Supporting your child through Clearing
Clearing can feel fast‑moving. And if things haven’t gone exactly to plan, it can feel uncertain too. But it’s a normal part of the process - and it works. Every year, thousands of students find the right university through Clearing. And they go on to have amazing university experiences, build friendships, and graduate with strong degrees. If your child is thinking about joining Brunel through Clearing, sign up to our mailing list, and we'll help guide you and your young person through the process, sharing our top tips along the way.
What is Clearing?
Clearing is how universities fill any places they still have on their courses. Your child might use Clearing if:
- their results are different from what they expected
- they decide to change course or university
- they haven’t applied yet
It’s not a fallback or back-up plan. It’s another opportunity to find the right fit.
Helping your child be prepared for results day
A little preparation now can make a big difference later.
Build a shortlist
Work with your child or young person to create a list of courses they’re interested in. This might include:
- different from their original choice
- universities they didn’t apply to on their main application
You can use our course finder to explore options, check course content and review entry requirements.
Get to know Brunel
Want to see what life here is really like?
- Visit us on campus our student ambassadors will show you around and answer your questions
- Chat online speak to our students, staff and academics if you can’t visit in person
Results day: what to expect
Key dates
- BTEC results: on or before Thursday, 13 August 2026
- A-level and T-level results: Thursday, 13 August 2026
- GCSE results: Thursday, 20 August 2026
Things can move quite quickly on results day, and emotions may be running high. Once your child has their results, they should log in to UCAS to check the status of their offers. Even if they’ve missed a condition, it’s important not to assume they’ve lost their place.
If they go into Clearing
If your child doesn’t have a confirmed place, they'll go into Clearing, and they can start contacting universities from their shortlist to see if they have places available.
At Brunel, our Clearing lines are open from early morning to evening on results day and the few days that follow. They can apply online anytime or call us on 01895 272273 during our Clearing line opening hours, as soon as they have their results.
Clearing telephone number 01895 272273
From Thursday, 2 July our Clearing line will be open 9am - 5pm (BST) Monday - Friday.
From A-level results day, our Clearing lines will be open:
- Thursday, 13 August: 8am - 9pm (BST)
- Friday, 14 August: 8.30am - 5pm (BST)
- Saturday, 15 August: 10am - 4pm (BST)
- Sunday, 16 August: Closed
- Weekdays from Monday, 17 August: 9am - 5pm (BST)
- Monday, 31 August: Closed
Before giving us a call, they’ll need:
- their UCAS personal ID
- their exam results
- the course(s) they’re interested in
- an email address
We’ll talk them through their options and next steps. Watch our video below to see our top tips on making a Clearing call.
Top tips on how to make a Clearing call
It's important that students make their own applications or call us themselves and speak to us directly. We can’t share or discuss application details with anyone else without consent due to GDPR regulations.
What if they change their mind?
Plans can change - even after results day. If your child has already accepted a place but wants to explore other options, they can still use Clearing. But we recommend they don't give up their confirmed place until they’ve secured another offer. That way, they always have a safe option.
Once they get an offer
Once your child or young person has accepted a place and their offer is confirmed, take a breath and celebrate!
It's now time to start thinking ahead for joining Brunel in September. There are a few things they'll need to do next:
- book accommodation
- plan what to bring and how to prepare for moving in
- find out what's happening during Welcome Week and starting their course
They may also want to explore part-time jobs, placements and volunteering opportunities we have available at Brunel.
It’s a big step. But it’s an exciting one too.
We’re here to help
Clearing can feel like a big moment for you as well as your child. Sign up for updates, and we'll help guide you and your young person through the process and share our top tips for getting through Clearing.
We're here to help you both feel confident about what comes next.