Clearing FAQs

Clearing is the system that matches applicants who don’t have an offer with universities that still have places available. It's a great way to find another course if you didn't get the grades you expected and you missed out on your firm or insurance choice. You'll be able to find universities with vacancies and contact them directly to see if they will offer you a place.

You can use Clearing if you:

• Didn’t receive any offers.
• Declined all your offers.
• Didn’t get the grades you needed for a conditional offer.
• Got the grades you needed but have changed your mind about where you want to study.
• Haven’t made any applications.

You can start using Clearing as soon as you receive your grades on Thursday 15 August 2024.

If you already have your grades – from other qualifications or from A-levels you took earlier – you can start using Clearing before Thursday. And although the really intensive Clearing activity happens on Results Day and immediately afterwards, universities continue to advertise available spaces until term starts.

Our Clearing hotline, 0116 373 6000, is open:

• Thursday 15 August, 7am to 9pm
• Friday 16 August, 8am to 7pm 
• Saturday 17 August, 10am to 4pm
• Sunday 18 August, 10am to 4pm

You don’t want to spend Results Day morning making a list of alternative universities to contact, you want to get straight on the phone! So do all your research beforehand. If you don't need it in the end, you've lost nothing.

In fact it might be worth making two lists: one list of courses to try for if your grades are lower than expected, and another in case you get a pleasant surprise. Make sure you have all the information you need and a note of relevant questions you might want to ask.

We recommend getting an early night on Wednesday so you’re feeling awake and refreshed on Thursday.

When you log in to UCAS, it will say: 'You are in Clearing. Your Clearing number is [Clearing number]'. This might be because you didn't get any offers or because you didn't get the grades you needed for your firm or insurance choice.

Not every course at every university is available through Clearing. Visit our Clearing Hub and scroll down for the list of available courses. 

We can tell you, while you’re on the phone, whether we are able to offer you a place through Clearing. This verbal offer will be followed by a formal offer by email within half an hour.

We appreciate that you may be juggling more than one Clearing option. If we make you an offer before Results Day, you will have five days to accept it. For offers made on or after Results Day, you will have until 4.30pm the following working day to accept it.

The email we send you will state the deadline. After that, we will have to make the place available again and offer it to someone else.

If we have made you an offer through UCAS Clearing, you will need to make the University of Leicester your Clearing choice on UCAS Hub.

Here's how to accept a Clearing offer on UCAS

1. Log on to your UCAS Hub.
2. Click the “Add Clearing choice” option, add details for the University of Leicester, UCAS code LEICR L34, and the course you have been offered a place on.
3. UCAS will then let us know that you have entered our details on UCAS Hub, and you will get an acknowledgement email once we have received your application.
4. Our decision will show in the ‘Choices’ section after we have checked your application (we aim to check your details within 24 hours, but this could take a little longer as we’ll be extra busy).
5. UCAS will contact you to let you know that your place is confirmed.

UCAS Hub can take a few hours to update at busy periods. If you are worried, please give us a call.

Please keep trying. The phones can be busy at times, but we've got lots of staff ready to take your call when you do get through. So just hit that redial button.

Yes, we still have spaces in our accommodation. You'll be able to apply for accommodation within 24 hours of adding Leicester as your Clearing choice on UCAS. At Leicester, you are guaranteed a place in University-managed accommodation if you apply before 1 September.

We're running campus and accommodation tours throughout August. Book your place.

You can decline your firm or insurance yourself; you don't need to contact the University directly. Just log in to UCAS and click on the 'Decline my place' button then select your reason for wanting to be released.

They can call, but we can't tell them anything. Data protection laws mean that if someone else calls us on your behalf, we can only give them general info about Clearing. We cannot discuss your application with them (unless you call us and give us permission to speak with the other person).

Certainly you can. If you're waiting for your grades, you can call us on the Clearing hotline 0116 373 6000 as soon as you have them. If we're able to make you an offer, we'll guide you through the process of applying to us directly.

If you already have you grades (for example, if you're a mature student or took a gap year), there's no point waiting for the Results Day rush. Call us on the Clearing hotline 0116 373 6000 any time from 5 July onwards.

Yes, you can get as many Clearing offers as you want. If you'd like to accept one of these offers, you can decline your place from your original university and accept one of your Clearing offers.

Yes, and we have an international student Clearing hotline on a different number +44 (0)116 223 1888 so you can get straight through to someone with the specialist knowledge that you need.

Not a problem. Just call our Admissions Team on 0116 252 2222 if you have any queries about your application.

Being a university student will be the most rewarding, fun and challenging experience of your life. You will meet and make friends for life, you will work hard to become an expert in your subject and you will be propelled into a fantastic career. Choosing the right course and university is very important, you want somewhere you will feel at home, somewhere that suits your interests and somewhere you will learn from the very best. Check out why Leicester could be this place by chatting to our current students about why they love studying here.