Clearing: Ucas tells unplaced students with good A-levels to try again next year
Candidates with top marks told that it is better to wait
Disappointed A-level candidates with good grades are being urged to apply again to university next year, despite the rise in tuition fees, while nearly 402,000 applicants have already been accepted on to degree courses.
A further 78,000 are awaiting a decision on their applications, including some who narrowly missed out on their offers, and others who are appealing against their grades. Some of these candidates will not be successful, increasing the number of places that may be available in clearing.
The total number of students accepted to university this autumn is expected to be the same as last year – about 480,000. There were more than 680,000 applicants to university this year, up by 1% on last year.
Mary Curnock Cook, the chief executive of the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas), said: "Those people who have good grades and for whatever reason haven't got an offer, it is absolutely the right thing to do to apply next year with the grades in your pocket. You don't have the agonising wait till August. You will have an unconditional offer, which you may well have before Christmas."
David Willetts, the minister for universities and science, has suggested there will be about 40,000 places in clearing this year; in 2010, almost 47,000 people got a place through clearing.
According to Ucas, there are 29,009 courses offering clearing vacancies, some of which may have more than one place.
About 195,000 applicants are eligible for clearing, so far. Ucas said that, based on previous years' admissions, it expected that aroundabout half of these would be applicants whose results were not strong enough for them to go on to their chosen courses.
Usage statistics indicated that interest in Ucas's clearing vacancy search was "almost identical" to last year. Curnock Cook said: "If there were a significant increase in demand for clearing places you would expect that to show up on the clearing vacancy search data. But what you see is an almost identical pattern."
She suggested that some well-qualified candidates were likely to hold back from clearing and re-apply next year, despite the increase in fees. "I think there is an understanding about clearing – that there don't tend to be many vacancies in the more selective type of courses, they have filled up their places.
"Clearing vacancies and courses are those which are slightly less in demand, or where the university or college is actively recruiting to fill up its places. People know that's not the best way to get placed."
The Ucas Track website, where candidates confirm places, was forced to shut down temporarily on Thursday morning after a surge in demand. But that shutdown did not affect clearing, which began in the afternoon.
The spike in visits to Ucas Track hit 644 a second at its peak and is being attributed to users finding out the site had been "soft-launched" and alerting friends through Facebook and Twitter.
More than 250,000 students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland got their their A-level results on Thursday. Private schools dominated the traditional subjects deemed best for entry to the most competitive universities.
Under plans being considered by the government, schools could be judged on the numbers of pupils who go on to study at Oxford or Cambridge. The measure was included in a presentation given by the Department for Education (DfE) to local councils last month, the Times Educational Supplement (TES) reported.
A spokesman for the said: "We have committed to publishing as much destination data as possible. This will include how many children get to Oxbridge from a school but also all the different universities and FE colleges.
"Parents should know how good a school is at getting their children into higher and further education. Alongside the publication of all exam results this kind of data will help parents make informed decisions about where they send their children to school."
Some of the UK's biggest employers are looking beyond the traditional graduate jobs market and looking to recruit high-achieving school leavers, amid concerns about the impact university tuition fees will have on the quality and social mix of graduates entering the workforce.
The UK's "big four" accountancy firms, which between them recruit several thousand graduates each year, have established degree-equivalent school-leaver training programmes; graduate recruitment experts predict the trend will spread to other industries.
Courses typically offer a five-or six-year structured training programme, with applicants requiring about 300 Ucas points, the equivalent of three A-level grade Bs or more, to qualify.
Privately, large graduate employers fear that tuition fees will deter brighter students from less affluent backgrounds from going to university, which could in turn impact on their businesses. PricewaterhouseCoopers has run a school-leaver programme since 2008; this year accountancy firm received 1,600 applications for 100 places.
A-Level stats480,000: Total number of new places available in 2011
401,957: Applicants placed in UK universities and colleges by midnight on Thursday (up 7,521 on last year)
78,141: Still awaiting a decision on their original application (including appeals)
195,415: Applicants who have either not received, accepted or met the conditions of their offer and so are eligible for clearing
47,000: Students who got a place through clearing in 2010 (this year's number is expected to be similar)
Additional reporting by Graham Snowdon
ClearingHigher educationUniversity guideDavid WillettsStudentsTuition feesJeevan Vasagarguardian.co.ukSixth-formers take a busy summer break
Our university hopefuls are coming to the end of their exams and thinking about the future
With AS exams behind him, year 12 student Sam Jacobs is throwing himself into his passion for medicine in a bid to boost his uni chances this summer. He's already attended open days at Manchester and Nottingham universities, and is embarking on more work experience at hospitals. "I am more passionate about medicine than ever," says Sam, one of five students Education Guardian is following on the route to university. "At open days, I really enjoyed meeting the professors, they were so enthusiastic. It's definitely given me a taste of what I have to look forward to."
Seventeen-year-old Sam will be the first in his family to attend university, and is relying on work experience to inform his decision-making. "Having spent a week at the Homerton hospital in north London, and learned about all the different fields, I've realised that it's important to be open-minded when looking at university courses, and know that there is more than one road." The sixth-former has visited a range of universities, including St George's University of London and Birmingham, as well as Manchester and Nottingham, to look at their course options.
His school, JFS, a mixed comprehensive in Kenton, north London, has put on lectures and sessions to tell students about the Ucas process. "Last week, we had a higher education seminar where we found out more about academia, as well as the social aspects of university," Sam says. He's not sure whether he'll start university in 2012 or 2013 because he's currently considering a gap year, a top option being GapMedics, which organises work experience for students in India, Zambia and St Lucia.
Sam's summer is busy and includes acting in a performance of Othello at the Edinburgh fringe festival and spending time helping children with special needs and learning difficulties for the charity, Norwood. He's also booked to spend the last week of August working in the rehabilitation unit of Finchley Memorial hospital to get "a greater insight into geriatrics." And there's one other thing Sam's keen to squeeze in: "I'm looking forward to enjoying spending time with my friends," he adds.
Life is a little less exciting for year 13 student Josh Kay at Stourport school in Worcestershire, who only finished his A2 exams on Friday. He needs AAB to meet his offer from Manchester University. "My exams are going well – I think," he says. "I think I've done enough to get the grades I want in the exams that I have taken so far – history and sociology. I'm not too worried about my coming English exam, as I already have high A's in my AS English and A* in this year's coursework, so it highly likely I will get an A overall. German doesn't worry me too much either as my university entrance requirements do not depend on it."
Josh admits his bedroom was one of the first victims of exam fever. "I have been revising like mad over the last month, making reams of highlighted, colour-coded, annotated pieces of paper and revision cards, and one side of my bedroom is now stacked with papers, folders and books from different subjects," he says. "Mostly revision doesn't bother me too much as I know it will all be over soon — and worth it if I get the grades I want. But I do get a bit bored sometimes."
For his uni plans, Josh has organised his student finance and applied for accommodation at both Manchester and his back-
up choice, Birmingham, but hasn't yet heard back. "My main concern about university at the moment is whether I will get the accommodation I want, as I want an en-suite room," he says. "Otherwise I'm quite excited about going as all of my possible universities are in cities – I live on the edge of a small town which isn't particularly exiting – and have great facilities and courses."
This summer, Josh has a uni shopping list to purchase, including books, clothes, stationery, and a new laptop. Also on his to-do list is passing one more exam: not related to A-levels, but his driving test. "I
Our five students tackle their exams
Our BTec student can relax for a bit longer, but for others, it's time to get nervous about the exams
Buried in revision notes and stressed by exams, the five students Education Guardian is following through A-levels and university applications were hard to get hold of. But despite being surrounded by frazzled friends, 17-year-old Danielle Fox, who is midway through a two-year BTec diploma in art and design and a photography A-level course, is feeling relaxed about her own final few weeks at school before summer.
"Exams are already over for me as I had only one eight-hour photography exam for my A-level, because my BTec in art and design doesn't require an exam," explains Danielle, who is a pupil at Plymouth Marine academy. "I'm glad now that I
Education letters
The Guardian University Guide and the value of value-added, early applications, degrees in FE
Valuable guide?Last week saw publication of the Guardian University Guide 2012, which ranks universities for their teaching performance and offers advice to applicants applying for 2012 entry. Cambridge this year overtook Oxford at the top of the table.
I think the value-added data should be removed from the tables. It is the one variable that is easy for a university or department to manipulate, given the weakness of the external examiner system. You are encouraging inflation in degree classification, with those departments who refuse to inflate losing out.
musigny via EducationGuardian.co.uk
• We have been told that 65% of our students must receive 2.1s or above as this affects our position in the league table. Look at the massive increase in the number of firsts awarded over the past few years. Your value-added section does not help. Add to this the fact that students, when paying enormous amounts for a degree, feel "entitled" to at least a 2.1. There is also an issue with students being encouraged to write positive reviews of their university experience or their "degree won't be worth as much". Much of what informs the league table is beyond teaching staff control - expenditure per student, student/staff ratio etc.
artemis24 via EducationGuardian.co.uk
• Anyone thinking of going into media studies should take a gander at the "job after 6 months" column. Do the universities offering these courses make clear that the chances of having a job soon afterwards can be below 30%? Or are they just happy to take the dosh?
Gerbilator via EducationGuardian.co.uk
Early birdsLucy Tobin sought insider tips from admissions tutors on applying to university.
Do apply early. I processed over 1,000 applications for my 65 places this year. It simply isn't possible to process them all together; those that arrive early will be most likely to get an offer, later arrivals may find that the quota is already taken. This is simply an unavoidable fact of life in the contemporary climate.
ratfinkabooboo via EducationGuardian.co.uk
• If a university makes offers to early applicants in preference to better qualified people who apply later (but still before the deadline), it is heading for trouble. We're expected to publish our criteria for selection and then apply them fairly to all applicants. If there are not clear criteria, or the criteria are not being applied to all applicants, both Supporting Professionalism in Admissions (SPA) and Ucas should talk to the institution.
skilltan via EducationGuardian.co.uk
• Skilltan simply isn't living in the same world as I am. What he (she) suggests would mean that I would not yet have made my offers since I'm still receiving applications. Even if we make a cut-off at the closing date, that would mean I could not make any offers until the date had passed. With over 1,000 applications to process this simply isn't feasible once semester two teaching has started.
ratfinkabooboo via EducationGuardian.co.uk
A 'proper' degreeJan Murray asked whether degree students are as well off at further education college as at university.
You don't deal with the fact that universities are institutions of research as well as teaching; they give students the chance to engage with experts in their field, to find out about cutting edge research from the people who are doing it; to enter academia themselves.
Queerling via EducationGuardian.co.uk
• The really sad part is the goverment is pushing higher education in FE as the great new saviour, a cheap option for the working classes to keep them away from "proper university".
Capaddona via EducationGuardian.co.uk
Higher educationUniversity guideAccess to universityStudentsguardian.co.ukLive advice: applying to university
Our experts answer your questions on the university application process
Post your questions and dilemmas now for our panel of experts, who will be online from 3pm to 5pm this Thursday to give you their advice.
Perhaps you are equally passionate about music and physics, and can't decide which way to go? Or overwhelmed by the choice of universities and colleges? Or worried about whether a degree is worth the money?
Following on from publication of the Guardian University Guide 2012 – intended to help those applying for a course starting in 2012 – we have signed up four experts who will be live online on Thursday afternoon to offer sympathy and advice.
Post your questions for them in the comments section now.
Our experts• Glynis Kelly is senior tutor at Cornwall College, where 80% of the students go on to university. She is also the site co-ordinator for Ucas and is used to supporting parents as well as students through the application process.
• Roz Brody, of Brighton and Hove Sixth Form College (BHASVIC), is the senior tutor responsible for providing students with higher education and Oxbridge advice. She also teaches psychology and film studies.
• Kathleen Pope has been a careers adviser for 15 years and has worked for 10 years at Cornwall College. She has been the Ucas co-ordinator for Cornwall College for 5 years, and has successfully helped many students of all ages through the Ucas process.
• Anne Fielding Smith is vice principal at BHASVIC and has overall responsibility for guidance at the college, provide advice and guidance for students who are applying to higher education.
University guideStudentsHigher educationAlice Woolleyguardian.co.ukUniversity guide 2012: download the Guardian tables and see how the rankings have changed
The Guardian University guide and ranking for 2012 is out. See what the data says and how it's changed
• Get the 2011/2012 data
• 2010/2011 tables
• 2009/2010 tables
The latest Guardian University Guide tables show that Cambridge University has taken the top spot, breaking its arch-rival Oxford's six-year stint as the UK's leading institution.
Oxford has come second and St Andrews third, while the London School
of Economics has climbed four places from last year to take fourth place. University College London, Warwick, Lancaster, Durham, Loughborough and Imperial College make up the top 10.
The tables are based on data for full-time undergraduates at UK universities.
Universities with low rankings are almost as likely to be intending to charge maximum tuition fees of £9,000 in 2012 as those with high rankings, our analysis suggests.
London Metropolitan University, which comes bottom of the Guardian tables, intends to charge between £4,500 and £9,000 for its degrees from autumn 2012. Salford, Liverpool John Moores, Manchester Metropolitan and the University of East London – all of which rank in the bottom 20 of the Guardian tables – want to charge £9,000 for at least some of their courses.
From autumn 2012, universities in England will be allowed to charge up to £9,000 a year for undergraduate degrees. The government's access watchdog, the Office for Fair Access, is looking at the fees each university in England wants to charge and will announce in July whether it approves of institutions' plans.
The tables were compiled by independent consultancy firm Intelligent Metrix. It's based originally on information collected by Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and the National Student Survey, published by Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce).
We've also mashed in some data of our own, including the full planned tuition fees, drop-out rates and student numbers.
Here are some of the key numbers:
• 38 of the universities in the top 60 will charge the full £9,000 tuition fee in 2012 - and 18 of those in the bottom 60
• The universities in the top 20 are bigger than those in the bottom 20 - with an average of 8,927 undergraduates, compared to 6,015
• The student staff ratio of the universities in the top 20 is less than that in the bottom 20 - 14.2 students to every tutor, compared to 21.54
You can download the full data below (plus the banding boundaries, for those who want them) - what can you do with it?
Data summaryDownload the data
• DATA: download the full spreadsheet
• Banding boundaries (xls)
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University guide 2012: fees in the UK 2011-12 and 2012-13
University fees according to where you are studying – and where you come from
Latest information on what universities plan to charge in 2012 is on our updating datablog
These are the terms set nationally for fees, loans and grants. Individual institutions also provide bursaries and other support. Remember, full-time students don't have to pay upfront.
Students from England studying in EnglandStudents will pay variable annual tuition fees (up to £3,375 for 2011-12). You can apply for a non-means-tested loan to cover fees, repayable from the April after you graduate if you earn more than £15,000. Those from households with incomes of £50,020 or less can also apply for non-repayable, means-tested maintenance grants. Those with household incomes of up to £57,708 (living away from their parents' home, not studying in London) can apply for repayable means-tested maintenance loans. A basic non-means-tested maintenance loan is available to all eligible students.
Students from England studying in Northern IrelandVariable annual tuition fees (up to £3,375 for 2011-12). Students are entitled to the same level of support – loans for fees and maintenance, and maintenance grants – as those studying in England.
Students from England studying in ScotlandAnnual tuition fees of at least £1,820 for 2011-12 (£2,895 for medicine). Students are entitled to the same level of support – loans for fees and maintenance, and maintenance grants – as those studying in England.
Students from England studying in WalesVariable annual tuition fees (up to £3,375 for 2011-12). Students are entitled to the same level of support – loans for fees and maintenance, and maintenance grants – as those studying in England.
Students from Scotland studying in ScotlandNo tuition fees. Means-tested maintenance loans, payable from the April after you graduate if you earn more than £15,000 a year. Those from low-income households can apply for non-repayable bursaries. Help may be available for travel expenses.
Students from Scotland studying in EnglandVariable annual tuition fees (up to £3,375 for 2011-12). Non-means-tested loans to cover fees, payable from the April after you graduate if you are earning more than £15,000 a year. Repayable, means-tested maintenance loans. You can also apply for a Students Outside Scotland bursary, which will reduce your loan entitlement. You may be eligible for an additional loan, dependent on household income. Help may be available for travel expenses.
Students from Scotland studying in Northern IrelandVariable annual tuition fees (up to £3,375 for 2011-12). Students are entitled to same level of support – loans for fees and maintenance, and maintenance grants – as those from Scotland studying in England.
Students from Scotland studying in WalesVariable annual tuition fees (up to £3,375 for 2011-12). Students are entitled to the same level of support – loans for fees and maintenance, and maintenance grants – as those from Scotland studying in England.
Students from Northern Ireland studying in Northern IrelandVariable annual tuition fees (up to £3,375 for 2011-12). Non-means-tested loans to cover fees, payable from the April after you graduate if you earn more than £15,000. Those from households with incomes of £41,065 or less can also apply for non-repayable, means-tested maintenance grants. Those with household incomes of £53,035 (living away from their parents' home) can apply for repayable, means-tested maintenance loans. A non-means-tested maintenance loan is available to all eligible students.
Students from Northern Ireland studying in EnglandVariable annual tuition fees (up to £3,375 for 2011-12). Students are entitled to the same level of support – loans for fees and maintenance, and maintenance grants – as those studying in Northern Ireland.
Students from Northern Ireland studying in ScotlandAnnual tuition fees of at least £1,820 for 2011-12 (£2,895 for medicine). Students are entitled to same level of support – loans for fees and maintenance, and maintenance grants – as those studying in Northern Ireland.
Students from Northern Ireland studying in WalesVariable annual tuition fees (up to £3,375 for 2011-12). Students are entitled to same level of support – loans for fees and maintenance, and maintenance grants – as those studying in Northern Ireland.
Students from Wales studying in WalesVariable annual tuition fees (up to £3,375 for 2011-12). Non-means-tested loans to cover fees, payable from the April after you graduate if you earn more than £15,000 a year. Means-tested maintenance loans and Assembly Learning grants for those from households earning up to £50,020. Those with household incomes of £53,035 (living away from their parents' home) can apply for repayable, means-tested maintenance loans. A non-means-tested maintenance loan is available to all eligible students.
Students from Wales studying in EnglandVariable annual tuition fees (up to £3,375 for 2011-12). Non-means-tested loans to cover fees, payable from the April after you graduate if you are earning more than £15,000 a year. Means-tested maintenance loans. Assembly Learning grants dependent on household income.
Students from Wales studying in Northern IrelandVariable annual tuition fees (up to £3,375 for 2011-12). Students are entitled to same level of support – loans for fees and maintenance, and maintenance grants – as those from Wales studying in England.
Students from Wales studying in ScotlandAnnual tuition fees of at least £1,820 for 2011-12 (£2,895 for medicine). Students are entitled to same level of support – loans for fees and maintenance, and maintenance grants – as those from Wales studying in England.
For more information on financial support available for students starting university in September 2011, visit www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance.
September 2012 entryEnglandTuition fees will increase to up to £9,000 a year. Students can apply for a non-means-tested loan to cover fees, repayable from the April after you graduate if you are earning more than £21,000 (this is subject to parliamentary approval). Those with household incomes below £42,600 can also apply for non-repayable, means-tested maintenance grants and repayable means-tested maintenance loans. Details of a new £150m national scholarship programme to help students from lower-income families will be available on Ucas and university and college websites from summer 2011.
Northern IrelandThe Northern Ireland executive is holding a public consultation on higher education tuition fees and student finance arrangements. The consultation ends on 10 June 2011. Visit the Northern Ireland executive website for further information as it becomes available.
ScotlandThe Scottish government has yet to agree the tuition fee and student finance programme for 2012, although it is likely that Scottish students studying in Scotland will continue to pay no tuition fees. Check the Scottish government and Student Awards Agency for Scotland websites for more information as it becomes available.
WalesTuition fees will rise to up to £9,000 a year. Welsh-domiciled students will not have to pay extra fees as the cost will be met by the Welsh assembly government. So a student who was born and lives in Wales, and starts university anywhere in the UK in 2012, will only pay £3,290 a year in fees (plus any inflationary uplift in fee levels) – the same as for 2010-11. Students can apply for a non-means-tested loan to cover fees, repayable from the April after you graduate if you are earning more than £21,000.
University guideTuition feesHigher educationStudentsguardian.co.ukUniversity guide 2012: University of London
Our at-a-glance guide to the University of London
The University of London is a federation made up of 19 self-governing colleges and the institutes of the School of Advanced Study. The colleges are Birkbeck, the Central School of Speech and Drama, Courtauld Institute of Art, Goldsmiths, Heythrop College, the Institute of Cancer Research, the Institute of Education, King's College London, London Business School, London School of Economics and Political Science, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Queen Mary, Royal Academy of Music, Royal Holloway, the Royal Veterinary College, St George's, the School of Oriental and African Studies, the School of Pharmacy and University College London. There are more than 120,000 students in total, plus another 45,000 on distance learning courses. We're talking big.
Fees
Each college sets its own fees.
Bursaries
Contact the college you are applying to for information on all forms of financial assistance.
Accommodation
Most of the colleges have their own halls of residence but the University of London also has eight intercollegiate halls to which full-time students at the colleges and institutes can apply. For information on housing in the private sector, contact University of London housing services on 020-7862 8880, at housing@lon.ac.uk or visit housing.london.ac.uk.
Facilities
The University of London Research Library Services are open to all staff and students, and comprise Senate House Library and the libraries of the institutes of the School of Advanced Study. Senate House Library is one of the largest humanities and social science libraries in the UK and boasts several specialised research collections of national importance. All University of London students can join the University of London Union, which represents and campaigns on their behalf. London Student, the largest student newspaper in Europe, is written and produced at ULU by students.
Contact
Tel: 020-7862 8360/1/2
Email: enquiries@london.ac.uk
Web: london.ac.uk/students
Accommodation: housing@lon.ac.uk
What do you think of the Guardian University Guide?
Tell us if you think the league table is a fair reflection of the achievements of UK universities
This is a forum for discussion about the Guardian University Guide 2012. Let us know what you think about the university rankings and the way the tables have been compiled.
Explanations of the methodology used to build the tables are available at two levels: normal and super-geeky. If you want the raw data to crunch on, we can help with that too.
If you're a sixth-former and you're finding it all a bit bewildering, tell us and we'll do our best to steer you in the right direction. There's lots of advice on how to apply for university and what admissions tutors like to see in personal statements.
If you're an academic and you find the entire exercise infuriating, this is probably the right place for you to let rip.
And if you just want to congratulate Cambridge… we'll be amazed.
University guideStudentsHigher educationJudy Friedbergguardian.co.ukUniversity guide 2012: the timetable
What happens next? Here's our guide
Mid-September 2011 – Ucas opens for 2012 entry.
15 October – Deadline for submitting an application to Oxford and Cambridge, and for dentistry, medicine, veterinary medicine and veterinary science courses.
December 2011/January 2012 – Interviews for Oxford and Cambridge and some courses at other universities.
15 January 2012- Deadline for all other courses, except some art and design courses (see below). If you do apply after the 15 January deadline, the individual institution can decide whether it wants to accept your application.
22 February to 4 July – If you have not received any offers or have declined all offers, you can apply for other courses, only one at any single time, through Ucas Extra.
24 March – Deadline for some art and design courses.
31 March – universities and colleges aim to send out final decisions for applications received by 15 January.
16 August – A-level and AS-level results. Firm offers accepted. Clearing opens.
September/October 2012 - University terms start.
University guideHigher educationLucy Tobinguardian.co.uk