Student and parents walking outside on campus

Clearing guides for parents and guardians

Clearing opens on 5 July 2024

Clearing can be a stressful time for parents and guardians. Many people want to make sure that the young person they’re supporting is making the right decision for their future.

To help relieve some pressure, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide to Clearing, with parents and guardians in mind.

What is Clearing?

Clearing is just another route to secure a place at university. There are lots of reasons students may choose to apply through Clearing:

they submitted their application after 30 June 2024 (they will be automatically placed in Clearing if they apply after this date)
they didn’t receive any offers (or none they wanted to accept)
they didn’t meet the conditions of their offers
they declined their firm place (students are using Clearing as an opportunity that gives them more choice)
they haven’t applied to university yet but they don’t want to wait another year.

For those looking to start at uni in September 2024, Clearing opens on 5 July.

Male and female student sitting in a cafe talking with people sat in the background

Four students sat on steps talking

How does it work?

When your young person receives their results, they can log into their UCAS Hub account. Here they’ll see whether they’ve been accepted by their firm or insurance choice universities. If they don’t meet the conditions of their offer, their status will show that they are in Clearing.

Alternatively, if they’ve received better than expected results or want to consider alternative university options, they can enter Clearing by selecting ‘decline my place’.
They will be placed in Clearing if they haven’t submitted their application or received any offers by 30th June.

From then on, they can start to contact universities with available places on courses that interest them. When they contact the university, they will need to have their UCAS ID number, results and Clearing number ready. If they meet the course requirements, the university could make them an offer, which will show on their UCAS Hub. They will need to accept this offer through UCAS to confirm their place. Unfortunately, you won't be able to call on behalf of your young person, as this is a breach of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Be prepared

It’s important to prepare so you can support your young person through Clearing. You can do this by being aware of the Clearing process and any key dates. It’s also worth having key details noted down such as your young person’s UCAS login details, ID number and results. You could review their personal statement too - this will help you focus on their strengths and interests and find Clearing courses that may suit them. Make sure you have a pen and paper ready so you can take note of key details.

Empower them to explore their options

Your young person might feel nervous about receiving their exam results. Encourage them to see Clearing as an opportunity to consider their options and find a course that is the best option for them. Stay calm – Clearing can be a really positive experience, helping to find a course that is better suited to them. It’s all about choice.

Stay positive

It’s important to bear in mind that not all universities and courses will have places available, you and the person you’re supporting will need to do some research. UCAS’s search tool can help you find all the eligible courses available. UCAS’s Clearing Plus service can also personally match them to courses they may find interesting, based on their results and university expectations.

Clearing could be a chance to discover something new that really interests them and could set your young person on a different career path. If they’re offered a place at Coventry University, they’ll get an email detailing the next steps, which will include any deadlines.