Helping a student apply through Clearing

Applying through Clearing can be a stressful and confusing experience for many students, and may mean rethinking their study plans. 

Support and guidance from their family or education professionals can help them get through the process and make a bright start to their university life.

Joining through Clearing - the application process 

Clearing opens every year on 5 July and runs throughout July and August. 

When Clearing is open and your student has their final results, the first step is to use our course vacancy lists to find a suitable course. We have a list for UK students and one for international students​​. 

UK applicants 

Once students have found a course, they can apply in two ways:

• Use our Clearing application form 
• Call the Clearing hotline 

Please note Clearing applications are currently closed.

International applicants 

International students can apply by filling out the Clearing enquiry form, they will need the below information to hand: 

• UCAS ID (if applied previously in the cycle​​)
• ​Full details of their qualifications and exam results​​
• ​Name and UCAS code for the course they want to apply for​​​ 

Please note Clearing applications are currently closed.

What happens after applying? 

A provisional offer is issued if there are spaces available, and is based on an applicant's declaration that they meet the specified entry requirements.​ Where a provisional offer is given, applicants will be advised to refer themselves to UCAS to select ‘University of Nottingham’ as their Clearing choice within the given deadline. The deadline will be sent out as soon as possible, once they have an offer. ​ 

Offers for UK students will be provisional until grades are confirmed via UCAS after referral. We do not check an applicant's grades until they refer themselves in the UCAS hub.​  

Certain courses may interview before a decision is made. Email communications will be sent to confirm details where appropriate.​  

Applicants will receive communications at all stages of the process. Please ensure students are monitoring their emails including junk and spam folders​​.​ 

Securing accommodation 

When students successfully apply through Clearing, they will receive a confirmation email for a place to study at the University of Nottingham. This email will include a link to apply for accommodation. 

As part of the application, students need to let us know their accommodation preferences. We aim to allocate them to one of their preferred accommodation types where possible​. Students with a medical condition or disability should contact us directly and we will do our best to help​. 

Our accommodation guarantee 

We guarantee all first-year students a place in university-arranged accommodation as long as they apply by the deadline we give them in their Clearing offer email (subject to terms and conditions). ​ 

We work with trusted partners and ensure their lowest rates when booked via the university, with transparent and upfront pricing which includes utilities and WiFi. 

After students have applied for accommodation, they will receive an email confirming receipt of their application​.​ We will then contact them with further details about their offer within five working days, if not sooner​.​ 

Once they have received their room offer, they should carefully review it including the relevant terms and conditions​.​ 

Our advice

• Prepare – discuss results day plans with your student beforehand and look at possible Clearing options 
• Be supportive and stay positive – together you'll find the right university and course
• Discuss – what does your student most want or need from their university choice?
• Listen – your guidance and support is important but it's the student's own decision to make
• Keep an open mind – they may need to think about alternative courses, universities or cities
• Research – find out as much as you can about the universities, courses and cities you look at

Clearing applications should usually be made by the students themselves rather than parents, agents or other persons. Under UCAS policies and data protection rules, we can only discuss your child's or student's application if you are a nominated contact in their UCAS application. See our privacy policy.

Fast facts about Nottingham

• Top UK university for graduates entering highly skilled jobs (HESA Graduate Outcomes survey publications 2021–2025 for full-time, UK, UG and PG graduates) 
• World top 100 and UK top 20 university (QS World University Rankings 2026)
• 16th in the UK  by The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025  
• World top 70 university and UK top 10  in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022 
• Third most targeted university by top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2025 by High Fliers Research 
• 3x Sports University of the Year in the last 7 years, most recently in 2024 (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide) 
• Nottingham city is ranked as the 9th best student city in the UK in the QS Best Student Cities 2025 rankings 
• We have an international outlook, offering support and guidance for international students and opportunities to study abroad available for most undergraduate students 
• Our campuses are scenic, sustainable and full of cutting-edge facilities for study, sport and leisure 
• Our Students' Union provides an advice service, student networks and more than 200 student-run clubs and societies 
• We have a range of catered and self-catered accommodation options on our campuses and nearby 
• The university dates back to 1881, beginning as a civic college, and we have awarded over 300,000 degrees since achieving university status in 1948.