For parents and caregivers: how can you help your child prepare for Clearing?
Find out what Clearing is, who can use it, and how you can help your child to prepare for it
With thousands of students accepting offers through every year, it’s becoming a much more common route into university. Here’s what you need to know to support your child after they submit their applications and beyond.
What is Clearing?
Clearing is an opportunity for students to find a course and university that’s right for them.
Although your child won’t be able to secure a place until they get their results, Clearing 2025 is open from 5 July until 20 October, allowing enough time for them to make their enquiries and applications. The places on offer are unfilled vacancies rather than ‘extra seats’, and those who apply for university through Clearing won’t be treated any differently in class than those who were accepted the first time round. Be aware though, that there may be less availability when it comes to things like accommodation.
Who can use Clearing?
Students without any offers
If your child’s university application is rejected, they don’t receive an offer, or they decide not to accept the offers they receive, they can apply for a university place through Extra between 26 February 2025 and 4 July 2025, where they can contact individual universities to secure an offer.
After this deadline, they can use Clearing to find a suitable place. Some students might want to wait for their results or for Clearing, rather than applying through Extra. Either is fine – there is no right or wrong way for them to do this.
Students who don’t achieve their predicted grades
If your child doesn’t achieve their predicted grades, it isn’t the end of the road! Some universities will still accept them if they have been marked as their firm or insurance choices. If they don’t, your child will automatically be entered into Clearing so they can start looking for unfilled vacancies. UCAS will even match students with courses and universities based on their results, their initial choices, what the universities are looking for, and what previous students in their position have gone on to study.
Students who achieve higher results than they expected
If your child is fortunate enough to be in this position, they can choose to decline their firm university offer and look for a new course or university. If they’re thinking of doing this, encourage them to research their new course and university carefully first, just as they would have done with their initial choices.
These students can use the ‘Decline my place’ button on the UCAS platform to remain in control of their application. This means they can release themselves into Clearing and take up another offer if they'd like to. They should only decline their place after they have spoken to the university they want to attend to make sure they can get on the course; once they decline their place, they can't get it back!
Students who change their mind
If your child simply wants to choose a different university or course, they can! But remind them that they can only accept one Clearing offer, and once they reject their firm choice, they won't be able to take up the same place again without going through the Clearing process. Even then, it’s not guaranteed.
Students who haven’t applied yet
If your child missed the initial UCAS deadline, or has only just decided they want to apply, they can use Clearing in the same way as other students.
How can you help your child to prepare for Clearing?
After your child has applied to university, encourage them to make a list of alternative courses, universities, and cities – just in case. Clearing can be overwhelming and a list will stop them from being tempted too far away from their original choices or making a snap decision. They can use Unifrog’s UK university shortlisting tool to do this.
How can you support your child on results day?
If they don’t achieve their predicted grades
Your child might feel like they’ve let themselves and their families down, so be supportive and reassure them that this isn’t the end! Encourage your child to stay open-minded, read our guide Results day and Clearing: lower results than expected?.
If they achieve higher results than expected
In the excitement of doing so well, your child might be tempted to apply to a more prestigious or higher-ranked university than the one they selected as their firm choice. Going to a higher-ranked university doesn’t necessarily mean they will receive a better education, or that it will meet their needs. Help to manage their expectations by talking through the Clearing process with them. If there's a course they deliberately avoided applying for because of high entry requirements, suggest that they start by looking at that course first. You can also encourage them to read our guide Results day and Clearing: higher results than expected?.