UK Clearing 2026: Dates, How It Works & Universities With Places

UK Clearing 2026: Everything You Need on Results Day

Quick answer

Clearing 2026 opens on 5 July 2026 and closes on 20 October 2026, with the busiest day being A-level results day on 13 August 2026. Clearing matches applicants who have no offer (or who missed their grades) with unfilled university places. Most Clearing courses accept 96 to 112 UCAS points, and you can call universities directly the moment your results are released.

Key Clearing 2026 dates

Date	What happens

|---|---|

5 July 2026Clearing opens; the UCAS Clearing search goes live4 August 2026Scottish Higher results day13 August 2026A-level and BTEC results day - peak Clearing21 September 2026Final date to add a Clearing choice for most September starts20 October 2026Clearing closes

How Clearing works, step by step

Check your UCAS Hub status. If it says "You are in Clearing" or "Clearing has started", you are eligible.

Work out your UCAS points. Use our free UCAS points calculator so you know your exact total before you call.

Search Clearing vacancies on UCAS or on university sites, and build a shortlist of five.

Call the university directly. Have your Clearing number, personal ID, grades and course codes ready. The call takes 5 to 10 minutes.

Get a verbal offer, then add the choice in your UCAS Hub. You can only hold one Clearing choice at a time.

Sort accommodation and finance immediately - Clearing places move fast and halls fill within days.

Universities most likely to have Clearing places in 2026

Post-1992 universities and London campus providers consistently carry the most Clearing vacancies: Bolton, Sunderland, Teesside, Bedfordshire, Wrexham, Coventry, Middlesex, Greenwich, Hertfordshire and Salford. Several Russell Group universities also enter Clearing each year in less competitive subjects, usually Languages, Chemistry, Engineering and Geography.

What UCAS points do you need for Clearing?

Most Clearing courses land between 96 and 112 UCAS points, which is CCC to BBC at A-level or MMM to DMM in a BTEC Extended Diploma. Some courses will take 80 points, and integrated foundation year entry often opens at 48 to 64 points. See what your grades are worth in our 96 UCAS points guide and 112 UCAS points guide.

Clearing for international students

International applicants can use Clearing, but the visa clock is the real constraint. A place confirmed in mid-August leaves roughly four weeks for a deposit, CAS and Student Visa decision before a late-September start. Read our Clearing 2026 guide for international students for the visa detail. If the timeline is too tight, the smarter move is usually to switch to a January 2027 intake, where the same universities run the same courses with a comfortable timeline.

Clearing tips that actually change the outcome

Call yourself, not your parents. Admissions staff want to speak to the applicant.

Be flexible on the course title. BSc Business Management and BA Business Administration are often the same teaching.

Ask about a foundation year if you are 16 to 32 points short - it is usually offered on the same call.

Do not accept the first offer out of panic. You have until 21 September for most September starts.

Missed out entirely?

Clearing is not your only route. A January 2027 start, a foundation year or an HND with a top-up all get you to the same degree. Run our free eligibility check and we will show you exactly which UK universities and courses your grades qualify for right now.