A level results day: UK students see rise in confirmed university places this year with more accepted onto first choice course

Students at Sunderland College's Bede Campus celebrate their A level results.

More students have been accepted onto UK degree courses this year, Ucas figures show as A level students across the country find out their results.

In total, 358,860 people from across the UK have had places confirmed, up 2.9% on the same point last year, according to data published by the university admissions service.

The figures show that 34,310 international students from outside the European Union have been accepted (up 2%). Following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on January 31 2020 acceptances from students within the EU have fallen by 15.2%, to 22,430.

A total of 415,600 students have a confirmed place on an undergraduate course in the UK. This is a 1.6% increase on results day last year.

The figures come on Thursday, August 13 – the day that students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving their A-level results.

Students have received a calculated grade for each subject after the Covid-19 outbreak led to exam cancellations.

Follow our A level results live blog for updates throughout the day

Ucas figures also show that 316,730 of applicants from the UK have been accepted on to their first choice of course – up 2.7% on the same point in 2019.

The number of UK 18-year-olds taking up places has risen to 30.2%. This comes despite a 1.5% drop in the population of this age group in the UK.

So far, 4% of placed UK students are currently planning to defer starting their course, which is the same proportion as at this point last year.

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