For Clearing courses available at UK universities in 2020, please click here
With A-level results day fast approaching in the UK (results are out on 15 August), students will be eager to find out whether they have achieved their first (or second) choice of university. Results day in Scotland is slightly earlier, on 6 August.
Clearing – the process that allows students who didn’t get in (or perhaps those who did better than they anticipated and wish to change their choice) to select a different course – is already open on the Ucas website, where you can search for courses that are still available at UK universities. If you are thinking of making a switch, now is a good time to check it out.
Students who have their exam results (including those who did their A levels last year) and do not have any Ucas offers can apply for university places through clearing from July 2019, while students who miss their grades for conditional offers can use clearing after A-level results are released.
Results Day guides
How to survive A-level Results Day
How to deal with stress over exam results
Clearing gave me the second chance I needed
A-level results day: a vice-chancellor's guide to clearing
A-level results day: going through adjustment
A-level results day: what to do when you receive your A-level results
Navigating clearing: what to do if you don’t receive your grades
Clearing: what you should say on the phone to universities
Some of the top universities in the UK are notably missing from the clearing catalogue including the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of St Andrews.
However, many of the top universities in the UK have plenty of clearing places available for a range of courses including cyber security, Korean Studies, world literatures and ancient history. Students must contact universities directly in order to secure a place through clearing.
Below are the top universities in the UK (according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings) with clearing places available at both undergraduate and graduate level. This table was correct at the time of publication, but things may change so it is always worth checking the Ucas clearing selection tool on a regular basis.
The table is based on courses for students living in England. Availability may vary for students from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, or if students are international.
UK universities with clearing courses
| UK ranking 2019 | World University Ranking 2019 | University | Clearing availability 2019 | |
| 6 | 29 | University of Edinburgh | 14 courses available including divinity and law | |
| 7 | 38 | King's College London | 94 courses available including classics, music and war studies | |
| 8 | 57 | University of Manchester | 218 courses available including aerospace engineering, fashion management and world literature | |
| 9 | 78 | University of Bristol | 130 courses available including ancient history, education studies and geology | |
| 10 | =79 | University of Warwick | 159 courses available including biochemistry, German studies and liberal arts | |
| 11 | =93 | University of Glasgow | 310 courses available including anatomy, Earth science and history of art | |
| 12 | 106 | University of Sheffield | 341 courses available including archaeology, criminology and nursing | |
| 13 | =114 | Durham University | 63 courses available including psychology, primary education and visual arts and film | |
| 14 | =116 | University of Birmingham | 9 courses available including education, nursing and sport, health and physical exercise | |
| 15 | 118 | University of Southampton | 375 courses available including chemistry, finance and marine biology | |
| 16 | 119 | University of York | 171 courses available including actuarial science, genetics and linguistics | |
| 17 | 130 | Queen Mary University of London | 324 courses available including creative computing, global health and zoology | |
| 18 | 141 | University of Exeter | 279 courses available including data science, maths and sociology | |
| 19 | =146 | University of Lancaster | 383 courses available including fine art, geography and marketing | |
| 20 | =149 | University of Nottingham | 282 courses available including civil engineering, food science and Hispanic studies | |
| 21 | =153 | University of Leeds | 270 courses available including Asia Pacific studies, digital media and medical microbiology | |
| 22 | 158 | University of Aberdeen | 385 courses available including drama, Gaelic studies and real estate | |
| 23 | =161 | University of Sussex | 204 courses available including American studies, journalism and theoretical physics | |
| 25 | =167 | University of Leicester | 164 courses available including economics, geology and international relations | |
| 26 | =171 | Newcastle University | 227 courses available including agriculture, folk and traditional music and pharmacy | |
| 27 | =181 | University of Liverpool | 917 courses available including communication and media, Egyptology and pharmacology | |
| 28 | =187 | Cardiff University | 345 courses available including Italian, philosophy and translation | |
| 29 | =190 | University of East Anglia | 236 courses available including biochemistry, climate change and sports development | |
| =30 | 201-250 | University of Bath | 147 courses available including natural sciences, social policy and statistics | |
| =30 | 201-250 | University of Dundee | 222 courses available including animation, European philosophy and geopolitics | |
| =30 | 201-250 | Queen's University Belfast | 211 courses available including anthropology, environmental management and software engineering | |
| =30 | 201-250 | University of Reading | 284 courses available including archaeology, building surveying and entrepreneurship | |
| =34 | 251-300 | University of Essex | 647 courses available including computer games, hotel management and occupational therapy | |
| =34 | 251-300 | Royal Holloway, University of London | 255 courses available including astrophysics, Greek and politics | |
| =34 | 251-300 | St George's, University of London | 10 courses available including medicine, physiotherapy and clinical pharmacology | |
| =34 | 251-300 | University of Surrey | 211 courses available including business management, nutrition and theatre production | |
| =34 | 251-300 | Swansea University | 374 courses available including medical engineering, medieval studies and software engineering | |
| =40 | 301-350 | Anglia Ruskin University | 157 courses available including animal behaviour, artificial intelligence and forensic science | |
| =40 | 301-350 | Birkbeck, University of London | 128 courses available including classics, geology and intercultural communication | |
| =40 | 301-350 | Heriot-Watt University | 138 courses available including brewing and distilling, fashion technology and quantity surveying | |
| =43 | 351-400 | Aberystwyth University | 344 courses available including agriculture, creative writing and plant biology | |
| =43 | 351-400 | Aston University | 125 courses available including cyber security, law and optometry | |
| =43 | 351-400 | City, University of London | 105 courses available including data science, midwifery and radiography | |
| =43 | 351-400 | University of Kent | 337 courses available including autism studies, comparative literature and photography | |
| =43 | 351-400 | University of Stirling | 184 courses available including aquaculture, ecology and Scottish history | |
| =48 | 401-500 | Bangor University | 442 courses available including adventure sports science, bilingualism, forestry | |
| =48 | 401-500 | Brunel University London | 211 courses available including games design, product design and theatre | |
| =48 | 401-500 | Loughborough University | 268 courses available including architecture, transport management and textiles: innovation and design | |
| =48 | 201-500 | Middlesex University | 251 courses available including dance performance, football science and interior design | |
| =48 | 401-500 | Northumbria University | 157 courses available including guidance and counselling, logistics and supply chain management and physics | |
| =48 | 401-500 | University of Plymouth | 194 courses available including acting, cruise management and human resource management | |
| =48 | 401-500 | University of Portsmouth | 142 courses available including dental hygiene, palaeontology and television and broadcasting | |
| =48 | 401-500 | Royal Veterinary College | 10 courses available including wild animal biology, bioveterinary sciences and biological sciences | |
| =48 | 401-500 | SOAS, University of London | 276 courses available including Korean studies, social anthropology and world philosophies | |
| =48 | 401-500 | University of Strathclyde | 334 courses available including history, immunology and sports engineering | |
| =48 | 401-500 | University of the West of Scotland | 83 courses available including commercial music, education and web and mobile development | |
| =59 | 501-600 | Bournemouth University | 97 courses available including cyberpsychology, events management and international finance | |
| =59 | 501-600 | University of Hull | 258 courses available including Chinese studies, digital design and sport rehabilitation | |
| =59 | 501-600 | Keele University | 269 courses available including adult nursing, environmental science and neuroscience | |
| =59 | 501-600 | Liverpool John Moores University | 215 courses available including audio and music production, construction engineering and marine and mechanical engineering | |
| =59 | 501-600 | Oxford Brookes University | 194 courses available including criminology, Japanese studies and robotic engineering | |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Bradford | 115 courses available including mechanical engineering, paramedic science and virtual and augmented reality | |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Brighton | 185 courses available including 3D design and craft, critical history and interior architecture | |
| =65 | 601-800 | Coventry University | 227 courses available including automotive engineering, ethical hacking and cyber security and music technology | |
| =65 | 601-800 | De Montfort University | 163 courses available including digital forensics, global leadership and management and textile design | |
| =65 | 601-800 | Edinburgh Napier University | 110 courses available including international tourism, popular music and sound design | |
| =65 | 601-800 | Glasgow Caledonian University | 63 courses available including fire risk engineering, orthoptics and real estate | |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Greenwich | 214 courses available including childhood and youth studies, public health and zoo husbandry and management | |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Hertfordshire | 236 courses available including astrophysics, information technology and mass communications | |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Huddersfield | 218 courses available including broadcast journalism, graphic design and podiatry | |
| =65 | 601-800 | Kingston University | 240 courses available including aviation engineering, filmmaking and historic building conservation | |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Lincoln | 193 courses available including advertising and marketing, ecology and conservation and philosophy | |
| =65 | 601-800 | Manchester Metropolitan University | 407 courses available including linguistics, modern history and product design and craft | |
| =65 | 601-800 | Nottingham Trent University | 313 courses available including costume design and making, equine sports science and youth justice | |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Salford | 274 courses available including corporate law, media production and software engineering | |
| =65 | 601-800 | Ulster University | 149 courses available including culinary arts management, Irish language and literature and stratified medicine | |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of the West of England | 225 courses available including banking and finance, drawing and print and urban planning | |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Westminster | 147 courses available including European legal studies, photography and radio and digital production | |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Wolverhampton | 508 courses available including armed forces, event and venue management and glass and ceramics | |
| =83 | 801-1000 | University of Bedfordshire | 407 courses available including building technology, football business and special needs and inclusive education | |
| =83 | 801-100 | University of Central Lancashire | 449 courses available including computer games development, creative advertising and outdoor adventure leadership | |
| =83 | 801-1000 | University of Derby | 660 courses available including motorsport engineering, professional policing and theatre arts | |
| =83 | 801-1000 | University of East London | 176 courses available including advertising, child psychology and general engineering | |
| =83 | 801-1000 | Edge Hill University | 130 courses available including education, human biology and mental health nursing and social work | |
| =83 | 801-1000 | Leeds Beckett University | 155 courses available including counselling and mental health, dietetics and housing studies | |
| =83 | 801-1000 | Robert Gordon University | 60 courses available including diagnostic radiotherapy, fashion management and public relations | |
| =83 | 801-1000 | University of Roehampton | 107 courses available including classical civilisation, ministerial theology and sport coaching | |
| =83 | 801-1000 | Sheffield Hallam University | 300 courses available including esports, jewellery and metalwork and quantity surveying | |
| =83 | 801-1000 | University of South Wales | 303 courses available including art practice, cinema and public services | |
| =83 | 801-1000 | Staffordshire University | 206 courses available including CGI and visual effects, creative music technology and operating department practice | |
| =83 | 801-1000 | Teesside University | 297 courses available including chemical engineering, nursing studies and therapeutic counselling | |
| =95 | +1001 | Birmingham City University | 247 courses available including film and screenwriting, global sport management and horology | |
| =95 | +1001 | Canterbury Christ Church University | 478 courses available including drama, ophthalmic dispensing and plant science | |
| =95 | +1001 | University of Chester | 394 courses available including fine art, genetics and evolution and musical theatre | |
| =95 | +1001 | London South Bank University | 133 courses available including architecture, baking science and technology and human nutrition | |
The free Ucas Exam Results Helpline is open on results day and can be reached on 0808 100 8000.
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