A level students who were trying to get through to the clearing line at Wales' biggest university faced delays due to a fault with the system. Cardiff University confirmed there are problems on some lines and said it was working to fix the problem.
Today is the busiest day of the year for clearing admissions - the system matching remaining university places with students who didn't get the grades needed for their first chosen course or who simply want to change.
One student, said that they had spent an hour on the line only to be disconnected before speaking to anyone. The website was also down, he said. On the morning of Thursday, August 18, a Cardiff University spokesperson said: "We're aware of a fault with some of the lines to our clearing enquiry centre. We're working hard to resolve the issue and we'll keep you posted. In the meantime, please call the relevant academic school to discuss potential vacancies."
Read more: Follow all the latest reaction and analysis from A level results day across Wales
The problem was resolved by 2.45pm, a university spokesperson said. "The technical difficulties we’ve been experiencing in our Clearing Enquiry Centre have now been resolved. To discuss your options, call our team on 0333 241 2800," the statement read.
Hundreds of thousands of students are picking up exam results today with tens of thousands seeking places through Clearing. Experts had long warned that competition for university places this year will be tougher than before. And now students who want to get a place through clearing can begin their hunt.
Last year more than 50,000 students found university places through clearing across the UK. Competition is expected to be harder this year as many students are expected to miss out on the A level grades they need after the first sat exams for two years due to the pandemic. Exam boards are calibrating results between pre-pandemic and 2021 after what has been viewed by some as inflated results when results were awarded under teacher assessed grades.
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