Clearing Guide for Parents & Carers: How to Support Your Child

If your child's A-level results haven't gone to plan, you're probably feeling anxious. Perhaps they've missed their university offer, or they've had a change of heart about where they want to study. Either way, you're wondering how you can help them navigate the next stage – "Clearing" – but you're not quite sure what that means.

Don’t worry. Clearing is a well-organised system that helps thousands of students find university places every single year. 

Your role as a parent is to offer calm, informed support while letting your child take the lead. This clearing guide for parents will show you exactly how to do that.

Key Takeaways

• Clearing is a normal part of university admissions and helps thousands of students each year – in 2023, 67,990 students secured places through Clearing (opens in a new tab)

• Parents play an important support role, but due to data protection laws, your child must make all contact with universities themselves

• Being calm, informed, and positive can make all the difference during what might feel like a stressful time

• Help your child prepare before results day and stay focused on the opportunities available, not just what didn't work out

What Is University Clearing and Who Is It For?

Clearing is the process that matches students to university places that haven't been filled. It runs from early July through to October, though most activity happens in August around A-level results day.

Think of it as a second chance – or sometimes, a first choice made clearer.

Your child might use Clearing if they:

• Missed the grades needed for their firm or insurance choice

• Did better than expected and want to aim for a more competitive university or course

• Changed their mind about their original choices after results came out 

• Applied late or didn't apply through UCAS by the June deadline

• Declined their firm choice after being accepted, to look for something different (this is the single biggest pool according to UCAS (opens in a new tab))

Importantly, 32% of students who used Clearing in 2023 actually declined their original firm choice to find a different option – so it's not just about "missing out." Many students actively choose Clearing to find a better fit.

Key Dates and How the Process Works

Understanding the timeline helps you support your child without adding to their stress.

July – Early August: Clearing opens. Some students apply early if they've already got their results from previous years or know they want to change direction.

Mid-August: A-level results day in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (usually the third Thursday in August). This is when most Clearing activity happens. Scottish Higher results come out in early August, typically the first Tuesday, so Scottish families need to be ready earlier.

August – October: Clearing remains open. Students can continue to find and accept places during this time.

Here's how the process works on results day:

1. Your child checks their results (usually released at 8am)

2. They log into UCAS Hub (opens in a new tab) to see if their place is confirmed

3. If they're not placed, they're automatically entered into Clearing

4. They search for courses with vacancies using the UCAS website or university clearing hotlines

5. They phone universities directly to discuss available places

6. If a university offers a place verbally, they add it to UCAS Hub

7. The university confirms the offer through UCAS

8. Your child accepts, and it's official

The whole process can happen in hours, though some students take days to consider their options carefully. Our UCAS Clearing guide for students will give you more details. 

What Role Can Parents Play in Clearing?

This is probably the most important section for you to read carefully.

Under UK data protection law (specifically GDPR and UCAS terms), universities can only discuss applications with the applicant themselves. This means you cannot phone universities on your child's behalf, even if you think you could do it better or faster.

What you CAN do:

• Offer emotional reassurance when they're feeling overwhelmed or disappointed

• Help research universities and courses by looking at websites, entry requirements, and course details together

• Encourage calm, clear decision-making rather than panic choices made in the first hour

• Be physically present on results day so they know they have support

• Help them prepare questions to ask universities during phone calls

• Take notes while they're on the phone, if that helps them concentrate on the conversation

• Discuss options together afterwards, helping them think through pros and cons

Your child needs to be the one speaking to admissions staff. Universities need to verify that the applicant understands what they're applying for and is genuinely interested.

What to Do Before A-Level Results Day

Preparation makes everything less stressful. Here's what you can do together with your child in the weeks before results:

Create a Clearing preparation list that includes:

• Your child's UCAS ID number and personal details (they'll need these for every university call)

• A list of 5-10 backup universities and courses they'd genuinely consider

• Entry requirements for each course (so they know if they're likely to be accepted)

• University Clearing hotline numbers saved in their phone

• A notebook and pen for taking notes during calls

Talk through different scenarios calmly:

"What if you get the exact grades you need?" "What if you're one grade short?" "What if you exceed your predictions?"

These conversations help them mentally prepare without dwelling on worst-case scenarios.

Research together:

Look at university websites, virtual tours, student reviews, and course content. Your child might not know what questions to ask, and two heads are better than one for researching.  Our university admissions data and university advice articles will help you find out what you need to know.

Just remember: they make the final decision.

Consider accommodation and logistics:

If they might be going to a different city than planned, start thinking about practical considerations. Clearing places can mean quick turnarounds for accommodation arrangements.

Our guide to A Level Results Day for parents will give you more ideas. 

How to Handle Results Day

Results day feels high-stakes, but the vast majority of students find a university place by the end of it. Your calm presence matters more than you realise. Your child might be nervous - so check out our guide to dealing with results day nerves. 

On the morning:

• Let your child open their results first, in whatever way feels right for them

• Give them a moment to process before jumping into action

• Check UCAS Hub together to see their university status

If their place is confirmed: Celebrate! Then start thinking about accommodation, student finance, and preparation for September. We have put together some ideas for you to celebrate results day.

If they're released into Clearing: Take a short break – have breakfast, go for a quick walk. Starting the process stressed and hungry doesn't help anyone.

During Clearing calls:

• Sit with them while they make calls, but let them do all the talking

• Take notes for them: what each university said, what grades they need

• Between calls, help them assess options: "What did you think of that conversation?" "Does that course still sound right for you?"

• Keep them fed and hydrated – this process can take hours

• Remind them it's okay to think about it rather than accepting the first offer

Keep perspective: In 2024, over nine in 10 students surveyed by UCAS (opens in a new tab) said they were confident they'd made the right choice – even those who went through Clearing.

Questions to Ask Universities (With Your Child)

Help your child prepare these questions before results day. They should be asking them during university phone calls, not you.

Essential questions:

• Are there still spaces on [specific course name]?

• What are the entry requirements? (Even in Clearing, there are minimum grades)

• I have [their actual grades] – would I meet the requirements?

• When would I need to make a decision by?

Important follow-up questions:

• Is campus accommodation guaranteed for Clearing students?

• When does the course start, and what do I need to do before then?

• Can I visit the campus before making my decision? (Some universities offer quick visit days during Clearing)

• What support is available for students who join through Clearing?

Red flags to watch for: If a university is pushy about accepting immediately without giving your child time to think, or if they can't answer basic questions about the course.

Reframing Clearing: It's Not a Failure

Many parents worry Clearing means their child has "failed" or will end up at a "worse" university.

This simply isn't true.

In 2023 (opens in a new tab), a record 38,140 UK 18-year-olds secured places through Clearing. That's tens of thousands of young people, whose entrance processes didn’t go to plan.

The interim CEO of UCAS noted that Clearing "used to be perceived as just being a process to support students that didn't meet their offer," but now "we saw a record number of students secure a place at one of the 30,000 courses available" for all sorts of reasons.

Real students, real success stories:

Students who've been through Clearing consistently report positive experiences. 

One Clearing student, Effie (opens in a new tab), secured a place at Aberystwyth after going to a Clearing open day: “Looking back, I’m so glad I took that leap. What began as a stressful period of uncertainty turned into a positive and transformative experience, and Aberystwyth has truly become a place where I feel I belong.” 

Likewise, Lisa Varley (opens in a new tab), a single mother who went through Clearing, explained: "I was almost immediately offered a foundation year course by the University of Bradford with reassurance that I would likely be able to progress onto the undergraduate course following completion." She's now successfully progressing in her career.

These aren't exceptions – they're the norm. Students thrive at universities they find through Clearing. Your child's future success depends on their effort, engagement, and fit with their course, not on which route got them there.

After Clearing: Next Steps

Your child has accepted a Clearing place – now what?

Immediate confirmation: They'll receive an email from UCAS confirming their place, usually within 24 hours. The university will also be in touch directly.

Student finance: If they're changing universities, they need to update their student finance application immediately. Contact Student Finance England (or the equivalent for Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland) to switch the university on their loan application. This is time-sensitive, so don't delay.

Accommodation: University-managed accommodation may be limited, but most universities reserve spaces for Clearing students. Contact the accommodation office quickly. Your child may need to consider private student housing if campus options are full.

Getting ready:

• Look at freshers' week dates and activities

• Join social media groups for their new course and university

• Sort out travel arrangements to move them in

• Help them feel excited about this new path, not regretful about the old one

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I call universities on behalf of my child?

No. Under UCAS regulations and data protection law, universities can only discuss applications directly with the student. This is to ensure the applicant genuinely understands and wants the course. Universities need to verify the student's interest and suitability themselves. 

Will using Clearing affect my child's chances?

Not at all. Students who find places through Clearing are treated exactly the same as those who got in through the main UCAS cycle. Over nine in 10 Clearing students report being confident they made the right choice. 

Is Clearing only for students who failed their exams?

Absolutely not. Students use Clearing for many reasons: better than expected results, changed career plans, wanting to be closer to home, or simply falling in love with a different university they discovered late in the process.

Final Thoughts

Your instinct as a parent is to fix problems for your child. When results day doesn't go to plan, you want to make phone calls, sort everything out, and remove their stress. That's completely understandable.

What your child needs from you is confidence that they can handle this, reassurance, and practical support that doesn't take over.

The students who thrive in Clearing are those who approach it as an opportunity. Your attitude shapes theirs. If you treat Clearing as a disaster, they'll feel like they've failed. If you treat it as a chance to find the right fit, they'll approach it with confidence.

Most importantly, trust your child to make this decision with your support, rather than control. Results day might not have gone to plan, but with preparation and perspective, they can still end up exactly where they need to be.

Good luck!

References 

• Highest number ever of students accepted through Clearing | UCAS (opens in a new tab)

• Tracking your UCAS application (opens in a new tab)

• Clearing success story: Aberystwyth (opens in a new tab) 

• Single mum who entered higher education through Clearing - 2024 - News - University of Bradford (opens in a new tab)