Students who fail to achieve the grades for their university place are in a fantastic position this year to scoop up a top spot in Clearing.
There are more than 22,800 courses still recruiting, including 3,530 at 18 of the 24 elite Russell Group universities, according to analysis.
Some of the more prestigious courses advertised on the UCAS website (the official admissions body) include engineering at Warwick, maths at Manchester and economics at Bristol. And historical data published by UCAS shows many others listed in Clearing have in the past accepted students with lower grades than those officially required.
School leavers will enjoy a buyer’s market, with universities keen to hoover up domestic students at a time when income from international students is falling due to visa rule changes.
UCAS chief executive Jo Saxton said this week: ‘We’re expecting this summer to see record numbers accepting a place through Clearing but we will probably also see record numbers applying directly to Clearing.’
The Clearing process, which matches students still looking for a university place with universities and courses that have vacancies, can appear daunting.
But the Daily Mail Clearing Guide 2026 with its unique University Finder can help you navigate your way to the one best suited to your needs.
With its comprehensive institutional ranking and 79 subject tables, it gives you a head start in the race for Clearing vacancies. You can even create your own university league table based on what is most important to you – be that graduate employment rates, student experience or teaching quality.
Cold, hard economics means all universities need to fill places, and in the immediate run-up to results day this week, some were keen to attract potential students with offers of scholarships, cut-price accommodation and/or laptops for the lucky few.
There are more than 22,800 courses still recruiting, but once results come out you will need to act quickly
Although Clearing remains open until October 19, once A-level and other exam results come out you will have to move quickly as the most prestigious and popular courses fill up fast.
To make the most of the opportunities, you need to have a clear strategy.
If you have been pitched into Clearing unexpectedly, the first thing to do is to park your disappointment with the grades that have placed you there. Easier said than done, but Clearing requires clear thought and swift action.
This is our guide on how to clean up in Clearing and make the most of it to find the course that you have always wanted to study.
Don’t panic buy
If you suspected Clearing might be an option, you will have hopefully checked out which universities have vacancies ahead of results day. Clearing has been open since July 2, so many universities have been advertising their vacancies for several weeks.
Think about what kind of university experience you want when looking through the courses available in Clearing
If you are in Clearing unexpectedly, take time to check thoroughly which universities have places in the subject you are interested in. Don’t rush into taking the first course on offer for the sake of securing a place.
Do you want to study while living at home or do you want the full university experience of living in your own accommodation? Do you want a campus or town/city-based university? Do you want a course that incorporates a year in industry or are you happy to study for three years and then worry about a job at the end?
Have your paperwork to hand
Make sure you have everything ready to process an application when you make the call to universities. This includes your results, qualification names, UCAS ID and the name(s) of the course(s) you are interested in.
For each university you’re planning to phone, have a list of notes or bullet points to hand about why a certain course or university appeals to you. Plus, think of a few questions for them to demonstrate that you’re keen and are invested in the course. For example: ‘What is the split between lectures, tutorials and self-directed study?’ or ‘Is careers guidance offered as part of the course?’
Familiarise yourself once again with your personal statement; you might be asked about it and it will have been some time since it was written.
You must do the talking
When it comes to phoning universities about a place it is vital that Mum and Dad DON’T make the calls. Universities want to hear from the applicants themselves. Some children prefer to make the calls from school after getting their results, just so that Mum and Dad aren’t even in the room when they phone.
Make a good impression on the university by making calls yourself, don’t think Mum and Dad will get the job done for you
If a student comes home in order to find their university spot, the best place for Mum and Dad to be is downstairs making tea or coffee, helping to prepare for calls and offering support and advice in between them as, hopefully, the available options become clearer.
Making the calls
When you call a university, the conversation might be swift and administrative – checking you have the grades and that the place is still available. On the other hand, it may turn into a mini interview to test out your suitability. Don’t hold back – you need to be bold about your grades, achievements and why you are right for the course.
Speak clearly and listen carefully to what the adviser is saying, noting down any important information, including the name of the person you are talking to in case you need to contact them again. If you don’t understand something, ask questions.
You will need to demonstrate your interest in the subject you are applying for and may need to illustrate that with reading you have undertaken around the subject area. Remember the university is trying to find out a little about you just as much as you are trying to find out about the course you are interested in.
No doesn’t always mean no
You might have been rejected by your preferred university if you miss your grades only to find the course is then offered through Clearing. The gamble the university has taken is that it will find better-qualified students through entering the Clearing process. They do not always find them.
Get a feel for the university and course that you’re considering – can you see yourself there?
If you’re still hankering after your original place, keep an eye on the list of vacancies. If your course is still being advertised three or four days after results day, and you have not opted to study elsewhere by then, a call to the course admissions tutor could mean you get the place that was denied to you only a few days before. You might now represent a better bet – as a known quantity – than an unknown student who may or may not apply late. Keeping a cool head can sometimes turn disappointment into a positive.
And if you get an offer…
The university accepting you will email with details of your offer and the course to which they are willing to admit you. You will have to formally accept the offer made to you which will have a time limit on it. Make sure you reply within the window.
And one final tip if a university makes an offer through Clearing: think it through.
If you have a few days to make your decision, visit the town or city where the university is located to get a feel of where you might be living. Go on to the campus. There are always students around – ask them what the university is like.
Why you MUST choose carefully in Clearing… and how the Daily Mail Guide can help
