Universities in Wales are among those confirming they have increased entry requirements for some courses. A-level leavers applying to start degrees this September face stiffer competition than usual..
An increase in home and overseas applications, the rise in the number of 18-year-olds in the population, and some universities scaling back after expanding during the pandemic have all combined to make a perfect storm for those applying to UK courses.
Thousands more students met their grades offers during the pandemic under teacher-assessed grades and some universities had to expand to let them in or persuade and even pay them to defer. That is having a knock-on effect on those who applied this year. Places through clearing, for those who don't meet the grades for their first-choice courses, are also expected to be more limited.
Read more: Nurses to be based at Cardiff University to deal with student mental health crisis
Cardiff University, the only Welsh university in the top Russell Group of universities, said it has increased entry requirements in some of its traditionally most-competitive and oversubscribed subjects including psychology, architecture, and law. There has also been tougher competition for places in medicine, dentistry, and healthcare the university confirmed.
Cardiff University vice chancellor professor Colin Riordan said they expanded capacity in some subjects during the pandemic and “can’t just keep on growing”. A spokesman warned that those who don't get into their first-choice course also face more competition in clearing after results are out, saying: "At this stage it's too early to say how many clearing places will be available. Cardiff University is likely to have limited spaces available for high-calibre, well-qualified students.
"Our message to high-quality students looking for a clearing place would be to contact us as our places are likely to be in high demand. Details will be available on our website or applicants can call our clearing inquiry centre once results have been published."
Cardiff Metropolitan University said it has also increased entry requirements for some of its sports programmes in the Cardiff School of Sport and Health Science. A spokesman said: "It is more competitive this year due to a rise in applications. While it is a competitive environment for applicants,there will be some programmes which have places available when clearing opens. We will have places in clearing on [some] courses but not all."
A University of South Wales (USW) spokesman said: “Evidence is showing that competition for a place at university has never been tougher. At the University of South Wales we don’t just take into account an applicant’s educational background, we look at a wide range of attributes to judge whether they and the university will be a good fit. As with the rest of the admissions cycle during the clearing period we will be looking at an applicant’s suitability and doing all we can to find them a course which will help them achieve their aspirations.”
Aberystwyth University said it has seen a rise in applications and its new degree programmes in veterinary science and nursing were both oversubscribed and will not feature in clearing. A spokesman said: “We have enjoyed a significant increase in applications this year but we are fortunate in having the resources and capacity available to accept more later applications from qualified applicants across a wide range of subject areas.
"We have no plans to increase the grades that we require for entry to our programmes at this late stage of the admissions cycle as that would unfairly penalise students planning their academic career. We have planned for some sustainable growth in the number of students choosing to study here and we expect to be able to accommodate all those joining us in September in our own award-winning campus accommodation."
Swansea University also reported more applications this year but said it won't be increasing offer requirements and will have spaces in clearing "in several subjects". A spokesman said: "There are more applicants across the sector this year as a result of increasing numbers of 18-year-olds and increasing levels of participation.
"Swansea University is committed to providing opportunities and will be able to accept more applicants in several subject areas than last year. We recognise the significant challenges that this cohort of applicants have faced and will be flexible where possible.
"We always recommend contacting us if someone is unsure if they meet the requirements for a course. We anticipate being able to take more students through clearing this year to accommodate those who decide to use this option."
The university of Wales Trinity Trinity St David said it still has places available for some courses on its campuses in Swansea, Carmarthen, Cardiff, and Lampeter. UWTSD said it hasn't increased entry requirements despite "increased competition" expected this year".
Universities admissions service Ucas reported fewer than 16% of applications to study medicine and dentistry at universities across the UK have resulted in an offer this year compared to 20.4% in 2021. Because so many applicants met their offers in these traditionally very competitive areas in 2021 some universities persuaded, or paid, applicants from last year to defer to this year. That has cut the spaces available this year.
Ucas chief executive Clare Marchant said universities and colleges have responded to the increase in applications "by exercising more restraint in their offer-making" this year. She added that some universities are stabilising their student numbers following growth over the last two years. This year the overall offer rate cross the UK is 66.4% this year compared to 72% in 2019. “This reduced offer rate means fewer students that applied to higher-tariff universities are holding four or more offers at high-tariff universities compared to last year.”
A level students are already worried about grades being lower than pre-pandemic this year. Exam regulator Qualifications Wales has said grades will be set between last year's record high results, with teacher assessed results for the second year, and those pre-pandemic.
READ NEXT:
Children grow up in poverty in the shadow of Wales' greatest wealth
The most polluted areas of Wales revealed
Welsh independence march planned for the first time since pandemic
'The UK needs to rejoin the Single Market — Brexit is failing Wales'
Lessons in schools and better access to condoms planned to cut cases of HIV in Wales
