Clearing – A quick reference guide for teachers and educators

This quick reference guide contains everything you’ll need to know about this year’s Clearing cycle, along with a brief overview of the Clearing application process.

When does Clearing 2023 start?

This year’s Clearing begins on Tuesday 4 July.

When is A-level results day?

A-level results will be released on Thursday 17 August.

When does Clearing 2023 end?

Wednesday 18 October is the last chance to add Clearing choices and for universities and colleges to make decisions.

Do students need to be registered on UCAS?

Yes, students must be registered on UCAS in order to secure a place through Clearing.

What will they need to apply?

Students need their UCAS number, name, address and date of birth to hand when calling universities to enquire about a place. They’ll be asked what course they’d like to study, or if there’s no particular course, which subject area it is they are interested in. They’ll also need their grades if calling after A-level results day. It’s also helpful for universities to know which stage of application they are in, e.g. don’t have a place at a uni, already have a firm offer elsewhere but have changed their mind, etc.

Can students change their mind about their choice of university?

Yes, there’s a process for students to change their mind if they’ve already accepted a firm offer at a university but no longer want to go there. Their application on the UCAS website has a ”Decline your place” button that can be used, but they have to be sure they no longer want the place before pressing it. More details can be found here.

Is there anything else they need to do once they’ve applied?

Later applications usually mean that student funding is also applied for later, in which case it might arrive after your student has started at university. This might cause problems if they were intending to immediately use it to live on.