Be University Wise guides › Clearing › Who can use Clearing?

Who can use Clearing?

You can use Clearing if you do not hold a place: because you applied after 30 June, had no offers, missed your offer conditions, or released yourself from your firm place. That includes international and EU students, mature students and people who have never applied before.

Checked against official sources on 25 September 2026.

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The four ways into Clearing

Your UCAS Hub will say “You are in Clearing” or “Clearing has started”. Check yours with the Am I in Clearing? checker.

When you are not in Clearing

• You still hold conditional offers. While your firm and insurance choices are deciding, you are not in Clearing.
• Your firm or insurance place is confirmed. You are committed to it. To go elsewhere you would have to use “Decline my place”.
• You have a changed course offer. Reply to it within five days first. If you decline a changed firm offer and your insurance place is not confirmed, you go into Clearing.

UK students

Clearing works the same way whether you live in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, and covers universities and colleges across the UK. What differs is fees and funding: see tuition fees by UK nation.

International and EU students

UCAS says: “International students, including EU and other overseas students, can use Clearing in the same way UK students can.” The difference is time. You need a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from the university and then a Student visa, which usually takes about three weeks to decide from outside the UK. Universities may close Clearing to visa students earlier than to UK students. Irish citizens, and people with settled or pre-settled status, do not need a Student visa. See Clearing for international students.

Scottish students

Students from Scotland can use Clearing, but places at Scottish universities for students paying the Scottish fee rate are limited by government funding, so there may be few or none. Places elsewhere in the UK carry different fees. See Clearing in Scotland.

Mature students and people changing direction

UCAS describes Clearing as “a popular route for students returning after a gap year, time in work, or a change in plans”. You apply the same way. Many universities accept Access to HE Diplomas and experience, and some mature applicants already have a referee from work or a course. See applying for the first time in Clearing.

Can you use Clearing for medicine?

Rarely. Medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses have fixed numbers and are almost always full, so very few appear in Clearing. Related courses, such as biomedical science, and some foundation years do appear.

Sources

• UCAS: What is Clearing?
• UCAS: applying directly to Clearing
• UCAS: Clearing guide for international students
• UCAS: what your application status means
• UCAS: Confirmation and Clearing, the essentials (advisers)
• UCAS: declining your firm place
• University of Edinburgh: Clearing for applicants from Scotland