With A-level results day fast approaching in the UK (results are out on 13 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 4 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.
The university application process might look slightly different this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. For many students who were unable to complete exams or who are wishing to change subjects, Clearing can help students understand which courses universities are offering and which universities still have courses available. If you have any specific concerns about how courses will be taught, the best option is to contact your prospective university to find 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 2020, 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, LSE 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 Rank 2020 | World University Rank 2020 | University | Clearing availability 2020 |
| 6 | 30 | University of Edinburgh | 16 courses available including law and nursing |
| 7 | =36 | King’s College London | 56 courses available including physics, geography and global health |
| 8 | =55 | University of Manchester | 322 courses available including aerospace engineering, classics and English literature |
| 9 | 77 | University of Warwick | 193 courses available including biochemistry, data science and modern languages |
| 10 | 87 | University of Bristol | 202 courses available including anthropology, education studies and French |
| 11 | =99 | University of Glasgow | 614 courses available including Celtic studies, civil engineering and genetics |
| 12 | =110 | Queen Mary University of London | 317 courses available including astrophysics, comparative literature and computer science |
| 14 | =117 | University of Sheffield | 344 courses available including Chinese studies, criminology and philosophy |
| 15 | 122 | University of Southampton | 378 courses available including fashion design, fine art and ecology and conservation |
| 16 | =128 | University of York | 227 courses available including actuarial science, curating and art history and interactive media |
| 18 | =139 | Lancaster University | 332 courses available including advertising and marketing, international relations and philosophy |
| =19 | =146 | University of Exeter | 305 courses available including ancient history, biochemistry and liberal arts |
| =19 | =146 | University of Sussex | 199 courses available including history, life sciences and media and journalism |
| 21 | =152 | University of Nottingham | 151 courses available including agriculture, German and music |
| 22 | =155 | University of Leeds | 276 courses available including childhood studies, food science and microbiology |
| 23 | 165 | University of Liverpool | 354 courses available including Egyptology, human physiology and zoology |
| 24 | =166 | University of Leicester | 163 courses available including computer science, European studies and geology |
| 25 | =168 | University of Aberdeen | 380 courses available including accountancy, divinity and film and visual culture |
| 26 | 192 | University of East Anglia | 243 courses available including American history, business management and energy engineering |
| =27 | =198 | Cardiff University | 345 courses available including dental hygiene, marine geography and neuroscience |
| =29 | 201-250 | University of Dundee | 176 courses available including accountancy, civil engineering and textile design |
| =29 | 201-250 | Newcastle University | 212 courses available including agriculture, countryside management and English language |
| =29 | 201-250 | Queen’s University Belfast | 71 courses available including architecture, medicinal chemistry and physics |
| =29 | 201-250 | University of Reading | 288 courses available including animal science, art and film and entrepreneurship |
| =29 | 201-250 | St Georges, University of London | 9 courses available including medicine, physiotherapy and biomedical science |
| =34 | 251-300 | University of Essex | 746 courses available including banking and finance, computer games and creative writing |
| =34 | 251-300 | Heriot-Watt University | 136 courses available including brewing and distilling, civil engineering and urban planning and property development |
| =34 | 251-300 | Royal Holloway, University of London | 257 courses available including applied psychology, Latin and music |
| =34 | 251-300 | University of Surrey | 300 courses available including business economics, English literature and mathematics |
| =34 | 251-300 | Swansea University | 368 courses available including ancient history, education and health and social care |
| 41 | 301-350 | Anglia Ruskin University ARU | 230 courses available including artificial intelligence, cyber security and drama |
| =42 | 351-400 | Birkbeck, University of London | 159 courses available including creative writing, intercultural communication and social sciences |
| =42 | 351-400 | Brunel University London | 217 courses available including automotive engineering, digital design and international business |
| =42 | 351-400 | Goldsmiths, University of London | 68 courses available including arts management, history of art and journalism |
| =42 | 351-400 | University of Kent | 312 courses available including cultural studies and film, forensic science and global philosophies |
| =42 | 351-400 | Loughborough University | 251 courses available including fine art, manufacturing engineering and media and communication |
| =42 | 351-400 | Northumbria University | 145 courses available including 3D design, fashion communication and quantity surveying |
| =42 | 351-400 | University of Stirling | 163 courses available including aquaculture, ecology and French |
| =49 | 401-500 | Aberystwyth University | 351 courses available including agriculture, marine and freshwater biology and space science and robotics |
| =49 | 401-500 | Bangor University | 529 courses available including adult nursing, Chinese and creative studies and forestry |
| =49 | 401-500 | Bournemouth University | 105 courses available including anthropology, history and marketing |
| =49 | 401-500 | City, University of London | 110 courses available including criminology, international politics and midwifery |
| =49 | 401-500 | Liverpool John Moores University | 13 courses available including climate change and mental health nursing |
| =49 | 401-500 | Middlesex University | 228 courses available including animation, dance performance and medical physiology |
| =49 | 401-500 | University of Portsmouth | 143 courses available including childhood and youth studies, environmental science and sociology |
| =49 | 401-500 | Royal Veterinary College | 10 courses available including wild animal biology and bioveterinary sciences |
| =49 | 401-500 | SOAS University of London | 140 courses available including Arabic, social anthropology and world philosophies |
| =49 | 401-500 | University of Strathclyde | 317 courses available including chemical engineering, human resource management and immunology |
| =59 | 501-600 | Aston University | 113 courses available including finance, optometry and neuroscience |
| =59 | 501-600 | University of Hull | 205 courses available including American studies, media studies and sport rehabilitation |
| =59 | 501-600 | Keele University | 255 courses available including international relations, mathematics and music technology |
| =59 | 501-600 | University of Plymouth | 189 courses available including acting, cruise management and dietetics |
| =59 | 501-600 | University of the West of Scotland | 71 courses available including aircraft engineering, environmental health and sport coaching |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Brighton | 182 courses available including critical history, design engineering and illustration |
| =65 | 601-800 | Coventry University | 224 courses available including computing science, electronic engineering and graphic design |
| =65 | 601-800 | De Montfort University | 172 courses available including architecture, software engineering and speech and language therapy |
| =65 | 601-800 | Glasgow Caledonian University | 74 courses available including audio technology, international marketing and risk management |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Greenwich | 215 courses available including events management, sociology and psychology and zoo husbandry and management |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Hertfordshire | 213 courses available including economics, human geography and pharmacy |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Huddersfield | 230 courses available including health and social care, medical biology and occupational therapy |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Lincoln | 186 courses available including advertising and marketing, classical studies and politics |
| =65 | 601-800 | Manchester Metropolitan University | 328 courses available including French and Spanish, interior design and physiotherapy |
| =65 | 601-800 | Nottingham Trent University | 326 courses available including international business, microbiology and wildlife conservation |
| =65 | 601-800 | Oxford Brookes University | 197 courses available including English literature, geography and motorsport engineering |
| =65 | 601-800 | 117 courses available including civil engineering, law and technology with design | |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of the West of England | 201 courses available including education, media production and psychology |
| =65 | 601-800 | University of Westminster | 156 courses available including international relations, real estate and software engineering |
| =79 | 801-1000 | University of Bedfordshire | 386 courses available including art and design, children's nursing and film production |
| =79 | 801-1000 | Birmingham City University | 269 courses available including computer forensics, manufacturing engineering and public relations and media |
| =79 | 801-1000 | University of Bradford | 109 courses available including archaeology, economics and healthcare science |
| =79 | 801-1000 | Cardiff Metropolitan University | 103 courses available including banking and finance, photography and podiatry |
| =79 | 801-1000 | University of Central Lancashire | 446 courses available including digital marketing, mathematics and pharmacology |
| =79 | 801-1000 | University of Derby | 305 courses available including finance, geography and sport and education |
| =79 | 801-1000 | University of East London | 216 courses available including advertising, counselling and mechanical engineering |
| =79 | 801-1000 | Edinburgh Napier University | 101 courses available including mass communications, sound design and veterinary nursing |
| =79 | 801-1000 | Kingston University | 243 courses available including human rights and social justice, learning disabilities nursing and social work |
| =79 | 801-1000 | Leeds Beckett University | 156 courses available including biomedical sciences, media and English and performing arts |
| =79 | 801-1000 | University of Roehampton | 119 courses available including accounting, international business and nutrition and health |
| =79 | 801-1000 | University of Salford | 270 courses available including computer science, costume design and tourism management |
| =79 | 801-1000 | Sheffield Hallam University | 283 courses available including biology, creative writing and physics |
| =79 | 801-1000 | Staffordshire University | 168 courses available including fashion, general engineering and music production |
| =79 | 801-1000 | Teesside University | 281 courses available including chemical engineering, food science and technology and fine art |
| =79 | 801-1000 | University of Wolverhampton | 483 courses available including deaf studies and social policy, furniture design and mental health nursing |
| =95 | +1001 | Canterbury Christ Church University | 474 courses available including biomedical engineering, childhood studies and English language |
| =95 | +1001 | University of Chester | 267 courses available including business sustainability, genetics and evolution and microbiology |
| =95 | +1001 | Edge Hill University | 96 courses available including biotechnology, religion and web design and development |
| =95 | +1001 | London South Bank University | 124 courses available including business law, construction and sociology |
| =95 | +1001 | Robert Gordon University | 64 courses available including design, pharmacy and public relations |
| =95 | +1001 | University of South Wales | 282 courses available including care studies, criminal justice and history |
Read more: Why students should not defer their place at university this year
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