Universities fill rapidly in rush to clearing

About 4,000 vacancies had been snapped up before noon, just a day into the process, according to figures published by the university admissions service Ucas.

In total, 190,183 people are eligible for the clearing process because they have had no offers, failed to make their grades or applied too late.

Some 4,083 applicants had already found places through clearing, slightly fewer than last summer, when 5,205 places had been taken at this point in the process.

About 18,000 courses have had places available, but the number was falling quickly.

As many as 150,000 students could miss out on university this year, Ucas has estimated.

Last year 47,600 students found places through clearing and it has been predicted that the number will be smaller this year.

Yesterday's figures show that a massive 48,500 more people qualify for clearing now than at this point last year.

Record numbers of students have already taken up their offers confirmed by their chosen university or found a place through clearing, as they seek to secure their position.

Some 394,436 had been accepted, compared with 382,863 at that point last year – a rise of 11,573.

But more were waiting to hear if they have been accepted, the Ucas figures show.

This year, 81,915 applicants were yesterday still waiting for decisions, compared with 79,528 last summer – a difference of 2,387.

A record 674,339 people applied to university this year, yesterday's figures showed, up from 610,453 last year – an extra 63,886 applicants.

Clearing is the annual process of matching applicants to vacant university courses.

The drop in numbers finding a place through clearing this year could be because fewer places are available.

A nationwide survey showed there were just 1,800 clearing places available at 16 universities when the process opened – and most of those had gone by midday yesterday.

York University said it had fewer than 100 places available for clearing yesterday and all had gone while Essex had about 200 places, and few were left later in the day.

Manchester University started with 120 clearing places. By Thursday morning that had dropped to 20. A spokesman said clearing for home applicants would end at 5pm yon Thursday.

Southampton University had 60 places on offer, but they were all taken by yesterday afternoon, as had approximately 50 clearing places available at Nottingham.

Newcastle had 110 places, including 102 for science and maths-based subjects. All of these have been snapped up.

A spokesman for Loughborough University said they had less than 50 on offer on Thursday morning but by Friday lunchtime only a places were left on just five courses.

Glasgow had seven places available at its Dumfries campus yesterday morning.

The University of East Anglia put around 70 places into clearing, but all were taken, while at Surrey 25 students had been offered places and but 30 places were still to fill yesterday .

Goldsmiths, in central London, had limited places on just two courses.

Among the newer universities, Kingston had 250 places, and a spokesman said only a "handful" were left.

Buckinghamshire New University offered 50-100 places in sports, travel and business courses.

Thames Valley also started the clearing process with between 200 and 250 places, while as reported in yesterday's Yorkshire Post York St John had none of their clearing vacancies left.

Several universities did not enter the process, including Sheffield, or had no places available to put through clearing.

Prestigious colleges at Oxford and Cambridge universities, London School of Economics, University College London, Edinburgh and Bristol do not use clearing.

Birmingham University, Imperial and Warwick did not have any clearing places.