Highest-ranked universities in Clearing 2025

More than 68,000 students found a university place in Clearing last summer. Every year, there are scores of universities to choose from in Clearing, including some of the most prestigious.

Not every university will offer places in Clearing, but here we’ve got the highest-ranking universities with Clearing spaces this year.

We’ve combed through the 2025 Clearing course spaces and cross-referenced them against university league tables to find the 15 highest-ranked universities with undergraduate places available in Clearing.

Clearing vacancies are updated regularly throughout the Clearing period (which runs from July through to October). Once A-level results have been released, Clearing spaces at these universities can be expected to fill up quickly.

You can check the latest Clearing vacancies by using the search feature on the Ucas website - or by visiting the specific university websites. You'll also find a handy cheat-sheet of university contact details over on The Student Room.

All university rankings on this page reference the latest Complete University Guide main league table. The universities in this list had places available on at least one undergraduate degree course when Clearing opened on 5 July 2025.

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Durham University

Uni ranking | 5th

Established in 1832, Durham University is the third oldest university in the UK. The university has a traditional collegiate system, with over 20,000 students split between their 17 colleges. Durham ranks in the top 10 league tables for 28 subjects, including chemistry, law, economics and history.

• Discussion about Durham University on The Student Room
• Read more about Durham University in our guide

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Loughborough University

Uni ranking | 7th

Situated on the UK's largest university campus, Loughborough University is highly regarded for its engineering and technology courses. On its website, Loughborough describes its science park as one of the biggest in the UK and “home to over 90 start-ups, growing businesses, global brands, and sports organisations”. The university is also well-known for its impressive sports facilities and achievements.

• Discussion about Loughborough University on The Student Room
• Read more about Loughborough University in our guide

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University of Bath

Uni ranking | 8th

Bath is highly regarded for the quality of its teaching and research, as well as its effectiveness in preparing students for the workplace. Most of the undergraduate courses at Bath include the option to do a professional placement. The university has also picked up some notable awards and rankings in recent years. Bath was ‘Good University of the Year 2023’ in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, and it also got the top spot for student experience in England in the National Student Survey 2022. The city of Bath is a Unesco World Heritage Site.

• Discussion about the University of Bath on The Student Room
• Read more about the University of Bath in our guide

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Lancaster University

Uni ranking | 10th

A research-intensive institution established in 1964, Lancaster University is home to more than 12,000 undergraduate students. The university is based on a 560-acre campus in the countryside, with the city of Lancaster three miles down the road. It’s one of the few UK universities to have a collegiate system, with all students belonging to one of the university’s nine colleges.

• Discussion about Lancaster University on The Student Room
• Read more about Lancaster University in our guide

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University of Exeter

Uni ranking | 11th

A member of the Russell Group since 2012, the University of Exeter has campuses in Truro and Penryn, as well as Exeter, and hosts more than 23,000 undergraduate students. In the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024, Exeter was runner-up for the University of the Year award; the second year in a row this had happened.

• Discussion about the University of Exeter on The Student Room
• Read more about the University of Exeter in our guide

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University of York

Uni ranking | 12th

The University of York was established in 1963 and has been a member of the Russell Group since 2012. It’s a great pick for nature lovers: the university campus stretches across 500 acres, with lakes, wetlands, gardens and parks. In 1967, shortly after the university was founded, Jimi Hendrix performed on campus. There is still a hall named after him.

• Discussion about the University of York on The Student Room
• Read more about the University of York in our guide

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University of Birmingham

Uni ranking | 14th

A large red-brick university founded in 1900, the University of Birmingham is a member of the Russell Group and ranked 76th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2026 (a climb of four places on the previous year). Its greenery-filled campus is located at Edgbaston. Students can be in the city centre in minutes by train, but on a sunny day might prefer to take the 30 minute walk alongside the canal. Subjects where the university does well in the league tables include chemical engineering, physiotherapy and creative writing.

• Discussion about the University of Birmingham on The Student Room
• Read more about the University of Birmingham in our guide

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University of Bristol

Uni ranking | 15th

Although Bristol Uni is in Clearing in 2025, it had space on only one course at the time of writing (Bsc Childhood Studies). As well as ranking 15th in the Complete University Guide league table, the University of Bristol comes a respectable 27th in the most recent People & Planet University League, which is ranked by environmental and ethical performance. With its focus on sustainability, the university aims to become a net zero carbon campus by 2030. Fun fact: Ribena was invented at the university by scientist Dr Vernon Charley in 1936.

• Discussion about the University of Bristol on The Student Room
• Read more about the University of Bristol in our guide

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University of Sheffield

Uni ranking | 16th

Sheffield is a Russell Group university with more than 30,000 students. It ranks highly for many subjects, including law, psychology and engineering, while the active students' union has more than 350 clubs and societies. Students might also like to visit the unique and unusual Alfred Denny Museum; still referred to as ‘the secret museum’ (although tours can now be booked). Included in this collection of biology curiosities is the skull of a ‘terror bird’; an extinct carnivorous bird that could grow up to 10 feet tall.

• Discussion about the University of Sheffield on The Student Room
• Read more about the University of Sheffield in our guide

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University of Southampton

Uni ranking | 17th

Another Russell Group university with places available in Clearing, Southampton is home to more than 23,000 students. The university has seven campuses with the main one based in the centre of Southampton. It is near the top of university league tables for a range of subjects, including nursing (ranked 13th globally in the most recent QS World University Rankings), archaeology and earth & marine sciences.

• Discussion about the University of Southampton on The Student Room
• Read more about the University of Southampton in our guide

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The University of Edinburgh

Uni ranking | 18th

A large university with a hefty reputation, the University of Edinburgh is home to more than 25,000 undergraduate students. Many courses are based in the central area of Edinburgh, but some - such as veterinary science - are on the outskirts. Founded in 1583, the university counts Charles Darwin, Robert Louis Stevenson and Alexander Graham Bell among its alumni.

• Discussion about the University of Edinburgh on The Student Room
• Read more about the University of Edinburgh in our guide

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King's College London (KCL)

Uni ranking | 19th=

King's College London is one of the oldest universities in the UK, with a history going back almost 200 years to 1829. Situated in the heart of London, King’s typically features towards the top of national and international uni league tables; the latest Complete University Guide has it in the top 10 for 18 subjects (including law, politics and computer science).

• Discussion about KCL on The Student Room
• Read more about the KCL in our guide

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University of Surrey

Uni ranking | 19th=

The University of Surrey’s focus on building the employability of its students was recognised in 2022, when it was named University of the Year for Graduate Employment in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide. The university, which is home to more than 15,000 students, is ranked near (or at) the top of the league tables for subjects including paramedic science, music, drama and nursing, among others.

• Discussion about the University of Surrey on The Student Room
• Read more about the University of Surrey in our guide

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University of Leeds

Uni ranking | 21st

Founded in 1904, the University of Leeds is home to more than 30,000 students. It is particularly well-regarded for its engineering courses, as well as ranking top 10 for the likes of marketing, dentistry and geology.

• Discussion about the University of Leeds on The Student Room
• Read more about the University of Leeds in our guide

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Cardiff University

Uni ranking | 22nd

Cardiff University has a history that dates back to 1883 and is the only Russell Group member in Wales. It ranks highly for a number of subjects, including architecture, psychology and dentistry.

• Discussion about Cardiff University on The Student Room
• Read more about Cardiff of Leeds in our guide

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