The Guardian: Check out our step-by-step guide to clearing
When A-level results are released on Thursday, 18 August, many thousands of students will breathe sighs of relief as they celebrate securing places on their chosen courses.
But every year, a sizeable chunk of students don’t get the grades they need.
If this ends up being you, don’t panic. There are tens of thousands of university places up for grabs and a well-trodden route to secure them through Ucas Clearing, which matches universities’ empty places with students seeking courses. Last year, 51,540 found a place this way, with more than half of them deferring a year. The majority of universities will recruit students via clearing.