How can we help?

No, you can’t swap your firm and insurance choices.

If you now want to go to your insurance choice, you need to go through Clearing. You need to check with your insurance choice uni/college that they can accept you in Clearing.

Your application will update once the uni/college makes a decision. If you’ve met the conditions of your offer, your place will be confirmed soon.

Yes. If you change your mind you mind and no longer want to go to your firm choice, you can use the ‘decline my place’ button in your application – find out more.

Go to the ‘Your choices’ section of your application and click 'Add Clearing choice.’ Then enter the details of the course.

Only add a Clearing choice if you’ve been given permission by a uni.

All Clearing vacancies are listed in our search tool from July. They are updated regularly by the unis until mid-September.

• It's available July to October each year.
• If you already have your exam results but you have no offers, you can use Clearing from July.
• If you had conditional offers but your exam results didn't go to plan, you can use Clearing from results day, when Clearing vacancies will be listed in our search tool.
• If you're eligible, you can add a Clearing choice on results day. 
• If you are holding a firm unconditional place but have changed your mind, you can decline your place in your application.

There is no additional cost for Clearing – for 2025 entry you pay a one-off application fee of £28.50.

Free school meals application fee waiver: For the 2025 cycle, if you have been in receipt of free school meals at some point during the last six years (during your secondary education) up until the end of your final year, you will be eligible to have your application fee waived. Find out more.

If your application doesn't say ‘You are in Clearing’ or ‘Clearing has started’ it might just be waiting for your results to update. Get in touch with the universities/colleges if it's taking a while – they might still be considering you, even if your results are a bit lower than required.

If you’re eligible for Clearing, your Clearing number will show under ‘Application status’ in your application.  

You'll know you're in Clearing if your application status says 'You are in Clearing' or 'Clearing has started. Or, you follow the on-screen prompts to decline your firm place, and your application status then says ‘You are in Clearing’ or ‘Clearing has started’.

This depends on whether or not you’re waiting for exam results, and whether you’re eligible for Clearing.

• If you are waiting for exam results, you'll be able to add a Clearing choice if the university or college you’ve applied to decide not to offer you a place.
• If you are not waiting for any exam results, you'll be able to add a Clearing choice from early July, as long as you are eligible for Clearing.

If you are unconditional firm at a provider and want to apply through Clearing instead, you will be able to decline your place from early July, when the button becomes available. There are some restrictions to these details.

If you're not holding a place you can use Clearing to find courses with vacancies from July.

Read our information about how Clearing works.