After the A-level results have been announced today, many students have started celebrating getting their university places while others have missed out. Today a scramble for clearing places among 180,000 candidates began. According to custom papers, last year 135,000 candidates were chasing places in clearing.
According to Ucas, nearly 18,500 courses are available this year compared to 32,000 courses with vacancies last year. More than 1,200 clearing places are available for UK and European Union students on such courses as business studies, around 600 vacancies for law degrees, more than 300 places in English literature and chemistry through clearing.
There are some courses that can be taken only by overseas students, for whom the cost for undergraduate degrees is around £20,000. For international students 888 economics courses and 1,144 law courses are available while 316 and 634 for UK students correspondingly.
On results day this year 379,411 candidates have got their university places, compared to 371,016 applicants last year. However, more than 170,000 pupils are predicted to miss out a place on a degree course this autumn.
A-level pass rates today rose to a high record of 97.6% while an unprecedented 27% of entries achieved an A in results which will sharpen the intense battle for clearing places at university this year.
An intense scramble for clearing places will start soon as A-level pass rates today have raised to a high record of 97.6% for the 28th successive year while 27% of candidates have achieved an A. A surge in proportion of A grades will make the competition for university places stronger. Top universities such as Oxford and Leeds have declined to accept the A* this year in fear to provoke disproportional performance of private schools. Nine of the elite Russell Group universities would offer some places for young people through clearing, e.g. 260 places available in Cardiff, 120 – at Manchester and Newcastle offers nearly 100 places.
