. You can only add one choice at a time, but if the university/college doesn’t confirm your place, you’ll be able to add another. Once the university/college confirms your place, you should start finding your student accommodation on UniAcco.
Do Universities Lower Their Grades For Clearing?
Universities are fairly understanding and know that sometimes exams don’t go as planned and results don’t reflect what students are really capable of. Fortunately for you, you will be talking to admissions tutors directly during the Clearing process so you’ll have a chance to convince them that there’s more to you than your exam results.
Most universities that have course vacancies during Clearing will be prepared to accept you if your grades are below their entry requirements as long as you sound passionate and are right for the degree subject.
A university could also accept you based on the UCAS points that you’ve accumulated rather than your final grades. For instance, the entry requirements might be AAA and you’ve got ABB but your UCAS points might add up to enough to make the university give you a place.
Source: UCAS
We hope you found this blog on UK Universities For Clearing 2022. Do read some of our other blogs on –