Top tips to secure your university place through Clearing 

If you are looking to secure a place at university through Clearing, Helen Mercado, Head of Admissions at the University of Derby, shares her top tips on how to prepare and find the right course and university for you.  

What is Clearing? 

Students opt to go through Clearing for a number of reasons: you may be considering your next steps, have changed your mind about your course or where you want to study, are waiting to see how your exams go, or you might not have a place at university yet.  

Whether you are a new applicant for this September, have changed your mind since applying, or think your results will be different to those you were predicted, Clearing could be for you.  

UCAS Clearing opened on Thursday 2 July, 2026 and will remain open until Monday 19 October. A top tip ahead of Results Day on Thursday 13 August is to get hold of the UCAS Clearing list by visiting UCAS Search. This will allow you to see what is currently available (more choices will appear on Results Day).  

Before Results Day 

Get yourself prepared the night before and ring as soon as lines open to give yourself the best chance. Take note of the opening hours of university hotlines in advance as most will open earlier than normal office hours. At the University of Derby, our hotline will open at 7am on Results Day (13 August 2026).  

On Results Day 

On the day of your results, you will notice the Clearing list being constantly updated. Remember to also log on to university websites to see which courses are available in Clearing.  

Make sure you have important details close by before you begin contacting universities. You’ll need to have your UCAS number, exam results and your log-in details for UCAS Hub. You may also want to compile a list of questions to ask and have your personal statement to hand to answer any questions.  

Once you have a list of universities you wish to contact, find a quiet place, take a deep breath and start calling. Try to remain calm and composed so you can get across everything you want to. Ensure you take the details of anyone you speak to in case you need to contact them later. At Derby, you can also contact us via social media or our website, if making a phone call is not convenient for you.  

Receiving an offer  

If you receive a Clearing offer over the phone, make sure you get written confirmation of your conversation as well as the expiry date of the offer. At Derby, our friendly, helpful staff members will guide you through the process of what you need to do, so there’s no need to worry.  

In addition, if you’re able to, try to visit the university you have chosen, as you will be committing to spending the next three or so years studying there. Most universities have visit options available throughout this period, so it is worth having a look.  

At Derby, we host a series of events which offer people the opportunity to get a feel for the place and what it would be like to study here. These include Open Days, Open House events, Campus Tours and the opportunity to meet with our student services. You can find more details, including event times, on our Clearing Hub. At Derby, if you can’t visit in person, we have a virtual tour to discover our facilities from home. 

We have created a set of FAQs which may help if you are considering applying through Clearing, but if you can’t find the answers you’re looking for, please get in touch.  

You don’t have to wait until you get your results to start looking at courses through Clearing – you can call, or complete our enquiry form, and our team will guide you through the process.  

We wish you the very best of luck.