A level results day: UK students see rise in confirmed university places this year with more accepted onto first choice course

More students have been accepted onto UK degree courses this year, Ucas figures show as A level students across the country find out their results.
Students at Sunderland College's Bede Campus celebrate their A level results.Students at Sunderland College's Bede Campus celebrate their A level results.
Students at Sunderland College's Bede Campus celebrate their A level results.

In total, 358,860 people from across the UK have had places confirmed, up 2.9% on the same point last year, according to data published by the university admissions service.

The figures show that 34,310 international students from outside the European Union have been accepted (up 2%). Following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on January 31 2020 acceptances from students within the EU have fallen by 15.2%, to 22,430.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A total of 415,600 students have a confirmed place on an undergraduate course in the UK. This is a 1.6% increase on results day last year.

The figures come on Thursday, August 13 – the day that students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving their A-level results.

Students have received a calculated grade for each subject after the Covid-19 outbreak led to exam cancellations.

Ucas figures also show that 316,730 of applicants from the UK have been accepted on to their first choice of course – up 2.7% on the same point in 2019.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The number of UK 18-year-olds taking up places has risen to 30.2%. This comes despite a 1.5% drop in the population of this age group in the UK.

So far, 4% of placed UK students are currently planning to defer starting their course, which is the same proportion as at this point last year.

A message from the editor:

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

You can subscribe to this website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Simply click ‘Subscribe’ in the menu. You can subscribe to the newspaper with 20% off here. Thank you.