Clearing 2026 - finding your way through Clearing transcript

00:00

If you didn't get the grades you were hoping for, please don't panic. It's easy to stress out and feel like you're never going to get back on track. But you've still got time and you've still got options. So please, please, first of all, don't panic.

00:16

Now, welcome to Clearing. More and more people find their uni place each year through the Clearing process, so it's perfectly normal. And pretty straightforward once you untangle it. So let's take it one step at a time.

00:27

All Clearing is, is just a process to match students with courses. How does it work? Applying through Clearing is just like applying through UCAS in the first place.

00:36

Research. Research unis and courses and find some that you might like the look of.

00:41

Prepare. Get everything you need: your qualifications, your UCAS hub number, your personal statement, and any questions you might want to ask.

00:48

Contact unis. Get in touch with unis to check if there's places for you. Usually there's a Clearing hotline, but there’s also email, social media and WhatsApp.

00:57

Consider a different route. If your grades were lower than you expected and you're struggling to find a place on your course, you may need to consider a different route entirely. Consider looking at a foundation year: essentially an additional year before you start your degree, offering you an introduction to your subject and the industry and helping you build the essential skills you need going forward in your degree.

01:15

Confirm your offer on UCAS. You can accept as many verbal offers from different universities as you like, but you'll still need to pick one. Once you've made your choice you can add it on the UCAS Hub. This means that you've accepted an offer.

01:26

And that's it! Once your university confirms with UCAS, you've made it through Clearing. You're going to uni. Take a breath! You've earned it. What comes next? If you haven't already visited your uni, see if there's an open day you can pop along to. it's always great to see campus for yourself and get a feel for the place you'll be studying. Otherwise, relax and enjoy your summer. Best of luck!

01:47

Screen shows a painted over red effect, then the Southampton Solent University logo on a white background and the text: www.solent.ac.uk/career-ready