Universities UK response to #Resultsday2018

In total, more than 635,000 people have applied to University so far this year. Based on previous years, UCAS expects around three quarters of those to be accepted to their first choice. Applicants can sign in to Track on ucas.com from 08:00 on 16 August, to see if they’ve been accepted. For more information about results day and how students will have their university confirmed, see the UCAS release.

A recently published report from Universities UK revealed that the growth in student numbers has not led to university entrants having lower qualifications. The analysis shows that, last year, the average student had 340 UCAS tariff points on entry (around BBB at A-level, plus C at AS level), compared to 313 tariff points in 2011 (between BBC and BCC at A-level, plus C at AS level). The analysis, ‘Growth and choice in university admissions’, showed also that vocational qualifications, such as BTECs, are widely recognised in university admissions.

The 2018 annual survey from the Institute of Student Employers revealed that the graduate jobs market is expected to grow this year, with an estimated 11 per cent rise in vacancies.

The latest Graduate Labour Market Statistics show that, in 2017, English-domiciled graduates and postgraduates had higher employment rates than non-graduates and the average, working age graduate earned £10,000 per year more than the average non-graduate.

Regarding A-level results and students finding out whether their university applications have been successful, Alistair Jarvis, Chief Executive of Universities UK, said: 

“There remains strong demand for university places, with the proportion of 18-year-olds in England applying at record levels. The majority of applicants will get the grades required and will secure their place at university. For those who do not get the results they had hoped, there are many options available to them through clearing. Last year, a record 66,865 applicants used clearing to find the right course for them.

“A university education is an excellent investment which can have a transformational impact through the skills and experiences graduates acquire. The UK has one of the best and most diverse university sectors in the world.

“Most university graduates continue to earn substantially more than non-graduates, earning on average an extra £10,000 each year, and are more likely to be in employment. University graduates are also in increasing demand from employers, with the graduate jobs market expected to grow this year with an estimated 11 per cent rise in vacancies.

“It’s important that we move away from the out-dated split between academic versus vocational courses. Around 40 per cent of courses currently offered by universities have a technical, professional or vocational focus. Universities are also playing a lead role in apprenticeships, with degree apprenticeships allowing students to split their time between university study and the workplace.”