A week after results day, the number of students with a confirmed university place is up 7% on last year and the number of applicants in clearing – those who miss their grades and search for a place at another university - is the lowest it has been in over five years
These encouraging statistics are largely thanks to more relaxed government demands on universities in 2013; to combat the dip in student numbers last year Universities are now only restricted on the numbers of students they are allowed to recruit who achieved ABB grades at A-level. Last year the threshold was higher – at AAB. This meant that even if the institution had vacancies to fill, they could not take more than their ‘quota’ of students who have failed to achieve AAB grades. This left a number of universities unable to fill their places and resulted in a shortfall in student numbers in some cities, with a knock on impact for the student accommodation sector.
Fortunately for those students who missed the grades required for their first choice university in 2013, clearing has been a smooth process, with 29,130 students were placed by the 22nd August and entering the accommodation market. However, while the overall picture is positive it is advisable that landlords keep track on what is going on at their local University.
This regional variation is best illustrated by the fact that Bristol University, King’s College London, Imperial, London School of Economics, Oxford and Cambridge were all full from the outset. Meanwhile the University of Birmingham and University of Manchester filled hundreds of spaces through clearing within a day, causing an increased demand for last minute accommodation in Manchester and Birmingham. There was a similar pattern at the Universities of Leeds, Edinburgh, Warwick and Aberdeen. All still have some vacancies but are expected to fill these in the very near future. However, at the other end of the scale Canterbury Christ Church University and The University of Glasgow still have hundreds of courses still available through clearing.
Therefore, at this relatively early stage, the picture looks more positive than 2012, from a national perspective. Is seems like there may be a few Universities that will have a shortfall in numbers, but it is likely to be less common than 12 months ago.
Statistics on Friday 23rd August 2013:
Canterbury Christ Church University – over 1000 courses with vacancies
University of Glasgow – 435 courses with vacancies
University of Liverpool - 218 courses with vacancies
Queen Mary London - 180 courses with vacancies
Cardiff University – 72 courses with vacancies
University of Manchester – 43 courses with vacancies (but less than 100 individual student places left to fill)
