These are the Russell Group unis with Clearing spaces in 2024

Russell Group unis have been offering Clearing places for 2024 for a while already. Figuring out where to go to university is a daunting decision. It’s made even more stressful when it’s A-level Results Day, your parents are shouting down the phone at your school, and you have an afternoon to fish out a place from Clearing so you can join your friends in getting so drunk you forget what A-levels you studied for in the first place.

Many leading Russell Group universities have courses available through Clearing on the UCAS website. Clearing actually opened on 5th July. If you got your grades last year and did a panic gap year, you can start applying now. Otherwise, you can figure out your game plan for Thursday – the spots at Russell Group universities are likely to be snatched up fast once people get their grades. If you’re unclear about which places you can clear up in Clearing on Thursday, then here you go:

University of Birmingham

If you fancy heading to Brum in September, the University of Birmingham has 267 places available in subjects ranging from  Applied Golf Management Studies (sounds fun) to Electronic and Electrical Engineering. If you want to be prepared to snap up a different subject, you can sign up for email alerts from this university here.

Cardiff University

Cardiff is the highest ranked university in Wales. They have 245 courses up for grabs, including several with placement years in different industries. You can check out Cardiff’s own guide to Clearing vacancies here and sign up to their Clearing mailing list.

Durham University

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If you didn’t get into Oxbridge but still fancy filling up your Instagram with photos of candlelit college formals, Durham has a handful of places of available through Clearing. They have guides about Clearing for both you and your parents. Be warned, many of the courses require A*AA or higher.

The University of Edinburgh

There is one whole course available through Clearing. If your dream was to do Nursing Studies, then you’re in luck! You’ll need AAB at A level or ABBB in Scottish Highers. The website emphasises that you’ll gain lots of critical thinking skills, so if you want to start thinking critically about university places, then you can read their advice for Clearing applicants here.

Many top universities still have places in Clearing

University of Exeter

Exeter (or should we say, Exetaaaaaaah?) has places on 214 courses up for grabs in Clearing. The courses are spread across its main campus in the city of Exeter, and the Penryn Campus in Cornwall. If you like the look of their courses (or Exmouth beach in the summertime), then you can sign up for email updates here. 

University of Glasgow

Glasgow has by far the most courses available at the moment, with a whopping 657 places advertised on UCAS. There are spots open for virtually every subject from A-Z (or at least from Accounting to Zoology). The university is running a Q&A about Clearing on Instagram tomorrow at 1pm.

King’s College London, University of London

London was ranked as the world’s best city to be a student in for the sixth year in a row. If you like the idea of studying right in the middle of it, then King’s has 63 spots up for grabs in Clearing. Their website has more information about applying through Clearing.

University of Leeds

If you like the look of Leeds, they have 191 courses available through Clearing. Their site has a FAQ page about Clearing and tips for preparing to apply through it on Results Day.

University of Liverpool

Liverpool has 219 courses to choose from in Clearing – slightly less than last year’s 352, but still a high number! You can sign up for email notifications about places here.

University of Manchester

This university is known for its great nightlife. They have 341 different courses to choose from in Clearing (although, you may spend more time queuing for clubs than you will actually studying them…). Here is a blog post about applying for Clearing places at Manchester.

Newcastle University

Newcastle University has risen up the Complete University Guide’s ranking over the last few years – from 37 in 2022 to 26 this year. You can choose from 153 courses available through Clearing, and sign up for email notifications here.

University of Nottingham

Times Higher Education ranked the University of Nottingham seventh in the country for research power, so maybe your lectures will be lively? There are 240 courses accepting applicants through Clearing. Plus, their main building is very Instagrammable.

Queen Mary University of London

Located in the trendy east of London, this university has 290 courses available through Clearing. You can register your interest in Clearing here.

You can apply through Clearing now if you already have your grades

Queen’s University Belfast

If you like the look of Queen’s University Belfast’s very pretty campus buildings, then you can browse through the 207 courses available through Clearing. Their Clearing hotline opens at 8am on 15th August.

University of Sheffield

The University of Sheffield is ranked 18th in the 2025 Compete University Guide. It has 229 courses in Clearing to choose from, including ones with foundation years. Their website says that if you register your interest online now, then your phone calls will be fast-tracked on Results Day.

University of Southampton

If you’re keen to be by the sea, then Southampton uni has 329 courses available in Clearing. Their website boasts that 97 per cent of students are employed or in further education a year after graduating. Their Clearing hotline will be open from 8am to 9pm on Thursday 15th August, then 8am to 6pm on Friday 16th August.

University of Warwick

The University of Warwick (which, confusingly, isn’t really in Warwick) has just one course available in Clearing this year. If you want to study Health and Medical Sciences, you’ll need AAB if you’ve studied one relevant STEM subject at A-level, or ABB if you’ve studied two.

University of York

Last but by no means least on our list of Russell Group unis Clearing places in 2024, York has 190 different subjects in Clearing. According to their website, they are one of only four UK universities rated Gold for teaching, alongside Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial. You can sign up for email alerts here.

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