Your Clearing Plan for Results Day

This year, A Level Results Day is on Thursday 13^th August 2026. Results Day can be a whirlwind of emotions, and it can be hard to know what to expect. It’s completely normal to feel nervous about what’s next, but with the right plan of action you’ll be going into Results Day confident of what’s to come.

Follow these steps on Results Day

1. Collect your results from 8am

Your school or college can release A level grades from 8am onwards. This can be in person, via an online platform, or by email or post. Exact opening times and Results arrangements will vary, so it’s best to check with your school or college directly if you’re unsure.

Some universities could still accept you even if you’ve just missed your grades, so make sure to check your UCAS Hub. You’ll need your grades when applying through Clearing, so make sure you keep them to hand.

2. Check your UCAS status (if you’ve already got an offer from a university) from about 8.15am

If you’ve applied through UCAS and have an offer from a university, log into the UCAS Hub to see whether your firm or insurance university has confirmed your place. UCAS gets results directly and will usually be updated around 8.15am.

3. Take time to understand your results

It’s important to take a moment to understand what your UCAS Hub and Results mean:

• You don’t hold any offers - Your UCAS Hub will indicate that you’re in Clearing. You’ll also be given a personal Clearing number, which you’ll need when contacting universities
• You’ve been declined by both your firm and insurance universities - If you haven’t been accepted, your UCAS Hub will indicate that you’re in Clearing. You’ll also be given a personal Clearing number, which you’ll need when contacting universities
• You’ve been accepted by your firm or insurance, but want to change university - If you have been accepted by either your firm or insurance but wish to apply to a different university through Clearing, you can use the ‘Decline my place’ button in the UCAS Hub to release yourself into Clearing. Only use this button if you are 100% sure that you no longer want your place
• You’ve been accepted by your firm or insurance, but want to change course - If you want to remain at the same university or college, but swap your course, you must speak to your university or college before changing anything in the UCAS Hub as using ‘Decline my place’ will mean accommodation or scholarship applications will also be cancelled. Already got a place at LJMU? Speak to our Confirmation team on 0151 231 5090

4. Make notes to refer to when applying through Clearing

If you’re applying through Clearing, now’s the time to note down everything you might need when applying through Clearing.

You should already have a list of courses you’re interested in (if you don’t, now’s a good time to search courses on the LJMU website!). Check the entry requirements for each course.

Decide what course you want to apply for. It’s also a good idea to note down your qualifications, personal details, and your personal Clearing number from UCAS.

5. Give LJMU a call, or apply online

It’s time to apply! You can call our Clearing Vacancy team on 0808 5 564 565. They’ll ask you if you hold a place at another university and then run through the Clearing application with you. This is where your notes will come in handy. They’ll ask you what course you want to apply for, what your grades are, and for your personal information and Clearing number. It’s that easy!

Alternatively, you can apply online

6. Get your decision

Many students receive a decision during the call. Our LJMU Clearing team may need to pass your application to our Admissions team. This isn’t anything to worry about and can be for a number of reasons. Our Admissions Team will review your grades, qualifications and experience, and then confirm whether they’re able to make you an offer.

If you’re applying to a creative course or health related course, you may also be asked to provide a portfolio or have a telephone interview. If so, our friendly advisers will guide you through this process.

7. If you’re offered a place - congratulations! Add this to UCAS from 1pm

Once you've received a provisional offer from LJMU, either by phone or online, your place on the course is reserved. You’ll receive an email with the course and offer details, and the deadline for accepting the offer.

You must add your Clearing choice to the UCAS Hub from 1pm on 13^th August 2026. Your place can only be formally confirmed once you’ve added it to the UCAS Hub. Navigate to the 'Your choices' section, click 'Add Clearing choice', and enter the course details provided by the university.

Once your place is confirmed, we’ll be in touch with the next steps. Good luck!

Looking for a Clearing place at Liverpool John Moores University? Search our courses to find out more.