Record 11,180 college places clear on A-level results day

A RECORD number of students went through clearing on A-level results day as universities attempt to snap up candidates ahead of their rivals.

By midnight on Thursday, 11,180 students had secured university places through clearing, which is more than double the number five years ago, according to Ucas, the university admissions service.

In 2013, 5,570 students went through clearing on results day, and the number has been growing steadily year on year. Some universities are offering cash bonuses, laptops, gym membership and even free flights in an attempt to lure students. Several Russell Group universities drastically lowered their offers yesterday in order to fill places, with courses normally requiring As and A*s at A-level being offered to students through clearing.

The lifting of student number controls in England in 2015 gave universities free rein to recruit as many undergraduates as they see fit – but the move has led to accusations that they now act like businesses, seeking to maximise their revenue by recruiting as many students as possible.

Students can apply for courses through clearing up to Sept 2, but Ucas predicts that there will be a surge this weekend with the majority of applicants being placed by the end of Monday.

Christina Edgar, head of admissions at the University of Sheffield, has said that clearing used to be seen as a shameful process for students who failed to achieve the grades they needed for their first choice university but now there is no longer a “stigma” attached to it.