Clearing News Feed
And there we have it, folks!
The busiest time in the student recruitment calendar may be winding down for the day — but Clearing is far from over. As we wrap up Day 2 and head into the weekend, here are some of the opportunities that lie ahead...
WHERE: Clearing search Data from UCAS.com gives us guidance that East Anglia, East Midlands are the regions with the highest demand for clearing places.
WHO: We now know that results day activity for older applicants has increased since last year, (+23%) so the mature audience is active early this year and is one to focus on.
Our UK 18 YOs are an aspirational cohort and are looking for what they really want. Supplier site traffic and search demand now shows us a shift from higher tariff towards medium and low tariffs – and more vocational courses.
Where there are less unplaced students proportionally this cycle, providers will do well to well to engage studnets utilising decline my place as well as the direct-to-clearing audeinces.
WHAT: The main takeaway from today must be that students are taking longer to consider their clearing choices, which means there is huge opportunity for providers to make gains into next week...
Thanks for staying tuned, the newsdesk team will be back next year.... we will leave you with a quick recap of today’s highlights.
With over 700,000 students applying through UCAS each year, how does the UK’s one-stop admissions system stack up against those used around the world? 🌍
We asked students for their experience, and they shared what they've learned and what they've heard from friends in different systems.
Results Day can be just as nerve-wracking for parents as it is for students - and they play a rather significant, strategic role in decision-making!
A new TSR study shows 83% of parents get involved in early university research, yet only 8% feel confident supporting their child through Clearing... A striking knowledge gap right there!
This means that while parents are central to the journey, many may feel powerless when last-minute changes are needed.
💡Tip: Prestige matters, but practicalities like travel distance and affordability also frequently tip the scales, particularly for first-generation families.
💡Tip: Meet parents where they’re already talking. Join peer-led spaces with timely, helpful updates, and follow up with emails or printed materials that feel personal and relevant — not pushy.
Don’t just market to students. Give parents the plain, practical guidance they need to support decisions under time pressure. Building trust in the spaces where parents already talk could make all the difference in those tense, make-or-break days.
Stay tuned for a video on this subject...
— Sheng Ping Sooi, Hybrid Research & Insights
To break up the day, here is something fun we asked AI to help us create...
Please enjoy the following Clearing-inspired poem, compiled from the news stories we've covered so far:
Clearing: A Journey of Choice and Chance
by AI
In August’s rush, the phones all ring,
As hopes take flight on Clearing’s wing.
Parents, teachers, friends unite,
To guide each choice, to set things right.
Last-minute open days appear,
In London’s streets, the call is clear.
From unis' posts to virtual halls,
Each campus answers when hope calls.
The numbers tell a shifting tale,
High-tariff leads with wind in sail.
Yet medium, lower, make their climb,
A balanced growth, a welcome sign.
AI now whispers, “Times may change,”
Some graduate dreams must rearrange.
Debt weighs heavy, yet still we see,
The worth and strength of a first degree.
No longer fallback, Clearing’s choice,
Where students speak with their own voice.
Workshops train the nerves away,
To win the course they want today.
And through it all, one truth holds fast,
The journey’s worth, from first to last.
With every step and open door,
Clearing gives hope for what’s in store.
We've caught up with UCAS again and they have spilled the tea....
Whilst Results Day search demand and student interactions told us a story that sees to benefit high tariff providers the most, when we look at how this translates into Clearing accepts so far, the results are more evenly spread across the tariff groups.
UCAS also tells us there is now 180 fewer students placed at their insurance choice than there were yesterday - an audience worth monitoring for this cycle and future cohorts as we know student sentiment towards their insurance choice is shifting.
Top subjects and regions include:
We'll be with you as the numbers continue to evolve...
— Naomi Hollis, Hybrid Research & Insights
Despite the .4% overall drop this year in A*/A grades for students across Wales from last year, 10.5% of entries this year achieved the top A* grade, up from 10.1% in 2024 and higher than the 8.9% recorded in 2019.
In her speech at Merthyr Tydfil College on Thursday, Education Secretary Lynne Neagle MS described the outcomes as “really positive,” noting that A–C pass rates remain higher than in 2019. Qualifications Wales reminded students there are multiple routes forward, from university to apprenticeships, with advice and support widely available.
While the number of exam entries fell slightly to 31,791 from 32,235 in 2024, the results show Wales maintaining strong performance and producing high-achieving students ready to take their next steps with confidence. Thus, while we know applications to Welsh providers are down YOY, the quality of candidate from local audiences show promise and strengthen outlooks for Wales.
— Bryanna Young, Hybrid Research & Insights
Despite their results day falling last week, Scottish universities continue to actively make their bids for students during Clearing.
Some, like Stirling, are extremely active on socials, encouraging students in to call:
Dedicated landing pages are up and running, offering clear course listings, application guidance, and contact details for immediate enquiries:
From live chats and call-back services to virtual open days, Scottish universities are making it easy for prospective students to connect quickly.
Their sustained presence in Clearing underlines that opportunities don’t end with Results Day, and for applicants still weighing their options, Scotland remains very much open for business.
— Bryanna Young, Hybrid Research & Insights
Lead Data Scientist Jason Streets of dataHE shared on LinkedIn that after the slightly-shifting increase of higher A level grades this year, by dataHE’s simulations, they estimate the mean awarded A-level grade (based on an applicant’s best three subjects) to now be BBB, a small rise from 2024.
dataHE expects the proportion achieving AAB or higher to reach 35% — the highest level outside the pandemic grading period, albeit only a marginal increase on last year.
and found shifts in international undergraduate acceptances that could shape your Clearing strategy!
Here’s a breakdown of the Top 10 countries with the most applicants:
China remains the largest source market with 12,600 acceptances -- up 13% year-on-year -- while the US (+10.3%), Turkey (+22.5%), and UAE (+4.9%) also posted notable growth.
On the other hand, India (-9.4%), Hong Kong (-5.4%), and Malaysia (-10.9%) saw declines. This suggests more competition for fewer students, but also an opportunity to stand out with targeted reassurance and value-led messaging during Clearing.
Top tips to engage the declining markets during Clearing:
As for the rising markets, retaining them is important too!
— Sheng Ping Sooi, Hybrid Research & Insights
Over-reliance on agents is worse than you’d imagine!
This year’s Results Day saw a rise in international UG acceptances via UCAS – acceptances from China 🇨🇳, the largest source market, grew by 13.0% to 12,380.
However, behind this growth, there’s a less visible challenge: many Chinese students STILL struggle with the Clearing process, especially those who apply through agents.
On Rednote, a UK-based guardian shared that some students missed last-minute Clearing offers – and it wasn’t even because they were not qualified!
(Source: 冰冰的监护日记)
They shared that administrative matters, such as students not having access to their own UCAS accounts, with some not even knowing login details – were a massive hindrance. To top it off, some students couldn’t reach their agents during this crucial period, leaving guardians and university staff helpless and unable to provide basic information to secure a place.
In their desperation, some students even resorted to hiring strangers online to make Clearing calls for them... which can lead to misinformation, such as false promises of “verbal offers (口头 offer)” that NO LONGER EXIST.
To better support these students in the future, we can strive to:
Agents remain an important recruitment channel, but without empowering students to manage their own applications, we risk losing talented candidates simply because the right information wasn’t in their hands at the right time.
— Sheng Ping Sooi, Hybrid Research & Insights
— Hybrid Research & Insights
For many universities, international recruitment is still very much in play.
Several providers continue to promote overseas applications, often paired with targeted scholarship offers to boost appeal and urgency.
Universities that can highlight these offers during the final recruitment window stand to attract and convert students who are still making their decisions.
University of Dundee stands out with separate scholarships, covering almost every world region, each worth between £2,500 and £5,000.
Bournemouth University has both sports and music scholarships open for multi-talented international students.
University of Sussex offers country-specific awards for students from Egypt, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Turkey, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.
With competition for international students growing, this final window — supported by targeted scholarships — is a chance for universities to fill remaining places while showing they can move quickly to help students take the next step.
— Sheng Ping Sooi, Hybrid Research & Insights
How will we maintain interest with this strategic cohort, most of whom are heading into the relief of the weekend after Results Day?
The past few years have seen Clearing become more and more a strategic move rather than a last-ditch effort. As we head into the weekend, we must remember that acceptances will continue to increase even as we move away from the flurry of activity at 1pm on Results Day.
1️⃣ UCAS data shows a pattern to confirmations – a strong early surge followed by a big rise on the Monday after, and another sizeable, midweek rise.
2️⃣ Clearing 2024 showed us that 45% of students only contacted one university during Clearing, and fewer contacted “three or more” compared to 2019 -- pointing to more deliberate and highly targeted decision-making from students.
3️⃣ In instances where there is less pressure and competition to secure a spot immediately, students are likely to take the weekend, talk to their trusted influencers and then come back fresh to make their decision.
So what does this mean? Students are taking longer to consider -- that means not all hope is lost if offers haven’t been accepted right this instant. This period is an opportunity for providers to maintain engagement through the next few days. Remember, all the hard work has set the stage and engagement is crucial at this junction.
Where students are more likely to accept a clearing provider they’ve previously researched, marketing strategies should stay focused on your target audiences; this is not the time to connect with new pools.
Here are some ideas to stay connected with them:
— Yasmeen Kaoosji, Hybrid Research & Insights
Course search and student enquiries are showing us that while high tariffs may have had the focus yesterday, opportunity is now open for medium and low tariffs. Third-party sites are now seeing a shift towards more vocational courses as well as longer dwell times and interactions with non-high tariff providers...
Results Day 2025 brought a rare positive for the sector – growth for all providers across tariffs, though we’re far from the finish line. dataHE founder Mark Corver’s analysis finds some interesting variances in the groups at play.
🏆 Overall growth: While the focus is on higher tariff providers and their shiny windfalls (94k, +7k, +8%), medium- (76k, +3k, +4%) and lower-tariff (68k, +1k, +1%) providers have also seen the best numbers in years, advancing beyond typical pre-pandemic figures.
👩🎓➕ Mature students: Recruitment remains strong among the 21+ set, underlining the appeal of higher tariff universities to those making later-stage study decisions.
🌍 International: Non-EU intakes have surged 18%, reaching record levels at higher tariff providers, driven largely by 17- and 18-year-old entrants and highlighting continued global demand.
What this means: The key to maintaining momentum lies in holding ground and keeping engaged with offer holders.
— Yasmeen Kaoosji, Hybrid Research & Insights
BBC News reports a slight shift in A-level results, with 48.5% of private school entries achieving A* or A grades compared with 25.4% for state schools.
📊 The gap has narrowed by 0.8 percentage points since last year, returning to 2023 levels.
🏫 The change comes after the government introduced VAT on private school fees in January, pushing costs up 22% year-on-year, according to the Independent Schools Council. A legal challenge from the sector was dismissed this summer. Ministers say the policy aims to “raise standards in state schools” by ensuring private school parents pay “their fair share.”
What it means: While the gap remains large, any narrowing is a positive, suggesting a slight rebalancing in top-grade attainment. Whether this is due to policy, economic pressure, or shifting student demographics, we’ll be watching closely over the coming cycles. ⚖️
— Bryanna Young, Hybrid Research & Insights