The number of UK-based students in clearing who are trying to find higher education courses a day after exam results were released has fallen to its lowest level for three years – though plenty of places are still available, figures show.
By Friday morning, 46,880 UK-domiciled 18-year-old applicants were recorded as being “free to be placed in clearing”, according to the admissions service Ucas.
This means they missed the conditions of their higher education offer and are now eligible to find places through clearing.
The number is down 13% from 53,700 at the same point last year, and is also 12% lower than the 53,510 at this stage in 2022.
But it is higher than the pandemic-hit years of 2020 (38,620) and 2021 (39,230), and slightly above the 42,170 in the pre-pandemic year of 2019.
A total of 388,630 UK-based applicants have now been accepted on courses, up slightly on 381,030 at this point in 2023, according to Ucas data.
Of the 388,630, 161,290 (41.5%) identify as male, 219,490 (56.5%) identify as female and 4,300 (1.1%) use another term.
Details for the remaining 0.9% were either undisclosed, unknown or the applicant preferred not to say.
Students applying to start courses in 2024 were the first to be able to select a non-binary option on their Ucas application form.
The figures also show that 51,850 international students have now been accepted on courses, down very slightly on 52,120 at this point last year.
Of the 51,850, 23,420 (45.2%) identified as male, 27,970 (53.9%) as female, 220 (0.4%) said they used another term, while the remainder were unknown, undisclosed or preferred not to say.
The top three countries with placed applicants so far are China (11,150, down from 11,900 at this stage in 2023); India (4,680, down from 4,790); and Hong Kong (2,940, down from 3,080).
