From next year, university hopefuls who do not have a place by mid-March will be able to enter a pre-clearing system to match them to available places.
The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service will run the service, called Ucas Extra, from mid-March to the end of June.
Tony Higgins, chief executive of Ucas, said: "We hope that Extra will give continued motivation to those applicants who have not yet secured any offers and who would otherwise have to wait until clearing."