A-level results: Record number of students going to university

More than 409,000 applicants found out this morning that they had been accepted by British universities and colleges, an increase of 3 per cent on the same day previous year.

There is a healthy increase of 5% in the number of UK 18 year olds placed in higher education and a 2% rise from 19 year olds, with fewer acceptances from older age groups.

Some 370,000 have been accepted on to their first choice of course, while 34,300 have been placed on their second choice.

Sector observers predict that universities wishing to grow are likely to accept students who fall just short of their predicted grades, and to make more places available via clearing.

But the head of the admissions body expressed concern about the growing gender gap among undergraduates, as figures showed that in excess of 27,000 more females are due to start degree courses this autumn than males.

More than 500,000 students were ultimately admitted to UK universities last year, and Nicola Dandridge, the chief executive of Universities UK, said that she expected numbers to be “similar again this year”.

The latest figures also show that 6% of places have gone to students from other countries in the European Union, up 11% on 2014.

“This in an impressive outcome, given the slightly slower growth in the UK application rate”.

Last year almost one in eight students were eventually placed through the clearing system. Don’t try your luck and enter a Clearing course choice on Track before you receive a verbal offer, it’s a waste of time and it could take over 24 hours for you to receive a rejection from the uni.

Thousands of Brighton and Hove students received their A-Level results yesterday (Thursday), sealing their fate for the next step in their lives.

“This is great news and shows that by lifting the cap on student numbers, we are helping more people than ever benefit from higher education and gain the skills that businesses seek to boost productivity and support growth”.

Professor Les Ebdon, director of the higher-education monitoring body the Office for Fair Access, welcomed the rise in students from less well-off backgrounds. “This is testament to their efforts – often with the odds stacked against them – and the work universities and colleges are doing to raise aspirations and achievement among young people from disadvantaged backgrounds”.