Parents and supporters guide to Clearing

What is Clearing?

Clearing is a way of applying for undergraduate degree courses that still have places available. Your child might be eligible to apply through Clearing if they:

• Have changed their mind about what they want to do next year; or
• Haven’t been accepted by their original Firm and Insurance choices; or
• Didn’t submit an application in the main UCAS cycle

Clearing offers an alternative route to the right course and right university.

Preparing for Clearing

If you think your child might apply to university through Clearing, they can start to do their research before results day. 

1. Look into different courses and universities
2. Find Clearing helpline numbers for any universities they’re interested in
3. Enquire about accommodation, finance and the course itself
4. Look for opportunities to visit

Results day

Your child will receive their results via their school or college – Thursday 14 August for A Levels – and university decisions will be available on the UCAS Hub from 8am that morning.

Clearing applications at Sheffield also open at 8am, and your child will be able to browse Sheffield’s vacancies and entry requirements on our website. Places are allocated quickly so make sure to search and apply early in the day.

To apply, they can call our helpline on +44 (0)114 212 9900 or submit an application through our website.

You can find a detailed step by step process on how to apply on our Clearing explained page.

Remember, don’t panic. It's likely that there will be options available. Your child isn't committed to anything until they accept an offer, and they’ll have time to think and talk with family and friends if they need to.

Once your child accepts an offer from the University of Sheffield, we’ll be in touch with more information about what to do next.