How Clearing works
Confused about how Clearing works? Our guide to Clearing is here to help you prepare, so you can apply with confidence.

How to apply through Clearing 2025
This step by step guide tells you how to apply for a course through Clearing and what steps to take once you receive your offer.
The guidance below is for Clearing 2025, which opens on 5 July. It tells you what to do once you have received your results. For most people, this will be on results day.
On results day, make sure you check your UCAS Hub as early as possible to confirm the status of your applications. If you are eligible for Clearing, you will automatically be entered into the Clearing process.
UCAS state you can use Clearing in 2025 if:
- You’re applying after 30 June 2025 for September 2025
- You haven't received any offers (or none you wanted to accept)
- You haven't met the conditions of your offers
- You've paid the multiple choice application fee
- You’ve declined your firm place using the ‘decline my place’ button in your application
If you haven't yet applied to any universities through UCAS, you can apply directly to us through Clearing. We can make you an offer if you already have your results. Or you can apply once you receive your results on results day.
Many courses will still have available places during Clearing but it is important to check this before you apply.
Our Clearing courses will be available to search soon, but you can view our full course search in the meantime.
Have your grades, personal details and UCAS ID (if you have one) ready as well as a pen and paper for any notes. We may ask you why you're interested in a particular course so be prepared.
Some courses may require you to have an interview to check if you are suitable for the course. If this is the case, you will be guided through the process and told when to attend your interview (if it's not right away).
When Clearing is open, you're usually able to apply online or via telephone.
Online
When Clearing opens we have an online form available to use. If you are successful, you will receive an automatic offer via email within a few minutes.
By telephone
Phone lines open early on results day so don't wait around. Make sure you contact us yourself as we will want to talk to you. We will have a chat with you about the course you want to apply for and your qualifications. We can make you a preliminary offer right there on the spot. Calls don't usually last longer than a few minutes.
Through chat
Chat will open later this year and you'll be able to use our live chat to speak to our team. Here we'll speak to you about your results and if you meet the entry requirements, we might be able to make you an offer.
We will tell you if you have been accepted onto your course of choice there and then, unless your course requires interview or portfolio. If you applied through UCAS, remember to accept your Clearing offer.
The steps you can take to accept your offer are:
- Go to UCAS Hub;
- Go to the 'your choices' section;
- Click 'add Clearing choice';
- Add the course details listed in your Clearing offer email.
The Admissions Team will then review the referral and confirm your place for you.
You may need to send in evidence of qualifications or results to confirm your offer.
Clearing next steps
Applied through Clearing and wondering what happens next? We'll take you through the process on our Clearing next steps webpage. From student finance and accommodation, to preparing for uni life, we've got you covered.
Clearing at the University of Central Lancashire
Key dates for Clearing 2025
We've put together a timeline of key dates for your diary. Please visit the UCAS website for detailed information on times and dates for Clearing.
Clearing opens
Clearing will open on UCAS on 5 July 2025. You will automatically be entered into Clearing if you apply through UCAS from 5 July 2025.
A Level, access courses and BTEC results
A Level results day is Thursday 14 August 2025.
BTEC and access course results will vary but all results are expected to be released by Thursday 15 August 2025.
If you have outstanding GCSE results, please note these are released on the 21 August 2025 – you will need to send those to us directly by email to the Admissions Team.
Open Day
Attend our Preston Campus Open Day in August before you start in September. You can explore your subject, chat with tutors and students, and tour the campus and accommodation.
Campus tours
If you can't make our Open Day or you're interested in our Burnley Campus, we have regular student-led campus tours taking place throughout August. Explore our fantastic campuses and discover what life is like here.
If you're not able to attend campus in person, you can still check out the facilities. View 360 guided tours and other exclusive content.
Enrolment
Enrolment is the formal step which confirms your status as a student with us and allows you to access to all University services. Find out more about enrolment on our webpage.
Clearing application deadline
We will confirm that Clearing application deadline soon, but this is usually the week before teaching starts.
Welcome Week
Welcome Week is your opportunity to learn more about university life before your course begins. You'll find all of the information you need on our welcome pages.