UCAS: Media releases - 23 August 2006

UCAS confirms students' positions faster than ever - Clearing day 6

23 August 2006

Latest UCAS figures show that the number of Clearing acceptances are up by 15.3% on the same point last year from 6,226 to 7,180. Following the implementation of new IT systems, UCAS and the universities and colleges have been able to process decisions faster than ever this year. In addition, the awarding bodies have processed a record number of examination results.

Some 325,107 (67.2%) applicants have been successfully placed so far, compared with 335,912 (67.0%) at the same point last year. This represents a decrease of 10,085 or 3.2%. However compared to the same point in 2004 there is a 5.0% increase in the number of acceptances.

Among the subjects with an increased number of confirmed acceptances are social work up 4.6% to 5,457, mathematics up 5.5% to 4,830, chemistry up 3.8% to 3150, physics up 0.9% to 2,672 and civil engineering up 2.6% to 2,748.

Since the start of Clearing the total number of course searches at ucas.com has exceeded 1.1 million. The top five subject searches are law, psychology, economics, English and business management.

To date 108,872 applicants are eligible for Clearing. Research suggests that around half of these applicants are active in Clearing. Of those students not active in Clearing some may choose to re-sit exams and re-apply next year. Some may have changed their minds about entering higher education or know that they do not have the grades to enable them to take up the course of their choice. Last year 37,197 students secured a place through Clearing.

The number of acceptances to Scottish institutions is up by 0.2% from 31,139 to 31,188. The number of Scottish students accepted to institutions throughout the UK is down 1.7% from 23,653 to 23,251.

Welsh students accepted to study at Welsh institutions is up 8.6%but overall acceptances to Welsh institutions have decreased by 2.1% from 18,436 to 18,057. The number of Welsh students accepted to institutions throughout the UK is down 0.8% from 14,227 to 14,110.

Acceptances from applicants by age group and gender

Accepted applicants		Men	Women	Total
Under 21 years	2006	120,981	145,330	266,311
	2005	124,790	148,185	272,975
	% change	-3.1%	-1.9%	-2.4%
21 to 24 years	2006	15,344	15,562	30,906
	2005	16,573	16,317	32,890
	% change	-7.4%	-4.6%	-6.0%
25 years and over	2006	11,018	16,872	27,890
	2005	12,041	18,006	30,047
	% change	-8.5%	-6.3%	-7.2%
Total	2006	147,343	177,764	325,107
	2005	153,404	182,508	335,912
	% change	-4.0%	-2.6%	-3.2%

Acceptances by area of domicile and country of accepting institution

Area of Permanent Residence		Country of institution
Area of Permanent Residence		England	Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland	Total
England	2006	228,511	7,572	3,477	112	239,672
	2005	237,162	8,630	4,022	106	249,920
	% change	-3.6%	-12.3%	-13.6%	+5.7%	-4.1%
Wales	2006	4,879	9,136	92	3	14,110
	2005	5,688	8,411	121	7	14,227
	% change	-14.2%	+8.6%	-24.0%	-57.1%	-0.8%
Scotland	2006	1,528	50	21,663	10	23,251
	2005	1,632	48	21,958	15	23,653
	% change	-6.4%	+4.2%	-1.3%	-33.3%	-1.7%
Northern Ireland	2006	3,129	106	1,147	7,053	11,435
	2005	2,673	99	1,145	8,103	12,020
	% change	+17.1%	+7.1%	+0.2%	-13.0%	-4.9%
Rep. of Ireland	2006	1,157	202	744	399	2,502
	2005	1,163	235	776	748	2,922
	% change	-0.5%	-14.0%	-4.1%	-46.7%	-14.4%
Other EU	2006	10,321	387	1,904	16	12,628
	2005	9,675	298	1,447	17	11,437
	% change	+6.7%	+29.9%	+31.6%	-5.9%	+10.4%
Other overseas	2006	18,705	604	2,161	39	21,509
	2005	19,299	715	1,670	49	21,733
	% change	-3.1%	-15.5%	+29.4%	-20.4%	-1.0%
Total	2006	268,230	18,057	31,188	7,632	325,107
	2005	277,292	18,436	31,139	9,045	335,912
	% change	-3.3%	-2.1%	+0.2%	-15.6%	-3.2%

Acceptances by age and UK country

Accepted applicants (UK only)		Home country of applicant
Accepted applicants (UK only)		England	Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland	Total
Under 21 years	2006	201,667	11,706	18,716	9,878	241,967
	2005	209,543	11,735	19,042	10,290	250,610
	% change	-3.8%	-0.2%	-1.7%	-4.0%	-3.4%
21 to 24 years	2006	18,382	1,068	2,151	914	22,515
	2005	19,500	1,116	2,055	988	23,659
	% change	-5.7%	-4.3%	+4.7%	-7.5%	-4.8%
25 years and over	2006	19,623	1,336	2,384	643	23,986
	2005	20,877	1,376	2,556	742	25,551
	% change	-6.0%	-2.9%	-6.7%	-13.3%	-6.1%
Total	2006	239,672	14,110	23,251	11,435	288,468
	2005	249,920	14,227	23,653	12,020	299,820
	% change	-4.1%	-0.8%	-1.7%	-4.9%	-3.8%

Number of applicants and accepted applicants by cycle

As of 23/08/2006	2006	2005	2004
accepted applicants	325,107	335,912	309,624
% accepted	67.2	67	66.7
% change year-on-year	-3.2%	8.5%	3.9%
% change on 2004	5.0%	8.5%	n/a
Total number of applicants	484,079	501,223	463,929
% change year-on-year	-3.4%	8.0%	2.7%
% change on 2004	4.3%	8.0%	n/a

Top 20 keyword subject searches as of 23/08/06

	Subject	Total searches
1	Law	59,503
2	Psychology	35,460
3	Economics	28,624
4	English	25,915
5	Business Management	25,097
6	History	21,646
7	Business Studies	19,858
8	Accountancy	19,313
9	Pharmacy: Registered	19,104
10	Biomedical Science	18,772
11	Accounting	16,815
12	Mathematics	15,486
13	Medicine*	12,672
14	Social Work	12,122
15	Nursing	11,240
16	Politics Or Government	11,215
17	Teacher Training	10,319
18	Dentistry*	10,022
19	Sports Science/Studies	10,019
20	Physiotherapy	9,885

* there are no clearing places available in medicine or dentistry

Acceptances by subject

Press contacts:

Byron Price, Communications Executive
Tel: 01242 544987
Email: b.price@ucas.ac.uk
Mobile: 07768 740 461

Notes to editors:

Applicants seeking advice on Clearing should contact the UCAS Customer Services Unit on 0870 1122211 or go to www.ucas.com

UCAS is the organisation responsible for managing applications to UK higher education courses.

Track is an online service used to track the progress of an application and reply to offers. The service is updated continuously and is the most efficient way to keep track of an application, especially during Confirmation and Clearing. Applicants can also use it to find out their Clearing number.

UCAS Clearing vacancy service - all courses with vacancies are listed on the UCAS website from Thursday 17 August, until Wednesday 20 September. Applicants can search for courses by subject; by university or college; or by region. The list will be updated continuously. During Clearing 2005 ucas.com course vacancy searches totalled 1,495,434.

Clearing helps people find vacancies on full-time undergraduate courses at UK universities and colleges after the main UCAS application period has finished. Last year 37,197 people found places through Clearing. The percentage of applicants accepted in Clearing (as a percentage of the total accepted applicants) was 7.4%.

A UCAS spokesperson is available for interview.

Further information on the application process, Clearing and Clearing statistics (for 2006 entry) are on the UCAS website.

As at 30 June 2006, 469,731 people have applied to UK universities and colleges. Applications received after this date are entered directly into Clearing.

For applicants who need help and advice through the process, UCAS extends the hours of its helpline (0870 1122211). The helpline is open from Monday to Friday 14 August to 1 September 8.30am to 6pm (except for 17 and 18 August when the helpline will be available from 8am to 8pm and Bank Holiday Monday 28 August 9am - 1pm). At weekends the helpline will be open on Saturday 19 August 9am - 5pm, Sunday 20 August 10am -2pm, Saturday 26 August 9am - 12 noon.

The Onelife results helpline (0808 100 8000), is provided by the DfES in conjunction with UCAS and BBC Radio. Advisers are on hand to deal with queries, offering free, independent and confidential advice to school and college leavers on their post-exam options, particularly those in Clearing. The advisers have access to an online database developed by the DfES and UCAS, which gives up to the minute information about course availability. Lines are available from Tuesday 9 August to Saturday 26 August 10am - 6pm. On Sunday 26 August the helpline closes at 1pm.