UCAS Clearing 2026 — the financial guide

What clearing is

Clearing is the UCAS process that matches students who have not been accepted to a university with universities that still have available places. It opens on 5 July 2026 and runs until 19 October 2026, with peak activity on results day itself — 13 August 2026.

Students enter clearing if their grades were lower than their offers required, if they chose not to firm or insurance an offer, or if they are applying for the first time after results day. Over 68,000 students found places through clearing in 2025. It is not a failure path. It is a legitimate route to a degree.

The financial question nobody asks on clearing calls

When students call university clearing hotlines, they ask about course availability. They ask about entry requirements. They confirm their grades.

Almost nobody asks about accommodation costs. This is a mistake.

The SalaryDex clearing filter shows the cheapest halls weekly rate for every university, so you can check before you call. Verify the exact figure with the university on the call — halls prices can change year to year.

How to filter clearing places by affordability

The SalaryDex clearing filter lets you filter 130+ UK universities by:

• Your maintenance loan (based on household income)
• Accommodation preference (cheapest halls, median halls, or private)
• City
• Minimum monthly balance after all costs
• Maximum work hours per week needed to cover any shortfall

Set your household income and accommodation preference, then drag the minimum monthly balance slider to show only universities where you will have at least that much left each month. The results sort by best value first.

Clearing timeline 2026

Universities with clearing places 2026