Closing summary
We are now closing the live blog.
Whatever the grades, well done to everyone who received their results today. Best of luck to those hoping to secure a university place through clearing.
For those considering university next year, we will be publishing the Guardian’s University Guide 2027 in early September with our rankings of the top universities and lots of useful advice on choosing the right course and institution for you. You can read last year’s guide here.
Here is a summary of today’s events:
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Sixth-formers have basked in a summer of record-breaking exam results in academic and vocational subjects, allowing more than a quarter of a million 18-year-olds to go on to higher education. The proportion of students in England gaining the highest grade of A* in A-level subjects rose to 9.7%, up from 9.4% last year, setting a new record outside the pandemic era, when exams were scrapped.
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Northern Ireland was the best-performing country, with 30.7% of grades being As and A*s, followed by 29.6% in Wales and 28.7% in England. The A-level results followed last week’s improved results in Scotland, where the proportion of students awarded Highers and Advanced Highers qualifications rose above 2019 pre-pandemic levels, and a record 18,000 Scottish school-leavers gained higher education places.
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Boys have outperformed girls in terms of top grades again, after doing so for the first time in seven years last year. Overall, 28.9% of boys’ A-level entries scored an A* or A this summer, compared to 28.0% of their female classmates’ entries – a gap of 0.9 percentage points.
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The gap between the proportion of A-level entries in London getting the top grades and the equivalent figure in both north-east England and the East Midlands has reached a new record size. 32.7% of entries in the capital were awarded A or A* this year, up from 32.1% in 2025 and the highest for any region in England, the exam results show.
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Councils in the south of England have topped the league tables this year. In Guildford, half of all A-levels recieved an A grade or above, while Richmond in London saw 49% of grades achieve at least an A. Not all Southern areas did as well. Harlow in Essex saw just 7% of grades achieve at least an A, while Test Valley in Hampshire saw 10% (the average for England was 28%).
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Results for students taking vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) have taken a more prominent role during results day this year, after prime minister Andy Burnham declared his ambition to build parity between academic and vocational paths. More than 300,000 VTQ results across 420 qualifications were awarded, according to the Joint Council for Qualifications, with business, administration and law the most popular subject areas.
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Students at private schools in England saw their top grades remain relatively flat this year – with 48.6% receiving an A* or A grade, up just 0.5 percentage points on last year. Meanwhile, students at sixth form colleges saw grades rise 0.5 points, academies saw grades rise 0.4 points, and local authority controlled comprehensives saw a 0.3 point rise. Grammar schools saw a slight fall in A and A* grades.
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While the improvement in national A-level results in England is taking the headlines, social mobility experts say they are alarmed by the widening gap in performance between students in London and the south of England and their peers in other parts of the country. Nick Harrison, head of the Sutton Trust that campaigns on improving social mobility through education, said the results “reveal an increasingly stark regional divide, as London continues to pull further ahead of the rest of England”.
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Shakespeare is out, while Isaac Newton is in, the figures show. This year’s results have continued the squeezing of arts and humanities subjects – which made up just over a quarter of exam entries. Ten years ago, they made up 40% of A-level exams. As we’ve written earlier, the squeeze is mainly driven by maths, other STEM subjects, and increasingly social science subjects like economics.
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Exam boards pushed back on any suggestion of grade inflation after A-level students recorded record levels at A and A*. Presenting the results at a briefing by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), Richard Henry, director of qualifications and assessment at the Welsh exam board, WJEC, insisted grades could be trusted.
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Results day is always governed by strict embargo, but some anxious students got their news early after the University of Surrey accidentally sent out text messages to successful applicants last night. Instead of sending the information at 8.10am Thursday morning, text messages went out to 2,400 successful applicants (about half the total) at 8.10pm last night when the nation was enjoying the eclipse.
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The number of UK school leavers accepted on to degree courses has risen to a record high this year, Ucas figures show. A total of 262,820 UK 18-year-olds have gained a place at university or college – up 3% on the same point last year, according to data published by the university admissions service.
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For international students, 53,740 applicants have been accepted on to undergraduate courses – up by 2% on the 52,640 who were successful last year. Accepted applicants from China rose to 13,870 from 12,380 last year.
Councils in the south of England have topped the league tables this year. In Guildford, half of all A Levels recieved an A grade or above, while Richmond in London saw 49% of grades achieve at least an A.
Not all Southern areas did as well. Harlow in Essex saw just 7% of grades achieve at least an A, while Test Valley in Hampshire saw 10% (the average for England was 28%).
You can search for your local council in the table below and see how it compares to England as a whole.
PA crunched the numbers, looking at regional differences in grade attainment. It shows the 2026 results, the equivalent figure for 2025 and the pre-pandemic year of 2019.
Here are the percentages of A-level entries awarded A or A*, by nation and region:
– North-east England 23.1% (2025: 22.9%; 2019: 23.0%)
– North-west England 26.5% (2025: 26.6%; 2019: 23.5%)
– Yorkshire + the Humber 25.7% (2025: 25.3%; 2019: 23.2%)
– West Midlands 24.2% (2025: 24.2%; 2019: 22.0%)
– East Midlands 23.1% (2025: 23.8%; 2019: 21.0%)
– Eastern England 27.9% (2025: 28.0%; 2019: 25.6%)
– South-west England 27.2% (2025: 27.0%; 2019: 25.8%)
– South-east England 31.5% (2025: 31.3%; 2019: 28.3%)
– London 32.7% (2025: 32.1%; 2019: 26.9%)
– England 28.3% (2025: 28.2%; 2019: 25.2%)
– Wales 29.6% (2025: 29.5%; 2019: 26.5%)
– Northern Ireland 30.7% (2025: 30.3%; 2019: 29.4%)
– All 28.5% (2025: 28.3%; 2019: 25.4%)
Here are the percentages of A-level entries awarded C or above, by nation and region:
– North-east England 75.8% (2025: 74.9%; 2019: 76.3%)
– North-west England 78.4% (2025: 78.2%; 2019: 75.6%)
– Yorkshire + the Humber 78.1% (2025: 76.8%; 2019: 74.7%)
– West Midlands 74.6% (2025: 74.2%; 2019: 72.8%)
– East Midlands 73.5% (2025: 73.6%; 2019: 73.0%)
– Eastern England 77.9% (2025: 77.8%; 2019: 75.7%)
– South-west England 77.9% (2025: 77.3%; 2019: 76.0%)
– South-east England 79.5% (2025: 79.5%; 2019: 78.0%)
– London 80.5% (2025: 79.5%; 2019: 74.8%)
– England 78.1% (2025: 77.7%; 2019: 75.5%)
– Wales 77.6% (2025: 77.2%; 2019: 76.3%)
– Northern Ireland 86.9% (2025: 85.8%; 2019: 85.0%)
– All 78.4% (2025: 77.9%; 2019: 75.9%)
Lee Elliot Major, social mobility professor at Exeter University said the results show England is no longer a “simple north–south divide”.
It is increasingly a story of London pulling away from much of the country.
Today’s results show a record gap in top A-level grades between London and the lowest-performing regions.
The King’s nephew the Earl of Wessex will attend the Royal Agricultural University after achieving the grades needed for his chosen course, it is understood.
James, 18, will study for a rural land and property management degree at the university in Cirencester after joining thousands of teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who received their A-level results.
James’s grades and the subjects he studied at the private Radley College in Oxfordshire have not been disclosed, PA report.
In light of Andy Burnham’s stated ambition to bridge England’s deep-rooted north-south regional divide, today’s A-level results only confirm the scale of the challenge he faces.
London continues to extend its lead with 32.7% of pupils receiving grade A or above, up from 31.9% last year. This is the largest increase of any region, and extends the gap between the capital and the north-east to 9.6 percentage points. Before Covid it was 3.9pp.
The gap in A* grades has also widened substantially, from 2 percentage points in 2019 before the pandemic – to 5.1 points in 2026.
Chris Zarraga, director of Schools North East which represents over 1,150 schools in the region, said:
There is not a north-south divide in the quality of schools or in the potential and ambition of young people. There is a structural divide in the circumstances and opportunities surrounding them.
Schools in different parts of England are not operating on a level playing field. In the north-east, schools are working within communities facing entrenched disadvantage, intense pressure on public services, growing SEND [special educational needs and disabilities] needs and very different access to opportunities and infrastructure.
Increasingly, schools are being asked to compensate for all of those things.
That does not mean accepting lower outcomes. These divides are not inevitable. But we will not close them simply by demanding more from schools while leaving the conditions around them unchanged.
Government needs to treat this as a system challenge. We need a long-term approach that connects education with early years, health, SEND, transport, skills and economic development, alongside high-quality academic and vocational pathways.
Results day should reflect young people’s potential and hard work, not the structural advantages or disadvantages of where they happen to grow up.
Commenting on today’s figures, which show record demand for higher education and a record number of UK 18-year-olds applying to university, University Alliance chief executive Vanessa Wilson said:
Firstly, congratulations to everyone receiving their results today. Whether you’ve secured your first-choice place, are exploring options through clearing, or are still deciding what’s right for you, this is an important milestone and you should be proud of what you’ve achieved.
The continued growth in demand for higher education shows that students recognise the value of developing the knowledge, skills and experience they need to succeed in the rapidly changing world of work. Professional and technical universities play a crucial role in this, combining academic learning with practical, work-related experience and foundational partnerships with employers.
For students who got different results than expected, it’s not too late to find a course that’s right for you. There are excellent opportunities available through clearing. Our universities are on hand to support and advise you to find the right opportunity.
Updated
Here are some more photos from this morning, as students continue to receive their A-level results …
As London continued to stretch its lead ahead of the rest of the country, one of the capital’s highest-scoring schools celebrated a stellar set of A-level results which will enable one in 10 students to realise their dream and go on to study medicine at university.
At Michaela Community School in Brent, students achieved an average of AAA across all subjects, while one in three exams were graded A* and 90% were B or above.
Head teacher Katharine Birbalsingh, star of a TV documentary called Britain’s Strictest Headteacher, celebrated her pupils’ success with a string of touching result reveal clips on X.
“We are delighted with these fantastic results,” she said, adding, “11% of students are going to study medicine, 85% will be going off to Russell Group Universities.”
Shakespeare is out, while Isaac Newton is in, the figures show. This year’s results have continued the squeezing of arts and humanities subjects – which made up just over a quarter of exam entries.
Ten years ago, they made up 40% of A-level exams. As we’ve written earlier, the squeeze is mainly driven by maths, other STEM subjects, and increasingly social science subjects like economics.
For English, the writing may not quite yet be on the wall, but its not looking great.
Students at private schools in England saw their top grades remain relatively flat this year – with 48.6% receiving an A* or A grade, up just 0.5 percentage points on last year.
Meanwhile students at sixth form colleges saw grades rise 0.5 points, academies saw grades rise 0.4 points, and local authority controlled comprehensives saw a 0.3 point rise. Meanwhile grammar school saw a slight fall in A and A* grades.
During the pandemic – when grades were teacher assessed – private schools saw a larger jump in top grades compared to other centres. Since then the gap between private and state funded schools has narrowed, and in recent years has remained steady.
Results for students taking vocational and technical qualifications (VTQs) have taken a more prominent role during results day this year, after prime minister Andy Burnham declared his ambition to build parity between academic and vocational paths.
More than 300,000 VTQ results across 420 qualifications were awarded, according to the Joint Council for Qualifications, with business, administration and law the most popular subject areas.
The number of students receiving results for T-levels – which are two-year technical education courses available in England and equivalent in size to three A-levels – jumped 65% on last year as the qualification continues to establish itself. Almost 20,000 students received results, up from 12,000 last year, with a pass rate of over 90%.
The prime minister congratulated students, saying: “It’s brilliant to see more students succeeding in T-levels, more taking maths and STEM subjects, and more young people progressing to the next stage of their education or training.
“The talent is there in every town and city in this country. Our task is to match that talent with opportunity, whether that’s through university, an apprenticeship or a technical pathway that leads to a great career. That’s how we’ll build a stronger Britain, restore hope and ensure every young person can look to the future with confidence.”
Dani Payne, head of education and social mobility at the Social Market Foundation thinktank, said today’s results showed the scale of the challenge facing the government. “T-level growth offers real encouragement for Andy Burnham’s push to put technical education on a more equal footing with academic routes.
“The number of students receiving a T-level technical qualification result has risen by around two-thirds in just one year, while outcomes remain strong, suggesting that expanding these qualifications does not have to come at the expense of standards.”
But higher education remains by far the more established and visible route for young people, she said. “More than 320,000 students received A-level results today, compared with fewer than 20,000 receiving T level results, while a record 262,820 UK 18-year-olds have already been placed at university.
“If [Burnham] wants technical education to command genuine parity of esteem, creating new pathways will only be the beginning. It will require sustained investment in further education, to ensure these new pathways lead somewhere meaningful: into good jobs, training and further study.”
While the improvement in national A-level results in England is taking the headlines, social mobility experts say they are alarmed by the widening gap in performance between students in London and the south of England and their peers in other parts of the country.
Nick Harrison, head of the Sutton Trust that campaigns on improving social mobility through education, said the results “reveal an increasingly stark regional divide, as London continues to pull further ahead of the rest of England”.
Harrison said:
A young person’s chances shouldn’t depend so heavily on where they go to school, and these results underline the need for concerted action to tackle the attainment gap and regional differences across England.
Myles McGinley, managing director of the Cambridge OCR exam board, noted that even within London there were stark inequality geps between the capital’s boroughs:
London’s success at a regional level is masking some severe inequalities within the capital itself. It’s a reminder that we can improve opportunities throughout the country, even in the regions that seem to be the most successful.
The proportion of top grades can more than double just by crossing the river. Almost half of every A-level result in Richmond-upon-Thames was an A or A*. In neighbouring Hounslow that figure is closer to one in five.
Prime minister Andy Burnham offered his congratulations to A-level students this morning.
He said:
I want to congratulate everyone receiving their results today. I know there will have been a mix of excitement, nerves and relief this morning, but you should all be proud of the hard work that got you here.
It’s brilliant to see more students succeeding in T-levels, more taking maths and Stem subjects, and more young people progressing to the next stage of their education or training.
The talent is there in every town and city in this country. Our task is to match that talent with opportunity, whether that’s through university, an apprenticeship or a technical pathway that leads to a great career. That’s how we’ll build a stronger Britain, restore hope and ensure every young person can look to the future with confidence.
This year’s top 10 most chosen subjects is once again the same as last year– but there has been some movement.
Once again, maths has dominated - with more than 107,000 students taking the subject in England (and that’s not including almost 20,000 further maths entries).
Economics has shot up the rankings to become the fifth most popular subject, overtaking sociology, physics and business. History was also a big winner, rising three places to become the 6th most popular subject.
Sociology fell four places – but the drop was more than made up by rises in students taking other social sciences. Politics, law and psychology – like economics – all saw significant rises in entries.
Updated
Results day is always governed by strict embargo, but some anxious students got their news early after the University of Surrey accidentally sent out text messages to successful applicants last night.
Instead of sending the information at 8.10am Thursday morning, text messages went out to 2,400 successful applicants (about half the total) at 8.10pm last night when the nation was enjoying the eclipse.
A spokesperson for the University of Surrey said:
A scheduled results day text message was sent at the wrong time to some University of Surrey offer holders.
The information and recipients were correct, but the message was sent at 8.10pm on Wednesday rather than 8.10am on Thursday.
We are extremely sorry for this error. We self-reported to Ucas and worked closely with their team through the evening.
We immediately put in place a dedicated line for people who received the messages in error and were available to provide support through the night.
Among the most striking trends in A-levels this year is the surge in popularity of economics at A-level which jumped to the fifth most popular course, up from 10th position last year, with more than 47,000 entries.
Myles McGinley, managing director of the Cambridge OCR exam board, speaking at a briefing by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), said: “The students getting their A-level results today were born around 2008.
“So they’re the children of the financial crisis [and they] will have experienced the implications and impacts of that through Covid and beyond, and those forces that really shape the world.
So I think it feels natural that they should be interested in that. And of course we know that economics provides excellent career options.”
The gap between the proportion of A-level entries in London getting the top grades and the equivalent figure in both north-east England and the East Midlands has reached a new record size.
32.7% of entries in the capital were awarded A or A* this year, up from 32.1% in 2025 and the highest for any region in England, the exam results show.
The north-east and the East Midlands had the joint lowest rate, at 23.1%.
The gap between London and each of these two regions now stands at 9.6 percentage points, the largest since the present system of grading began in 2010, according to Press Association analysis.
In north-east England, the gap has widened from 9.2 points in 2025, though the proportion of entries getting A or A* rose slightly this year, from 22.9% to 23.1%.
By contrast, the East Midlands saw a drop in entries awarded the top grades, from 23.8% to 23.1%, the biggest fall of any region. This pushed the gap with London up from 8.3 points in 2025 to 9.6 points this year.
At a national level, 10.7% of A-level entries this year in Wales received A*, higher than the equivalent figure for England (9.6%) and Northern Ireland (8.8%).
For entries awarded A or above, Northern Ireland was ahead at 30.7%, above Wales (29.6%) and England (28.3%).
Updated
Exam boards pushed back on any suggestion of grade inflation after A-level students recorded record levels at A and A*.
Presenting the results at a briefing by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ), Richard Henry, director of qualifications and assessment at the Welsh exam board, WJEC, insisted grades could be trusted.
“What grade inflation really means is not outcomes going up. It really means that the grades no longer mean what they used to mean in terms of the level of attainment. The methods that we use to award qualifications are designed to ensure that those grades do mean the same thing.
“So that a learner in 2026 getting an A or an A* or a C can be confident that means the same thing in terms of the underlying knowledge, skills, and understanding that those learners have, compared to those learners in previous years.”
Speaking about England only, the head of exams regulator Ofqual said the “sheer size” of maths affects the overall data.
On top grades rising, Ian Bauckham told the Press Association: “It’s largely driven by those changes in maths, growing popularity at maths and the high achievements that we’re seeing in maths.
“It’s a successful subject, maths A-level is a significant driver of economic growth, and we know that it correlates to higher earning potential for those people who hold A-level maths in their future lives.
“It does, because of its sheer size, have that impact on the overall cohort figures.”
More than a quarter (28.5%) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.2% percentage points on last year, when 28.3% achieved the top grades.
The proportion of UK entries awarded the top A* grade this year has also risen, by 0.2 percentage points to 9.6%, compared to 9.4% in 2025, and it is higher than when it stood at 7.7% in 2019.
Maths remained the most popular subject at A-level this year – the 13th year in a row it has topped the table.
More than one in eight of all UK A-level entries (12.7%) were for the subject, the latest figures showed.
Boys outperform girls for top grades again
Boys have outperformed girls in terms of top grades again, after doing so for the first time in seven years last year.
Overall, 28.9% of boys’ A-level entries scored an A* or A this summer, compared to 28.0% of their female classmates’ entries – a gap of 0.9 percentage points.
There were 72,619 boys’ entries for A-level maths this year, making up 63% of entries, compared to 42,761 for girls’ (37%).
Economics has also seen a leap in popularity this year. It is now the fifth most popular subject for students, climbing up from 10th in 2025. In total, there were more than 47,000 UK entries for economics.
“Maths is the obvious one that we’ve talked about already, further maths is another one, economics, law,” head of exams regulator Ofqual Ian Bauckham told PA of the England data.
“These are all subjects that have a very strong either vocational flavour or are proven to be linked to higher earning potential, and in students’ minds will be associated with the trends that we’re seeing in the economy.
“So, I do think it’s plausible to suggest that those considerations are, for most, in students’ minds.”
A-level top grades rise for third year in a row
About 900,000 students get their A-level results today – and the figures indicate that many will be happy with their lot – and not just the clever clogs who achieved three A*s.
In England the proportion of A*, A, B or C grades rose slightly once again – making this year another record outside the pandemic era when teacher assessments saw a spike in grades with a similar picture in Northern Ireland and Wales.
The general picture is one of stability – there were no massive changes in grades. Boys once again did well, with more boys than girls achieving an A* grade this year, continuing the pattern seen last year. However, as in past years, more girls achieved grades of C and above.
The number of people taking A-levels across the UK has increased by 23,773 since last year – but this is mainly down to a rising number of 18-year-olds. There was also a big rise in the number of people taking T Levels – but more on that later.
Updated
The chief executive of the Russell Group, which represents some of the most selective UK universities, said the figures show students “continue to recognise the benefits” of higher education.
Libby Hackett said: “With an ever-growing spotlight on the value of higher education and the shifting job market, it’s hugely encouraging to see so many young people opting for university again this year – with record numbers of 18-year-olds accepting offers today.
“It shows students continue to recognise the benefits a university education can bring, particularly at high-tariff universities like those in the Russell Group.
“Of course, our education sector is wonderfully diverse with all sorts of excellent courses and choices available, whether that is a traditional degree, an apprenticeship or another option.
“It’s important this includes the right mix of academic and technical options, so students can access fantastic, high-quality education of all types and the UK has the right set of skills for the future workforce we need.”
Pictured: students celebrate A-level result success
Here are some of the first images coming in of students opening and celebrating their results this morning …
Today’s exam results only cover England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with Scotland having posted a record number of 18-year-olds who qualified for university last week.
According to Ucas, the total number of students aged 18 who achieved the grades for the 2026 academic year is 17,920, up from 17,350 last year.
Those from deprived areas saw a 7% increase to 2,090, which the Scottish government says is the highest on record for this stage in the cycle, and acceptances across all ages were 32,370.
Education secretary Mairi McAllan said:
I congratulate all of the applicants who have successfully secured a place at university. This is another set of incredibly positive results, showing the strength of Scotland’s education system with numbers of university acceptances growing and record numbers of 18-year-olds securing a place.
It is particularly encouraging to see even more students from deprived areas going on to university. Scotland has some of the top-ranking universities in the world and our determination to widen access to higher education is giving thousands of young people from more deprived areas the opportunity to further their studies.
Last year, students in England gained record levels of top grades in A-level exams, driven by young men producing their strongest performances outside the pandemic years.
Ofqual, the exam regulator for England, shrugged off any suggestions of grade inflation, pointing to the lower proportion of 18-year-olds taking A-levels and saying that fewer low-achieving students had entered.
Despite the overall improvement, regional variations remained, with students in the West Midlands and north-east England recording lower grades overall than in 2024. The north-east remained the only region of England with average grades below pre-pandemic levels.
Among the more than 1.1m entries in England, 28.2% gained an A or A* grade, while 9.4% gained the top A* grade, both higher than in 2024 when 27.6% of entries got A and A*s and 9.3% gained A*s. In 2019, before the pandemic, 25.2% of entries received top grades.
Updated
For international students, 53,740 applicants have been accepted on to undergraduate courses – up by 2% on the 52,640 who were successful last year.
Accepted applicants from China rose to 13,870 from 12,380 last year.
Meanwhile, the number of UK school leavers from the most disadvantaged backgrounds gaining a place is also up across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, according to Ucas.
The government needs to look at ways to make plan two student loans “fairer”, skills minister Jacqui Smith has said.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, she said:
People have been worried, particularly about what we call the plan two loans, which aren’t in place any more. That isn’t what people going to university today will be taking on.
But, of course, we need to look at ways in which we can make that fairer.
Universities have had a tough time in terms of their financial stability, not least because the last government decided to freeze the amount of money that came to them through tuition fees – a major way in which they get their income. We’ve increased that and we’ve given certainty over the coming years that that will continue to be index-linked.
Asked if the government would be lowering the interest rates students pay on fees, she said it has been capped for the coming year for people who are repaying student finance.
“We will make sure that people aren’t put off going to university by the costs of what they would need to pay,” she added.
Being a student is expensive and loans are not enough, the National Union of Students (NUS), said this morning.
Lewis Wilson, the NUS vice-president for higher education congratulated A-level students receiving their results today but highlighted the need for funding to be improved.
He said:
To everyone receiving their results today, congratulations. Whatever your results, be proud of the hard work that led to today. To everyone who has accepted university places, I am excited for you.
Dive into it, find your students’ union and what they have to offer, find your places, and enjoy your time learning. Your university experience will fly by.
But Wilson added:
But we can’t let today go by without mentioning the cost. Being a student is expensive and the loans are not enough. There are other funding options, such as bursaries from your university, but fundamentally we need to see the government improve the funding landscape for students.
Parental income thresholds, from which maintenance loans are calculated, have been frozen for 18 years now. We need to see the government step in and support students with maintenance grants, and graduates with the burden of student loans.
A record number of young people have secured a place to study engineering, the head of Ucas has said.
Jo Saxton told the BBC’s Today programme:
We’ve got quarter of a million UK 18-year-old school and college leavers getting their place at university today – that’s brilliant for them and for the country.
And we’re seeing a really, really interesting trend within that: we’ve got a record number of new engineers going on to study at university today.
35,000 young people are going off to study engineering – it’s up 14% compared to last year.
The day before A-level results day, a PA sample of 131 of the UK’s largest higher education providers showed there were 22,698 courses with vacancies for undergraduate students living in England on the Ucas clearing site – which matches applicants to university places yet to be filled.
The same analysis carried out last Wednesday showed there were 22,831 courses with vacancies on the clearing site, PA reported.
Eighteen of the 24 Russell Group universities, which represent some of the most selective UK institutions, had vacancies on courses for English residents – a total of 3,483 courses between them, down from 3,530 last week.
The most recent analysis showed there were a few instances of Russell Group universities with more courses available through clearing than last week.
A similar analysis last year – carried out by PA on the day before A-level results day and looking at a similar range of institutions – showed there were 22,518 courses with vacancies on the clearing site and 3,492 courses available from 18 Russell Group universities.
Number of UK 18-year-olds accepted on to degree courses up by 3%
The number of UK school leavers accepted on to degree courses has risen to a record high this year, Ucas figures show.
A total of 262,820 UK 18-year-olds have gained a place at university or college – up 3% on the same point last year, according to data published by the university admissions service.
Ucas said it is the highest number of placed students on results day on record, driven by a rising number of 18-year-olds in the population.
The overall number of students, of all ages and domiciles, being accepted has also reached a record high – with 446,690 successful applicants up from 439,180 last year.
Updated
The education secretary has said she will not oversee a “two-tier system” in education and ensure youngsters have good options to pursue technical and vocational routes and university.
Asked earlier in the week if there was a danger of an anti-university rhetoric being spun and putting young people off pursuing higher education, Lucy Powell told PA:
I’m absolutely clear I’m not going to be overseeing some kind of two-tier system in education.
This is about having high standards across the piece, high aspirations, high expectations.
Jo Saxton, head of Ucas, said boosting technical routes should not come “at the expense of higher education”.
She told a Higher Education Policy Institute webinar on Tuesday: “I find kicking higher education incredibly frustrating.
“I find it frustrating because of the best part of a decade that I spent leading schools in disadvantaged areas where going to university literally changed lives of whole families, and I look at this from the perspective of being mindful that still only around a third of UK school and college leavers are progressing into higher education.
“So, of course it’s right that the prime minister and secretary of state are committed to parity but I still think that there are lots and lots and lots of young people the best place for whom would be in a university.
“I absolutely support anything politicians want to do to support parity. It just shouldn’t be at the expense of higher education, which was good enough for them after all.”
The options available to school leavers came under the spotlight last month when Andy Burnham announced that technical subjects will be available to 14-year-old pupils from September 2028 in the latest of a long line of attempts to get parity of esteem between vocational and academic education.
The prime minister also pledged in a speech during his bid for the Labour leadership that the “days of a school system configured entirely around the university route will be brought to an end”.
Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK, said she hopes the rhetoric around universities will not negatively affect the decisions students make after they get their results today.
She told the Press Association:
I have been looking at the Ucas application data and wondering whether we’d start to see this public rhetoric feed through into individual student decision-making.
I think it’s particularly important that we look at what happens amongst students who come from the least-advantaged backgrounds.
She said students who might be the first in their family to go to university could more likely be put off from going if “all you can hear is people talking it down”.
“I think if that’s what we start to see we should call it out,” Ms Stern added.
Asked for her message to students this admissions round, she said:
Make the right decision for you. Don’t let politicians make your decision for you.
Students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland await A-level results
Good morning and welcome to our blog covering A-level results day, as thousands of students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland await news of their grades.
The results come as elite universities were expected to make up the shortfall of foreign students by being more flexible in terms of admissions.
It means more students will get their first-choice courses, with universities having accepted more A-level pupils achieving the equivalent of BBB than A*AA.
Universities are more likely to accept British undergraduates with lower grades, the Times (paywall) reported, after a 10% fall in foreign students – largely down to tighter visa rules, Brexit, economic instability in key markets and growing competition from universities overseas.
Fifty-five universities collected £557m less from international students in 2024-25 than two years before, it was reported.
For those who do not achieve their required grades for their conditional offers, or receive no offers at all, clearing is available.
Students who have changed their mind about what or where they wish to study, and those who have applied outside the normal application window, can also use clearing.
Here are the times to keep an eye on this morning:
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8am – Ucas figures released on numbers accepted on to degree courses
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9.30am – A-level results published, alongside data from the Department for Education on T-level results
Stay tuned throughout the morning for all the results and reaction.
