Universities are snapping up students for tens of thousands of degree places in a buyers' market for applicants, the latest Ucas data shows. A day after teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland got their A-level results, 430,060 applicants from the UK and overseas have accepted degree places, slightly down on last year.
Clearing has been busy with 15,160 finding places after their results. Courses available even include medicine at St George's, University of London.
The number of applicants placed is down 2% on the same time last year, but overall there has been a steady rise in the numbers going to university over the past 10 years - from 375,320 in 2009.
The figures include students whose places were confirmed before Thursday, including Scottish teenagers who take qualifications other than A-levels.
This year's application process has been affected by demographic changes, including a fall in the number of 18-year-olds, which has led to fewer university applications overall.
Overall, Clearing secured 2.4% more places than in 2017, with more students choosing to delay their applications until after their results.
- 4,210 found their places, after applying directly to Clearing - 16% up on last year and more than twice as many as 10 years ago
- 10,950 applicants who went through the main application scheme have places through clearing, down slightly on 11,180 last year.
But a decline in the number of 18-year-olds has meant fewer applicants than in previous years are now listed as free to be placed in Clearing - down from a peak of 186,270 in 2011 and 4% lower than last year's figure of 134,840.
