Willetts apologises to A-level students over shortage of university places

Universities Minister David Willetts today told students who may find themselves turned away from university: "I am sorry," as the publication of this year's A-level results sparked a scramble for places.

Students who failed to meet the grades required for their first choice of university, and their insurance offer, as well as those who declined all their offers or did not receive any, will be entered into clearing. This is the annual process that matches students without a place to courses with spaces.

But with universities facing multi million-pound cuts and applications rising year-on-year, competition for places is fiercer than ever and the clearing process is expected to be short.

Many of the UK's top universities do not enter clearing, while others say the number of places they usually have available has been dramatically cut.

University admissions service Ucas said 181,182 students were eligible for clearing this year, but the number of courses showing vacancies is dramatically lower than 2009 figures.

Last year 32,000 courses were offering vacancies in the clearing process, compared to 18,484 this year.

It has been predicted that between 170,000 and 200,000 applicants, including sixth-formers and older learners, could miss out this autumn.

Speaking at the headquarters of Ucas in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, Mr Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, said: "There are more places at university than ever before, and in fact, at this moment, more prospective students have now got a definite firm place at university than at this point last year.

"But sadly there will be people who have applied to university and don't get a place.

"It has always been a competitive process but for them we've got the widest possible range of alternative options, including, of course, studying at Open University, studying at an FE college, going into work with an apprenticeship. All those options are available as well.

"I think it is great that young people aim high, but it is competitive and sadly not every person who applies will get a place."

Asked what he would say to students left without a place at university at the end of the clearing process, he said: "I would say to them, we have done our best, there are more university places than ever before. I am sorry that they haven't got a place.

"And now, they have got a big decision to take. They can think about how they can strengthen their CV and reapply next year with something that might improve their chances.

"Alternatively they can look at options for FE colleges, going into work, going into apprenticeships. We are not writing them off, far from it, we are committed to offering them the best possible range of alternative opportunities."

He added: "There is more to education and careers and training than going away from home for three years to university at the age of 18."

Ucas said 54% of the 673,438 people who applied to start undergraduate university courses this autumn have been accepted so far.

Chief executive Mary Curnock Cook said that figure was expected to rise to between 65-70% once the clearing process has completed, compared with an acceptance rate of 75.3% last year.

Asked how many students were likely to be left without a place at university, she said: "It is always difficult to predict because it's not just the numbers of applicants and the number of places, it's also how those places are distributed around the system.

"Within a week or so we will have a pretty good idea of how many it is.

"It will be a high number but it always is a lot of people who don't get into university every year.

"The acceptance rate will end up somewhere between 65% and 70% being accepted, which is a very high rate. If you go back to the early 1990s that acceptance rate would have been more like 50% so people still have a very high chance of getting a place in higher education if they've got the right qualifications."

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, said: "Due to the increased pressure on places this year, competition is likely to be quite intense for the remaining courses. But we would urge applicants not to panic and to seek advice from Ucas and universities.

"Although we know that clearing will be more competitive than ever this year, we do know from Ucas that there were at least 18,000 courses, with numerous places available, in clearing this year. If applicants can be flexible, there is still a chance to gain a university place this year."