A levels: Ucas not expecting big rise in international students

Reports that some UK universities will only offer clearing places on certain courses to international students have been dismissed as “speculation” by the head of the admissions service.

Clare Marchant, the outgoing chief executive of Ucas, sought to downplay fears ahead of Thursday’s A-level results day, insisting that the number of courses open to those from overseas is “broadly consistent to previous years”.

It comes after the Daily Telegraph reported international students are being offered places on hundreds more undergraduate degrees in clearing at Russell Group institutions than their British counterparts – with some courses not available domestically at all.

Speaking in a webinar organised by the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi), Ms Marchant said: “Different courses will have different numbers of places on them so I think the proof in the pudding in terms of competition will come on Thursday afternoon as they’re taken out of clearing as they get filled up,” she said. “At the moment it’s really just speculation until the courses get filled up.”

Experts have warned that the entry rate for UK 18-year-olds could fall for the second successive year, in what would be a “seismic moment” for the sector.

Although the number of international students has been rapidly increasing at postgraduate level, Ms Marchant said it is important not to let it get out of proportion at undergraduate level.

“We see around 13 per cent of placed students are international students, we know it’s absolutely pivotal to diversity and institutions and on courses and broadly we don’t expect that to change hugely come Thursday.

“Understanding it in context is really important. We know that UK entry rates are around 37 per cent and we will be looking at similar entry rates as we go through this year from UK students.”

Ms Marchant said it is “absolutely not” the case that the number of places to home undergraduates is in any way being constrained by the number of places offered to international students at a sector-wide level.

“We’re not in a capped number territory in England so I’m expecting to see really significant numbers of UK placed students on Thursday,” she said.

“What I can’t speak to is an individual course or institution, and someone could find that where there is some constraint around that course which means choices are being made but we’re not seeing that sector- or subsector-wide.”

Many reports have also claimed that this year’s cohort will be the “unluckiest generation of all” as a result of efforts to deflate grades to pre-pandemic levels, and, although she expressed sympathy for them, Ms Marchant said it was unhelpful to speculate about whether or not this will be the worst impacted year.

“These are individuals who haven’t gone through an external exam before so of course there is going to be a level of anxiety when it comes to Thursday but the most helpful thing for all of us involved in the education sector is to help guide those young people as they go through that,” she added.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com