Clearing and Results Day

Clearing Advice for Parents, Carers and Supporters

If you are the parent, carer or supporter of a young person who is holding a conditional university offer, A Level results day (13 August 2026) is when they’ll find out if they’ve secured a place with their firm choice.

While for many, this is a time for celebration, for others, it can be an uncertain period. If your young person doesn’t get their predicted grades, changes their mind on where they want to study, or exceeds expectations with their exam results, they may wish to look for another place in Clearing.

Not sure what Clearing is or how it works? Here’s all you need to know.

What is Clearing?

Clearing matches undergraduate applicants who want a place at university with universities who have spaces on their courses. Your young person can apply through Clearing if:

They didn’t receive any offers from their first five university choices, or they’ve declined the offers they did receive.
On results day, they don’t meet the entry requirements for their conditional offers.
They didn’t submit a UCAS application before the deadline (30 June 2026) but are interested in beginning their studies this academic year.
They've changed their mind about their firm and/or insurance choices and want to attend a different university or study an alternative course.
They get better grades than predicted and would like to find a course with higher entry requirements.

If your young person is waiting for their A Level results, they won't be able to apply through Clearing until results day, but they can do some research into universities and Clearing courses before this. If they already have their grades, they can apply through Clearing from 2 July 2026.

The Clearing Application Process

There are a few ways your young person can apply to the University of Cumbria in Clearing:

Online: The first option is for them to complete our online application form. It’s important that they provide all the necessary information and upload the relevant documentation. A member of our Clearing team will be in touch once their application has been processed.

Telephone: Alternatively, your young person can call our Clearing hotline on 0808 178 7373. One of our Clearing advisers will be happy to discuss their options with them before guiding them through the application process.

Via Clearing Plus: If your young person was unsuccessful with their original UCAS application, they have the option of using Clearing Plus, a tool on UCAS Hub. Clearing Plus works by taking their previous course choices and cross-referencing these with similar courses that are still available in Clearing. If they are interested in a course that’s recommended to them, they can express an interest with the university on UCAS.

For more information on how to apply to Cumbria in Clearing, visit our Clearing page.

Learn more

Supporting Your Young Person in the Lead Up to Results Day

Get to know how Clearing works

One of the best ways to help your young person through Clearing is to familiarise yourself with the process. Make sure you know the key dates of Clearing, how the application process works, and what personal details they need to have on hand when they contact universities.

Help them with their research

Most universities release their course vacancies in July, giving your young person plenty of time to research different courses and universities. As well as looking at module content, graduate opportunities and placement options, make sure they understand what the student experience is like at the universities they’re considering. What are the accommodation options? What support services are available? What groups and societies can they join?

Gather their essential information

Before your young person starts contacting universities, make sure they have all their essential information written down. They’ll need their UCAS ID (if they have one), details of their qualifications (including GCSEs and equivalent results), and their preferred contact information.

You cannot contact universities on your young person’s behalf – they must do this themselves – but you can stay with them for moral support. You can remind them of what's in their personal statement and prompt them to ask any questions they don't know the answers to.

Tips for Results Day

Check UCAS

If your young person applied to university via UCAS, they’ll be able to check the status of their application on the UCAS Hub from around 8.00 am on results day. They won’t be able to see their exam results here, but if decisions have been made by their university choices, they can expect to see the following changes to their offers:

Unconditional - their place on the course has been confirmed. This may be their firm or insurance offer, or both.
Unsuccessful - they’ve not been accepted by their choice(s), meaning they’re now eligible to enter Clearing.
Unconditional Changed Course (UCC) - they don't have the necessary grades for their offer, but the university has proposed a similar course requiring lower grades. They may also offer an alternative start date, such as deferred entry.

Be patient with them

Results day is nerve-wracking, and if your young person doesn't get the grades they were hoping for, they may be upset. Give them the space they need to absorb their results and let them know you're proud of what they've achieved. Once they're ready, discuss their options with them.

Encourage them to keep going

Clearing can be overwhelming, even if your young person has spent time preparing for it. Provide them with drinks and snacks and encourage them to take regular breaks away from their screen.

Make sure they don’t rush their decision – they might be tempted to accept the first offer they receive in Clearing, but it’s important that they take a step back and really consider what is the best option for them.

Confirm their offer

Once your young person has an offer, they will receive an email from the university confirming what they need to do next. If they applied to university via UCAS, they can add a Clearing choice to their UCAS Hub from 2.00 pm on A Level results day. If they applied directly to the university in Clearing, the Admissions team will explain how they can accept their offer.

Update Student Finance

If they’ve already applied for Student Finance, they’ll need to log into their account and update their application with the details of their new course and university.

If they haven’t applied for Student Finance yet, they’ll need to do this as soon as possible to give them the best chance of receiving their loan in time for the start of their course. To start a Student Finance application, they need to visit the GOV.UK website.

Visit the university

If you’re able to visit the university before September, we’d really recommend doing so. Here at Cumbria, we’re holding Clearing: Explore & Apply Events at all our campuses throughout August, giving you and your young person the opportunity to tour campus, speak to our support teams, and explore the local area. Your young person can book their place here.