A-level students miss out on clearing places

More than 130,000 A-level candidates eligible for clearing places are set to end up without a university place this year.

Figures show twice as many clearing places have been snapped in the first week since results were issued – 22,599 compared to 9,263. Only a handful remain.

Originally, UCAS, the university admissions service estimated that there would only be around 22,000 places in the clearing system this year as a result of more candidates being expected to get their provisional grades and the squeeze on university places.

However, Anthony McClaran, chief executive of UCAS, said: “There are still places available for applicants in clearing.

“Law, economic and psychology occupy the top three searches on our website whilst many courses including management studies, business studies and languages are still advertising places.”

Today’s figures from UCAS show a total of 419, 627 applicants have had places confirmed – 44,523 more than at this time last year, The number of mature students (over 21) is at an all time high, too, increasing twenty per cent on last year’s acceptances.

“As predicted, this year has been exceptional in many ways,” said Dr McClaran.

Overall, the number of candidates still eligible to search for a place is 135,800. However, this figure will include many who have already given up on a place and decided to take a gap year and overseas students who have also put in for places at universities in other countries – such as Harvard in the United States.

Nevertheless, it still means thousands may be searching desperately for a job this month - swelling the youth unemployment figures to more than a million next month.