There are ¡°serious concerns¡± about the state of finances in the UK sector after less selective universities recorded their worst first week of clearing outside of the pandemic.

Elite institutions?snapped up more UK 18-year-olds on A-level results day?than ever before, leaving the rest of the pack?hoping for a strong clearing period to settle nerves amid financial uncertainty.

But?despite record activity in clearing, analysis??reveals continued bad news for much of the sector.

Higher-tariff universities have increased their intakes by a further 8.6 per cent (9,020 UK 18-year-old students) in the week since results day. This compared?with 7.9 per cent last year and is the most since 2019.

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Lower-tariff providers have increased their intake by 13 per cent (8,840 UK 18-year-old students) in the past seven days. Excluding 2020, when centre-assessed grades were used?because of the pandemic, this was their lowest figure for this period in more than 13 years. The number accepted by medium-tariff providers is largely unchanged.

Matt Lazell, head of product and development at dataHE, said it had not yet been a ¡°disastrous¡± year for lower-tariff institutions, but ¡°it is not the strong year¡­that could have been seen given the record UK 18-year-old placed rate¡±.

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DataHE estimates the UK placed rate for 18-year-olds in 2025 to be 86.8 per cent ¨C the highest ever figure for this point of this process.

Domestic students have become ever more important to UK universities?because of the stability they offer in comparison?with unpredictable international students. The coming increase in tuition fees means income from these students will also be slightly higher than last year.

Given the substantial financial pressures on all UK universities, Rachel Brooks, professor of higher education at the University of Oxford, said it was unsurprising that elite universities are acting so decisively.

¡°It shows that all universities are facing substantial financial pressures and that Russell Group universities, like others, recognise the volatility of the international student market.¡±??

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However, she said it raises ¡°serious concerns¡± about the financial stability of other institutions, many of which play an important role in educating students from less privileged backgrounds and supporting local economies.

¡°Such universities are also less likely to be able to make up for any shortfall in undergraduates by expanding their postgraduate numbers,¡± she added.

Overall, top universities have placed 14,190 students since results day ¨C 14.9 per cent more than they did by the same point last year. And lower-tariff institutions have accepted 16,650 students in this period ¨C 12.2 per cent below 2023 and the lowest number on record.

At the University of Suffolk, the clearing hotline was busier on A-level results day than it was last year, and UK student acceptances have risen, said its vice-chancellor, Jenny Higham.

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But, she said, ¡°We have seen a steep decline in enquiries in the following days, which we believe is due to the availability of places and offers across a wider range of universities.

¡°We have already filled a number of courses, but we anticipate the total number of students we recruit through the clearing period?may?be?slightly?lower than last year.¡±

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patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com?