Clearing Guide for teachers and advisers

Results Day marks the culmination of years of hard work for students and teachers alike. For some it’s a celebration. For others, it’s a time of uncertainty and worry, especially for those who may need to readjust their plans through Clearing.

This guide gives you everything you need - from understanding the process and key dates to helping students stay calm and take action quickly.

What is Clearing?

Clearing is how students can find a university place after receiving their results. It’s a chance to take control of their next step, with many universities offering quick decisions and plenty of support.

It opens from early July, but most activity happens on Results Day (Thursday 14 August 2025).

It's for students who:

• Have only recently decided to go to university or not yet applied
• Have changed their mind about where or what to study
• Are expecting or have received exam results that didn't go to plan - or did better than expected and want to "trade up".

How the Clearing process works

Clearing is easy and straightforward - especially compared to the full UCAS application. The core steps are broadly the same at most universities, though some (like the University of Derby) offer extra support to make the process even smoother.

We’re also ranked 2nd for employability and course quality (Uni Compare Student Review Rankings 2026), so students can feel confident they’re making a smart choice.

1. Search for courses
   Students can browse Clearing places on UCAS or university websites. Encourage them to shortlist a few that genuinely interest them. Our undergraduate course finder is a quick way to view available courses.
   
   
2. Speak to universities
   Students can call a Clearing hotline or fill out a form. Most universities give quick decisions, sometimes right away.
   We offer a Clearing hotline 01332 592025, an online form, WhatsApp or they can send us a DM on Instagram – whatever makes them feel most comfortable.
   
   
3. Receive a verbal offer
   If a university offers them a place, they’ll receive clear instructions on what to do next.
   
   
4. Add their choice on UCAS
   They’ll log into UCAS Hub and add the offer as their official Clearing choice. Once confirmed, the place is theirs.

Your role: supporting students through Clearing

Teachers and advisers play a crucial role - helping students stay calm, understand their options, and take action quickly. Here’s how you can support them:

Before Results Day: help them prepare

• Help them feel confident about Clearing by explaining how it works early, while emotions are calm. Reassure them it’s a simple, friendly process, not a formal interview.
• You can also reassure them that universities like Derby guarantee a place in halls for first-year Clearing students - and we’ve been rated Best University Housing, UK and Ireland, in the Global Student Living Awards for three years running.
• Shortlist options together. Encourage them to explore a few universities and courses they’d be excited about, whether results go to plan or not.
• Practise the call. They can jot down what to say and even role-play with you:
  “Hi, my name is [Student Name]. I didn’t get the grades I was hoping for and I’m interested in studying [Course Name]. Could you tell me if there are places available?”
  
• Prep the essentials. Having results to hand is important. UCAS login details can help but aren’t essential.
• Talk through how to get in touch. Many universities, including Derby, accept contact via WhatsApp, web forms or Instagram DMs. If your student is nervous, you can support them on the call, as long as they give verbal consent.

On Results Day: support their next steps

Clearing moves quickly, and students will look to you for calm, clear guidance. Encourage them to start contacting universities as soon as they have their results. Having results is essential. If they have their UCAS login information to hand, that can be helpful - but it’s not essential.

Remind them it’s a simple, friendly conversation, not a formal interview. Many universities, including Derby, accept contact via WhatsApp, web forms or Instagram DMs. If they’re really nervous, you can support them on the call as long as they give verbal consent.