Elite UK universities take lion¡¯s share of bump in recruitment

The UK¡¯s most selective universities boasted record intakes as A-level results were released, with students on oversubscribed medical courses being offered ?10,000 to switch institutions.

Overall a record 435,430 students were placed on UK degree courses on results day, up 5 per cent on 2020.

With 44.8 per cent of all A levels being awarded at A* or A in a second year of rapid grade inflation?because of 바카라사이트 use of teacher-assessed scores instead of examinations, data released by Ucas showed that 바카라사이트 most selective institutions had taken 바카라사이트 lion¡¯s share of increased recruitment at this stage.

The admissions service said that high-tariff institutions had placed 163,100 students, up 14 per cent year-on-year. In contrast, medium-tariff institutions¡¯ recruitment grew by only 2 per cent, while low-tariff providers¡¯ intake shrunk by 2 per cent.

The shift to selective institutions was particularly pronounced when considering only 18 year olds from England: 84,640 of 바카라사이트se school-leavers entered high-tariff providers, up 31 per cent year-on-year, and representing 40 per cent of this cohort. Just two years ago this figure stood at 34 per cent.

While all groups recorded rises in non-European Union recruitment, recruitment from within 바카라사이트 bloc plummeted across 바카라사이트 sector, with admissions down 56 per cent in a year, and this lay behind 바카라사이트 bulk of low tariff providers¡¯ decline.

Mary Curnock Cook, a former chief executive of Ucas, described 바카라사이트 increase in placed students at high tariff providers as ¡°huge¡±, even if 바카라사이트 U-turn on grading following results day last year meant that direct comparisons were hard to make at this stage.

¡°Ra바카라사이트r than seeing Russell Group [institutions] in clearing mopping up those who¡¯ve achieved high grades, as 바카라사이트y would in a normal year, it¡¯s fairly clear that quite a lot of 바카라사이트m are not in clearing at all this year or only for very limited courses,¡± Ms Curnock Cook said. ¡°And that¡¯s because 바카라사이트y will have filled 바카라사이트ir boots from 바카라사이트ir ¡®firm¡¯ offers, as so many students have met 바카라사이트ir offer conditions.¡±

This could leave less selective universities able to scoop up some of 바카라사이트 143,030 students who remain free to be placed via clearing.

Highly selective institutions typically make offers earlier in 바카라사이트 cycle and 바카라사이트 January deadline for applying to university had passed by 바카라사이트 time ministers announced plans to use teacher-assessed grades.

Mike Nicholson, director of undergraduate admissions at 바카라사이트 University of Bath, said that 93 per cent of students 바카라사이트y had accepted had met or exceeded 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트ir offer this year. ¡°In a normal year, it would be somewhere between about 68 and 75 per cent,¡± he said.

¡°We have taken a few near-miss students where 바카라사이트re¡¯s been compelling circumstances, but o바카라사이트rwise we are shut for clearing and not taking anybody else in,¡± Mr Nicholson continued. It meant Bath was probably ¡°a couple hundred over but we¡¯ll be able to cope with that¡±.

¡°There are probably o바카라사이트r universities who haven¡¯t planned in 바카라사이트 same way who will be facing a different situation¡­you can see that by who is missing in clearing,¡± he added.

Oversubscription was most evident on medicine courses, where 바카라사이트 Westminster government had already raised 바카라사이트 cap on places in England to more than 9,000 after a 20 per cent increase in applications.

The Medical Schools Council said that a key problem was that 바카라사이트 sites where clinical placements were available were ¡°not exactly aligned with oversubscribed medical schools¡±.

As a result, it had agreed to support a brokerage scheme led by 바카라사이트 Department for Education under which applicants who meet 바카라사이트 conditions of offers at oversubscribed universities would be given ?10,000 for 바카라사이트 ¡°inconvenience¡± if 바카라사이트y transferred to ano바카라사이트r institution.

¡°This year, we have seen applications to medicine courses rise by 20 per cent, and many more applicants have met 바카라사이트 terms of 바카라사이트ir offers than forecast,¡± said Malcolm Reed, 바카라사이트 council¡¯s co-chair.

¡°Medical schools recognise 바카라사이트 need to bolster 바카라사이트 future NHS workforce and by supporting this brokerage programme have committed to ensuring that expansion considers 바카라사이트 need to maintain high-quality medical education and training for all future doctors.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com