By Vipul Jain
Students receiving an A-level result will find it easier to get into their first-choice university acceptance compared to the last two years as predicted by the experts. Students can also look for the top 10 most affordable universities in UK if not placed in a first-choice university.
Although, a huge number of students especially 18-year-olds compete for their places, however, as per the experts, the accommodation and lecture theatres are filled with more UK students due to reasons like that there is concern about the declining number of high-paying international students.
The graduating students this year, who have completed the GCSE and A-level exams first in five years without any pandemic disruptions, will get to see a much more stable process for university admissions.
Due to the inflated A-level grades in 2020, the institutions had to accept a much greater number of students than expected but the same universities are now approaching students with less hesitation. This change in approach and proposal is due to the progress of additional students through the normalizing of grades and the system as well. There are many things students can do along with studying abroad such as part-time jobs for students in London UK that they can do.
| The Acceptance Rate for Universities | Value | Additional Information |
| Offer rates at most selective high-tariff universities (2022) | 61% | Rebounded to 69% in 2023 |
| Offer rates at most selective high-tariff universities (2023) | 69% | An increase from the previous year |
| Acceptance rate for first-choice universities among 18-year-olds in England (2022) | 57% | Lowest rate compared to previous years |
| Acceptance rate for first-choice universities among 18-year-olds in England (2021) | 68% | Higher due to pandemic-inflated grades |
| Decrease in international student visa applications | 15% | Attributed to policy changes by the conservative government |
| Russell Group universities with courses available to clear | 75% | High demand for international spots |
| Number of years without pandemic disruptions in GCSE and A-level exams | 5 years | The first year of normal examination processes after pandemic disruptions |
| Percentage of Nigerian students choosing to study in the UK | Not specified | Mentioned as a significant contributing factor to international students |
The admissions cycle for the 18-year-olds holding offers will be much more favorable than any of the years 2022 and 2023 as indicated by the former director of admissions service UCAS who also runs DataHe, a consultancy advising universities on admissions, Mark Corver.
The lower and medium tariff universities have experienced their highest offer rate for young people in the UK this year as per Corver’s analysis of UCAS data. The offer rates at the most selective high-tariff universities rebounded from 61% in 2022 to 69%.
Corver’s statement about the declining acceptance rate for first-choice universities among 18-year-olds in England is also important to take note of. The chance for students to secure a first-choice spot in the university last year was at its lowest, as only 57% of 18-year-olds got their first choice in England, according to Corver. This percentage is quite low and decreasing as per the 68% acceptance rate in 2021, which was attributed to high grades during the pandemic. Due to the pandemic, the best places in UK for holiday also showed a significant decrease in visitors.
It resulted in an argument that the number of 18-year-olds could have decreased this year who are applying for universities in England. This is because many students might have heard about the dissatisfying university placements from others.
Corver also talked about the traumatic experience a student faces for not getting into the first-choice university with such a young and limited experience.
More UK students might get university acceptances as it can become a priority for postgraduate courses there’s a decline in the number of international students, as mentioned by Corver. This can be concerning for the Russell Group as they rely majorly on international students for their incomes. This fluctuation in number of international students has left the universities quite unsettled.
There’s a 15% decrease in the number of international students who were applying for UK visas. This is due to the changes in the policy implemented by the conservative government related to family member scholarships entering the country.
Thousands of Nigerians have chosen to pursue their education in the UK, to help contribute to the international student community in the country in recent years. However, this decision to study abroad may have been influenced by several factors like the Nigerian currency crisis and also students have to pay council tax.
The A-level results of sixth formers have been reviewed by the universities discreetly since Friday evening but students still haven’t received their results till Thursday. This is because the applications of candidates who missed their grades are to be checked carefully says the admissions specialists.
The director of the Higher Education Policy Institute think tank, Nick Hillman, stated that if a student missed a grade, the student still might find a place offered by the university when logged in to UCAS. If this doesn’t apply then the student should enquire on the phone. Due to the family member visa restrictions, the universities knew they’d lose up potential lucrative international students and were prepared for it, said Hillman. Due to this, lecture theatres, accommodations, and teaching capacity have unexpected spaces that can be filled by British students.
The reason why 75% of Russell Group universities have already some courses available to clear is due to the high demand for international spots at the most competitive universities such as Oxford and Cambridge, as mentioned by Hillman.
There’s no need for universities to compensate by reducing the number of first-year recruits as the impact of the pandemic bulge on the system has now diminished, he mentioned.
The director of recruitment and admissions at Cambridge University, Mike Nicholson mentioned that the students or school leavers who didn’t want to apply at all before knowing their results might enter the clearing process. The list of top 10 universities in UK can be searched by the students getting affected by nor getting first-choice universities.
When the result is uncertain, the students are not quite sure about leaving home and hesitate more to make any decisions due to the pandemic effect, he mentioned.
The director of recruitment and admissions at Cambridge University, Mike Nicholson mentioned that the university has no courses available for the clearing process as according to him all the places will be filled without any issues. However, he also predicted that most of the universities will go with “near miss” students with existing offers instead of going with the uncertainty of taking new admissions at the last minute.
He also mentioned that only if a few places are available then it might be preferable to accept those students who just missed their grades but are also enthusiastic and excited about being a part of the university.
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