Want to know more about Clearing 2025 and how you go through the process? Or are you interested in the next steps after you’ve got an offer through Clearing? We’ve got you covered with our complete guide to Clearing.
How does Clearing work?
Clearing is a system that operates after UCAS Extra has closed. It matches students who want a place at university with universities who have unfilled places.
When is Clearing 2025?
For most students, Clearing will begin on JCQ results day, Thursday 14 August 2025. However, if you’ve already received your results, you can enter Clearing as soon as it opens on 5 July2025. You have until Clearing closes on 20 October 2025 to secure your course of choice, but places in Clearing are limited. So the sooner you apply, the greater your chance of success.
Who can use Clearing?
You can use Clearing if:
your application isn’t accepted by your Firm choice or Insurance choice
you don’t hold any current offers
you decide to decline any offers you already have
you have changed your mind and want to study something different, or that you want to study somewhere new
you’ve received better results than you expected and want to apply somewhere with a higher entry requirement.
How to apply through Clearing
Check if you have been accepted
Log in to UCAS to check the status of your application. If you didn’t get the results you needed, your offers may still have been confirmed.
If you have offers but you’ve changed your mind, you will need to decline the offers to release yourself into Clearing.
Look for an available course
If you don’t have a confirmed place, you can start contacting universities to find a place through Clearing via the UCAS Hub.
Each university will list the courses where they have spaces available. You can contact any universities that have space on a course you’re interested in, but you’ll only be able to accept one Clearing offer.
Once you have made your choice, you can apply through UCAS or directly to your university of choice. You’ll need your UCAS Personal ID number and results to hand.
Call our Clearing helpline or apply online if you’ve decided you want to study with us. Our Clearing Team will confirm with you what courses have available spaces, and they’ll discuss your options with you. In most cases, we’ll be able to make you an informal offer over the phone instantly. There’s no limit on how many offers you can hold and you don’t need to accept that offer immediately. You’ll be told how long the offer will last for, so you can take some time to think about what’s right for you.
Call our Clearing helpline from 5 July, 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday. On Thursday 14 August 2025 (JCQ results day), our phone lines will be open from 8am– 6pm.
On JCQ results day, our Clearing helpline will be open from 8am – 6pm. Make sure that you have your UCAS Personal ID number and results on hand before calling. This will help to make the process as simple as possible. In most cases, we’ll be able to make you an informal offer over the phone immediately. You’ll be told how long the offer will last for so you can take some time to think about what is right for you.
How do I check if I have a place at university?
Log into UCAS to check the status of your application. Your firm and insurance offer universities will have made a decision based on your results. If you didn’t get the results you needed to meet your offers, you may still have your place confirmed. We recommend you check your status on UCAS to make sure.
If your firm and insurance universities have made their decisions and you don’t have a confirmed place, you can start contacting universities to find a place through Clearing. If you’re able to apply through Clearing, the UCAS Hub will have a Clearing option displayed when you login.
If you have changed your mind about your firm and insurance universities, you can still decline your place and release yourself into Clearing.
Can I use Clearing if I’m still holding offers with other universities?
If you change your mind about what or where you want to study, or if you achieve grades that are better than you expected, you can decline your place and release yourself into Clearing. We’ll be happy to discuss course options with you if you’ve decided you want to study with us.
Contact our Clearing Helpline first to ensure that we can offer you a place before you ask to be released from your firm or insurance choice universities. We won’t be able to formally confirm your place until any university you hold an offer for agrees to release you into Clearing.
I haven’t applied through UCAS yet. Can I still apply through Clearing?
Yes. Even if you haven’t applied through UCAS this year, we can still consider you for a place through Clearing.
Contact our Clearing Helpline and keep your results to hand, and we’ll be happy to advise you. If you get in touch with us from JCQ results day on Thursday 14 August 2025, we’ll be able to provide instant decisions in most instances. And if we can offer you a place, we’ll give you all the information you need to get your place confirmed through UCAS.
What should I do if I’m on holiday on results day?
Do you hold any conditional offers that are dependent on your results? If yes, you’ll need a plan of action for JCQ results day – Thursday 14 August 2025.
If you have access to the internet while on holiday, you can log in to your UCAS account to find out what your chosen universities have decided. If your firm or insurance choice universities have confirmed your place and you’re happy with that decision, then you don’t need to do anything else.
There are other actions you’ll need to take if:
you won’t have access to the internet
you didn’t meet the conditions of your offers
you’ve changed your mind about your firm and insurance choice universities.
You may have nominated someone who can access UCAS Hub to make the changes for you. If you didn’t nominate a person when completing your application, speak to UCAS directly before you go on holiday to ensure that they have access to your UCAS Hub.
It would also be worth researching alternative courses/universities before results day to ensure you have a backup plan ready.
Once you have an offer through Clearing
I’ve been offered a place in Clearing. What should I do next?
Congratulations on being offered a place with Edge Hill University through Clearing.
Once you’ve received your offer, we’ll give you instructions on how to get your place confirmed via UCAS. You’ll need to add your Clearing course and qualification on to the UCAS Hub.
Can I visit the University before I start my course?
Our students know our campus better than anyone. Let them share their knowledge and let you in on the secrets of how they’ve made the campus their home. From the best places to grab a quick bite to the best study spots in Catalyst, the tour will take you to the places you’ll learn, live and make memories that will last a lifetime.
Our campus tours are a great opportunity to see the campus and to look around our buildings and facilities.
You’ll need to update your Student Finance application if you’ve accepted an offer from another university through Clearing. You can do this online using your Student Finance login.
If you haven’t already applied for Student Finance and you want to go to university this year:
Will I be able to get university accommodation if I’ve been offered a place through Clearing?
If you’re offered a place by our Clearing Team, they will also ask you if you want to live in on-campus accommodation. If you do, you’ll be transferred to our Accommodation Team who can talk you through your options. And, you may even be able to choose your room type there and then.
Our halls of residence are great value for money with fees below the national average. So, you can be confident about your home away from home, whatever room you choose.
If you think there’s a possibility that you could be entering into Clearing, it’s a good idea to research universities that you’re considering applying for. You won’t know which courses will be available to you until you’ve received your results. But you can begin to find out other information about the university. Like the courses they specialise in, the support they can provide and their student life opportunities. Then you’ll be able to make a shortlist ahead of Results Day.
It’s natural to feel nervous in the lead up to finding out your results. You’ve worked so hard to get this point and you’ll want to know that your hard work has paid off. But try not to let it get to you too much. Look after yourself and your wellbeing during this time. Reach out and speak to friends and family, keep active and keep your mind busy with other activities if the thought of Results Day is causing you anxiety.
On Results Day:
Stay calm. Whether you planned to go through Clearing or not, it’s important to keep a cool head so you can consider all your options carefully. This is your chance to find out the options that are available to you with the results that you have achieved.
You might have to consider applying for a university that you hadn’t thought about before. So it’s important to be flexible with the options that you discuss. It might be that you find an interest in something completely different to your initial choice.
Places are given on a first-come first-serve basis. But this doesn’t mean that you should rush your decision. You’ll be given a window of time to accept your Clearing offer. Take your time when thinking about your decision. Don’t just accept it because you think it’s your only chance of going to university. You should only accept your place on a course if it’s really the right thing for you. Make sure that the course is what you think it is and covers the areas you’re interested in.
After you’ve accepted your Clearing offer:
Once you’ve formally accepted your Clearing offer, you can celebrate the exciting times that are ahead. All your hard work has paid off and you’re about to begin the next chapter in your academic story. Then you’ll need to keep an eye on your email inbox over the summer for any updates about your enrolment, Induction and Welcome Week.
Chat with us
If you need any advice, or if you’re waiting to receive your results, you can contact our team who will be happy to assist you.
