On A-level results day last August, 18-year-old Kituza* from Manchester was staring at her computer screen, seeing her grades for the first time. Her results guaranteed her first-choice place at a university in Manchester, where she planned to study for a degree in Business. But despite the high emotions of the day, something made her take a moment to stop and think.
“I got my results and I was relieved,” she says, “but I knew that if I went to a university in Manchester, I probably wouldn’t move out [from home]. I felt I needed to go somewhere where I could actually challenge myself to be more independent, and open myself to new experiences and new environments. So I said: ‘You know what? I don’t want to do this. I need to go somewhere else.’”
Thankfully, Kituza had her family around her for support as she explained how she was feeling. “At first, my parents said: ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’” she says, of turning down her confirmed place. “But then they said: ‘Good for you!’ It was my brother who first suggested I look at Clearing.”
Clearing is a system run by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) that kicks into gear at the beginning of July each year – 2 July this year, closing 19 October – and it is an opportunity for students to “shop around” and look at degree courses with available spaces across the UK.
Some students will not have reached the grades they need for conditional or insurance places; others will have declined places; while others, like Kituza, will have realised that their first choice, on reflection, was not quite right for them and that good results mean they could aim higher.
Clearing allows all students more choice and the chance to ensure they have made the right decision for the next three or four years of their lives – and beyond. UCAS revealed that in 2025, 77,110 students secured their place through Clearing – an increase of 1.2% compared with 2024.
“At first I felt daunted by what could be another long process,” says Kituza. “But deep down I knew this wasn’t a decision that you could take lightly. So I sat down with my parents and my brother and we were all researching all the Business courses at different universities. Then the University of York came up.”
The University of York has an esteemed 60-plus-year history fuelling curious and creative minds and is one of only four universities rated Gold for teaching and top 10 for research (REF 2021, TEF 2023). With a commitment to building a diverse student community, it is a top 20 university in the Complete University Guide 2026, and was named Community University of the Year 2026.
“It ticked all the boxes,” says Kituza, who noted that 92.5% of York students were in work or further study 15 months after graduating from the Russell Group university. “As a Business student, the main goal for me is employment, so finding a university that is well known to employers is important, and the opportunities that they offer too. I thought that York was the one for me.”
With Kituza certain that York’s BSc in Business and Management was the right choice, she had to see if she could secure the new place. And the way to do that? Picking up the phone and calling the uni. “That was kind of scary!” she says. “Because I don’t really like calling people. I even asked my brother if he could do it for me, but he said I had to do it myself. I was like, what do I say, what do I do? I had all my details ready – my UCAS number and results. I already met the grades, which made things easier, and I was so grateful for that.
“They asked me some questions, which I answered. It was so fast, I thought I was going to be on there for hours, but it was legit 10 minutes for them to say ‘yes’. They told me I’d receive an email with information about enrolment, apps I needed to download, and everything else. Then suddenly I was a University of York student. After the call it felt kind of unreal. I remember thinking: ‘Wait, that’s it? My life has changed already?’”
Kituza began her four-year course in September 2025, and found the support incredibly welcoming, as well as York itself (previously named one of the Guardian’s happiest places to live): “Showing up to freshers’ events and meeting new people was so exciting – I also met another girl on my course who also went through Clearing. Everyone was so friendly, and I noticed that too for the people in the city of York. It’s nice, the whole environment is really lovely.”
With the first year of her degree now under her belt, Kituza says it has been “exciting” and an “absolute roller-coaster”, and is looking forward to the upcoming year where she’s working in industry, as part of the course.
“Even though it felt like a last-minute thing at the time,” she says of going through the Clearing process, “it did a really good thing for me, compared to if I had just stayed at home in Manchester. I feel like this path I chose, I couldn’t have found anywhere else.”
Kituza’s top three Clearing tips
1 Don’t rush
“Take the time you have to make an informed decision. Choose a university because it offers what you’re looking for, not because it’s a last-minute option.”
2 Call the university – and don’t be afraid to ask questions
“ The whole phone thing can feel absolutely terrifying. But the universities are there to help you – they’re on your side.”
3 Do your research
“Make sure the decision is right for you and no one else – not your friends, not your family, but you. Whether it’s the career path you want to go into, or just something that you enjoy, make sure it’s 100% orientated around you.”
* Surname withheld at the request of the University of York
Find your place at the University of York through Clearing
