Clearing acceptances increase - Clearing update day 13

30 August 2006

Latest UCAS figures show that 344,964 representing 70.8% of the total applicants have had their places successfully confirmed at university or college in comparison with 358,315 (71.2%) at the same point last year and 331,027 (71.0%) in 2004.

These statistics mark a 3.7% decrease in the number of accepted applicants on 2005 but a 4.2% increase on 2004. The overall trend over the three year period continues to be an upward one when accounting for the spike in applications received in 2005.

The proportion of applicants whose initial outcome is known at this point stands at 94.0%. On the same day of Clearing in 2005 this figure was 94.1% and in 2004 93.9%. The proportion of these applicants who have an unconditional firm offer, excluding those accepted through Clearing, is 71.7%. This compares with 72.4% in 2005 and 2004.

The proportion of applicants accepted through Clearing so far this year is 3.3% or 16,289 acceptances. At this point in 2005, 15,503 applicants had been accepted through Clearing or 3.1%.

At present 104,933 applicants are eligible for Clearing, compared to 110,042 in 2005 and 100,045 in 2004. Previous experience suggests that perhaps 50% of these applicants are active in Clearing. There are approximately 35,000 courses with vacancies in Clearing.

Acceptances to degree courses are down 3.7% on 2005 from 340,865 to 328,278. However, comparing 2006 to 2004 shows a 4.4% increase from 314,574. Foundation degrees continue to show an increase in acceptances, up 17.2% to 10,395.

Acceptances from other EU countries (excluding the UK and Ireland) are up by 10.0% from 12,147 to 13,357 and from countries outside of the EU by 0.2% from 23,141 to 23,189. China continues to be the country with the most accepted applicants at 3,315, down 4.3% from 3,464. The number of accepted applicants from Hong Kong shows an increase of 14.3% from 1,845 to 2,108 and the United States an increase of 21.1% from 877 to 1,062.

Acceptances of Welsh students by Welsh institutions are up by 7.5% from 9,013 to 9,687. Acceptances of applicants living in England by Scottish institutions are down by 14.7% from 4,194 to 3,577 and acceptances of Scottish students by English institutions are down 7.4% from 1,719 to 1,519.

 

2006

2005

2004

Applicants accepted (1)

      

- having unconditional or confirmed conditional offers

328,675

342,812

316,773

- having found a place in Clearing

16,289

15,503

14,254

Total number of accepted applicants

344,964

358,315

331,027

Applicants with outcome pending
- decision from institution or applicant reply

29,353

29,931

28,512

Applicants eligible for clearing (2)
- no offers, conditions not met, applied very late

104,933

110,042

100,405

Applicants withdrawn from scheme (3)

8,218

5,223

6,278
Total number of applicants

487,468

503,511

466,222

Days from publication of GCE results

13

13

13

Comparison date (4)

30/8/06

31/8/05

1/9/04

Number of institutions within UCAS membership that have received applications

327

325

323

Notes

  1. Includes those deferring entry to the following year. (Applicants are counted in the year in which they apply, not the year in which they intend to begin their course.)

  2. Eligible applicants are sent details of Clearing, but as they do not have to register with UCAS to take part, the number active is not known.

  3. Includes those withdrawn after accepting an offer.

  4. Comparisons with previous years are made relative to the publication of Advanced level results ( 17 August 2006, 18 August 2005 and 19 August 2004). For example, figures for Thursday, 31 August 2006, fourteen days after this year's publication date, will be compared with those for Thursday 01 September 2005 and Thursday, 02 September 2004.

Acceptances from applicants by age group and gender

Year

Men

Women

Total
Under 21 years

2006

128,148

152,486

280,634

2005

133,378

156,800

290,178

% change

-3.9%

-2.8%

-3.3%

21 to 24 years

2006

16,836

16,977

33,813

2005

17,972

17,647

35,619

% change

-6.3%

-3.8%

-5.1%

25 years and over

2006

12,021

18,496

30,517

2005

13,016

19,502

32,518

% change

-7.6%

-5.2%

-6.2%

Total

2006

157,005

187,959

344,964

2005

164,366

193,949

358,315

% change

-4.5%

-3.1%

-3.7%

 

Acceptances by age and UK country

 

Home country of applicant

England

Wales

Scotland

Northern Ireland

Total

Under 21 years

2006

212,252

12,278

19,424

10,654

254,608

2005

222,644

12,445

19,844

11,353

266,286

% change

-4.7%

-1.3%

-2.1%

-6.2%

-4.4%

21 to 24 years

2006

20,245

1,167

2,358

1,028

24,798

2005

21,191

1,211

2,305

1,084

25,791

% change

-4.5%

-3.6%

+2.3%

-5.2%

-3.9%

25 years and over

2006

21,627

1,430

2,602

710

26,369

2005

22,724

1,482

2,817

802

27,825

% change

-4.8%

-3.5%

-7.6%

-11.5%

-5.2%

Total

2006

254,124

14,875

24,384

12,392

305,775

2005

266,559

15,138

24,966

13,239

319,902

% change

-4.7%

-1.7%

-2.3%

-6.4%

-4.4%

 

Acceptances by area of domicile and country of accepting institution

Area of Permanent Residence

Country of institution

England

Wales

Scotland

Northern Ireland

Total

England

2006

242,588

7,840

3,577

119

254,124

2005

253,256

8,996

4,194

113

266,559

% change

-4.2%

-12.9%

-14.7%

+5.3%

-4.7%

Wales

2006

5,087

9,687

97

4

14,875

2005

5,988

9,013

129

8

15,138

% change

-15.0%

+7.5%

-24.8%

-50.0%

-1.7%

Scotland

2006

1,591

53

22,728

12

24,384

2005

1,719

55

23,175

17

24,966

% change

-7.4%

-3.6%

-1.9%

-29.4%

-2.3%

Northern Ireland

2006

3,290

111

1,217

7,774

12,392

2005

2,897

108

1,225

9,009

13,239

% change

+13.6%

+2.8%

-0.7%

-13.7%

-6.4%

Rep. of Ireland

2006

1,232

220

743

448

2,643

2005

1,272

261

791

801

3,125

% change

-3.1%

-15.7%

-6.1%

-44.1%

-15.4%

Other EU

2006

10,923

407

2,010

17

13,357

2005

10,312

308

1,509

18

12,147

% change

+5.9%

+32.1%

+33.2%

-5.6%

+10.0%

Other overseas

2006

20,198

648

2,300

43

23,189

2005

20,566

741

1,779

55

23,141

% change

-1.8%

-12.6%

+29.3%

-21.8%

+0.2%

Total

2006

284,909

18,966

32,672

8,417

344,964

2005

296,010

19,482

32,802

10,021

358,315

% change

-3.8%

-2.6%

-0.4%

-16.0%

-3.7%

 

Acceptances by overseas country (> 600 Acceptances only)

Country

2006

2005

Percent change

China

3,315

3,464

-4.3%

Ireland

2,643

3,125

-15.4%

Hong Kong

2,108

1,845

+14.3%

France

1,925

1,908

+0.9%

Nigeria

1,915

2,882

-33.6%

Germany

1,801

1,810

-0.5%

Cyprus

1,745

1,518

+15.0%

Malaysia

1,505

1,666

-9.7%

Poland

1,357

827

+64.1%

India

1,228

1,112

+10.4%

Greece

1,214

1,153

+5.3%

Pakistan

1,147

1,214

-5.5%

United States of America

1,062

877

+21.1%

Singapore

723

592

+22.1%

Sweden

652

688

-5.2%

All overseas

39,189

38,413

+2.0%

 

Applicants who had an Area of Permanent Residence within a 'new' EU accession member country by country of residence

Country

2006

2005

Percent change

Cyprus

1,745

1,518

+15.0%

Poland

1,357

827

+64.1%

Lithuania

421

248

+69.8%

Latvia

261

148

+76.4%

Czech Republic

188

188

0.0%

Slovakia

157

137

+14.6%

Hungary

151

133

+13.5%

Estonia

120

112

+7.1%

Malta

74

43

+72.1%

Slovenia

20

27

-25.9%

Total

4,494

3,381

+32.9%

Acceptances by subject (all subjects)

Press contacts:

Byron Price, Communications Executive
Tel: 01242 544987
Email: b.price@ucas.ac.uk
Mobile:07768 740 461

Notes to editors:

  • 299 out of 325 member institutions (34,969 courses) are still advertising vacancies on the UCAS website.

  • Applicants seeking advice on Clearing should contact the UCAS Customer Services Unit on 0870 1122211 open Monday to Friday 08.30 to 18.00 or go to www.ucas.com

  • UCAS is the organisation responsible for managing applications to UK higher education courses.

  • Daily statistics will be available on the UCAS website.

  • Track is an online service used to track the progress of an application and reply to offers. The service is updated continuously and is the most efficient way to keep track of an application, especially during Confirmation and Clearing. Applicants can also use it to find out their Clearing number.

  • UCAS Clearing vacancy service - all courses with vacancies are listed on the UCAS website from Thursday 17 August, until Wednesday 20 September. Applicants can search for courses by subject; by university or college; or by region. The list will be updated continuously. During Clearing 2005 ucas.com course vacancy searches totalled 1,495,434.

  • A UCAS spokesperson is available for interview.

  • Further information on the application process, Clearing and Clearing statistics are on the UCAS website.

  • Clearing helps people find vacancies on full-time undergraduate courses at UK universities and colleges after the main UCAS application period has finished. Last year 37,197 people found places through Clearing. The percentage of applicants accepted in Clearing (as a percentage of the total accepted applicants) was 7.4%.

  • As at 30 June 2006, 469,731 people have applied to UK universities and colleges. Applications received after this date are entered directly into Clearing.