Hundreds of thousands of pupils are awaiting A-level exam results across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with grades expected to be lower than during the pandemic but higher than 2019.
Students who sat exams for the first time since before the coronavirus outbreak are expected to face tough competition for university places, with institutions known to have been more conservative in their offers this year.
Admissions service Ucas has said it expects record or near-record numbers of students to get onto their first-choice courses, but warned the process will not be "pain-free" for all, as some students are left disappointed.
