Your Guide to Clearing

What is Clearing?

Clearing is how unis and colleges fill any places they still have on their courses. 

Clearing is open to anyone not already holding an offer from a university or college, and where courses still have available spaces. It is also for those who are holding an offer, but have changed their minds about their course/university and for students who miss out on the grades required for their firm and insurance choices.

It runs from 5th July until October.

Why would I use Clearing?

There are a number of reasons why you may choose to go through clearing:

• You haven’t quite achieved the grades you were expecting
• You have achieved better grades than expected
• You've changed your mind about the university at which you wish to study
• You want to change to another course
• You haven't applied to go to university but you've decided that you want to go in September.

Whatever the reason, Clearing can be an opportunity to secure a university place that is just right for you!

How does Clearing work?

You can check UCAS to see if you're eligible for Clearing.

UCAS will not send anything in the post to tell you if you are eligible, so it is important that you check online.

If you are eligible for Clearing an 'Add Clearing choice' button will appear on your UCAS 'choices' screen, which you can use to accept a place on a course you have been offered through Clearing.

What are the Clearing 2024 dates?

Clearing is open from July to September. Here are the key dates:

5th July - Clearing course Vacancies go live and you can make an application if you're not waiting for your results

15th August – A-level results day: call us on 0808 175 3071

Am I eligible for Clearing?

You’ll be eligible for Clearing if:

• You apply after 5th of July
• You are not holding any offers from universities or colleges you’ve applied to
• You do not hold a place or a conditional offer of a place after exam results are published.

How do I apply for Clearing?

Follow these steps and be prepared for Clearing 2024.

1. On results day check UCAS. Your application status will tell you if you are eligible for Clearing.
2. Check the university website to see what courses are available in Clearing.
3. Contact your shortlisted universities and speak to an advisor about your options. You will need:
• Your Grades
• Choice of course
• UCAS number
4. Get an offer! You usually have 24hrs to accept an offer before it will be released back into the Clearing pool.
5. If you want to accept a Clearing Offer, head to your UCAS Hub, where you will see the 'Add a Clearing option' button. You can input your university and course details here.

When does Clearing close?

This can depend on each institution but Clearing at Swansea can end as late as October, where programmes still have spaces.

If you didn't receive or accept any offers still contact your university of choice as some take late applicants.

If you are unsure contact Swansea University's Admissions Team to discuss your options.

How do I secure Student Finance if I go through Clearing?

Take a look at our Clearing Finance Guide for information on how to secure Student Finance. 

Is it too late to apply for accommodation?

Students going through Clearing can still apply for University managed accommodation using their UCAS ID number. Students without a UCAS ID number can apply after they've received their student number from the University (your student number will be sent to you as soon as your application is received). Apply before the August to get a guaranteed offer of accommodation.

See our Accommodation Guide for Clearing Students for further information. 

What is UCAS Extra?

UCAS Extra is a free service that allows you to keep applying for higher education courses even if you’ve already used up your original five choices, as long as you applied through UCAS and are not holding any offers or waiting for a decision on any of your initial five applications.

You can apply through UCAS Extra from 28 February until 4 July this year.  If you still don’t have any offers after this point you will still be able to apply for a place at university through clearing.

Take a look at our Guide to UCAS Extra for further information. 

How to Decline your place and enter Clearing

If you want to come to Swansea University but are already holding a place at another university, you can decline your place in your UCAS Hub and join the Clearing process. 

Discover how it works in our Guide to Declining Your Place and entering Clearing. 

Why study at Swansea

Our stunning waterfront campuses and friendly welcome make Swansea University the perfect destination for students from all over the world, enabling those who join us to develop skills and knowledge that will set them on successful and enriching careers.

Our figures speak for themselves. We're ranked 25th in the UK and top in Wales in the Guardian University Guide 2024, and 95% of our graduates are in employment, study and/or other activities, 15 months after leaving Swansea University (HESA 2023).

But don’t take our word for it, take a look at Ayo's experience as a Physics student at Swansea. 

Do you have more questions about Clearing?

Take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions page where we've added some more information about the things students tend to ask about Clearing - from questions about student life to how the Clearing process works.

You can also live chat with the admissions team if you don't find the answer you need.

If you're looking to hear more about how our students feel about Swansea University, our friendly students are available to answer your questions.