The number of UK school leavers accepted on to degree courses has risen to a record high this year, Ucas figures revealed today.
A total of 262,820 UK 18-year-olds have gained a place at university or college – up 3 per cent on the same point last year, according to the university admissions service.
Ucas said it is the highest number of placed students on results day on record, driven by a rising number of 18-year-olds in the population.
The number of UK school leavers from the most disadvantaged backgrounds gaining a place is also up across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, its data showed.
The overall number of students, of all ages and domiciles, being accepted has also hit a record high – with 446,690 successful applicants up from 439,180 last year.
For international students, 53,740 applicants have been accepted on to undergraduate courses – up by 2 per cent on the 52,640 who were successful last year. Accepted applicants from China rose to 13,870 from 12,380 last year.
And a record number of young people have secured a place to study engineering – up 14 per cent on last year.
It comes as pupils are set to experience the best A-level results day to date, with record-breaking top grades predicted.
As hundreds of thousands of sixth-formers pick up their results today, almost one in three entries will get at least an A grade. Experts are predicting ‘several thousand’ more will receive this grade compared with last year.
Students celebrate A-level, BTEC and T-level results at Oaklands College in Hertfordshire today
Students open their A-level results live on Sky News in a school gym hall in north-west London
This would mean a record high outside of Covid times – when grades were inflated due to exams being cancelled and teachers deciding marks.
Ucas chief Jo Saxton told the BBC‘s Today programme: ‘We’ve got quarter of a million UK 18-year-old school and college leavers getting their place at university today – that’s brilliant for them and for the country.
‘And we’re seeing a really, really interesting trend within that: we’ve got a record number of new engineers going on to study at university today.
‘35,000 young people are going off to study engineering – it’s up 14 per cent compared to last year.’
I’m Alastair McCall, one of the UK’s leading data journalists and Editor of the Daily Mail University Guide.
I’ve spent years crunching the data to understand what makes a university stand out – from teaching quality and student experience to graduate salaries and career prospects. I’ve ranked every university in Britain, so whether you’re applying yourself or you’re a parent helping your child, I can show you which universities are best for your subject, where graduates earn the most, and much more.
<!- – ad: https://mads.dailymail.co.uk/v8/de/news/none/article/other/mpu_factbox.html?id=mpu_factbox_1 – ->
School-leavers will enjoy a buyer’s market, with universities keen to hoover up domestic students at a time when international student revenue is falling because of changing visa rules.
Analysis shows there are more than 22,800 courses still recruiting, including 3,530 at 18 of the 24 elite Russell Group universities.
Some of the more prestigious courses advertised on the Ucas website include engineering at the University of Warwick, maths at Exeter and economics at York.
And data published by the admissions body shows that many courses are accepting students with at least three grades below the official requirements.
However, yesterday Birmingham University said it would in future introduce a minimum entry requirement of three Bs to protect standards.
Clearing is for those students who have missed the grades they needed for their chosen university and want to find another spot.
In addition, students who have done better than expected can ‘trade up’ to get into a more prestigious university.
Last year, 28.3 per cent of entries got A/A*, compared with 27.8 per cent in 2024, and 25.4 per cent in 2019.
When looking at A* grades alone, 9.4 per cent of entries achieved this – up from 9.3 per cent in 2024 and 7.7 per cent in 2019.
While the rise in top grades this year is predicted to be less than 0.5 percentage point, this would translate into several thousand entries.
Dr Saxton said in a statement today: ‘Today’s school leavers were just starting secondary school when the pandemic interrupted their education.
‘Given the significant disruption they faced at such a formative stage of their learning, it is wonderful to see so many young people getting a place at university or college. I’m delighted to see them backing themselves and choosing to invest in their education.
Students discuss their A-level results this morning outside Oaklands College in Hertfordshire
‘For those who haven’t got the grades they need, are reconsidering their plans, or haven’t applied yet but are thinking of doing so, I’d encourage them to explore the wide range of choices on offer in Clearing – with over 26,000 courses available there are plenty of options.
‘Ucas’s dedicated advisers are also here to offer support on the phones, social media or via the Ucas website.’
Also today, skills minister Jacqui Smith said the Government needs to look at ‘fairer’ methods for plan two student loans.
These are for those who started university between 2012 and 2023 who are currently paying 9 per cent income with an interest rate of up to 6 per cent.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, she said: ‘People have been worried, particularly about what we call the plan two loans, which aren’t in place any more. That isn’t what people going to university today will be taking on.
‘But, of course, we need to look at ways in which we can make that fairer.
‘Universities have had a tough time in terms of their financial stability, not least because the last government decided to freeze the amount of money that came to them through tuition fees – a major way in which they get their income. We’ve increased that and we’ve given certainty over the coming years that that will continue to be index-linked.’
Asked if the Government would be lowering the interest rates students pay on fees, Ms Smith said it has been capped for the coming year for people who are currently repaying student finance.
‘We will make sure that people aren’t put off going to university by the costs of what they would need to pay,’ she added.
It comes after the Tories yesterday renewed their calls for the Prime Minister to cap student loan interest at inflation as measured by the UK Retail Price Index.
Kemi Badenoch announced this as her party’s policy in February, arguing that it would save graduates tens of thousands of pounds.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login