So far, 29,830 Scottish students have had their UK higher education places confirmed. This is a 4 per cent increase compared to Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) results day 2017, and comes alongside a 3.1% fall in the total number of 18 year olds in the overall population of Scotland.
Of those Scottish students accepted, 28,970 will be studying at university in Scotland.
The proportion of all 18 year olds in Scotland entering higher education (the entry rate) has increased to 23.3% (the highest level recorded in recent years).
3,310 EU students have been accepted to study in Scotland (a decrease of 2 per cent on SQA results day 2017), alongside 2,140 students from outside the EU (an increase of 5 per cent).
Our full suite of reports on today’s acceptance statistics can be found in the data and analysis section of the UCAS website. For the first time during the Confirmation and Clearing period, interactive data explorers are available on this page, to enable users to visualise and tailor the reporting.
Applicants can now sign in to Track to see if they have been accepted, or are eligible for Clearing. Anyone looking for a place can use the new UCAS Clearing hub, the official place to find all the courses with places available.
A Clearing choice can be added from 10:00 this morning. However, applicants should call universities beforehand to discuss courses they’re interested in, and ensure places are available.
Last year, 1,810 people from Scotland were accepted through Clearing, with 420 of those applying after 30 June and submitting their application directly into Clearing.
Clare Marchant, UCAS’ Chief Executive, said: ‘Congratulations to everyone who has had their place confirmed – today marks the next step of your life journey.
‘The record proportion of young people accepted, and in particular 18 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds, is great news for Scottish higher education.
‘If you haven’t got the grades you were hoping for, or if you’ve recently thought about applying, ucas.com has all the Clearing information you need, including the up-to-date official list of available courses.
‘Now might also be the time you decide to go in a slightly different direction. ucas.com has all the information you need to make an informed choice about your future, including details on careers, and apprenticeships in Scotland.’
UCAS advisers are ready to guide applicants through the Clearing process on Twitter and Facebook. Experts are also available on the phone – the number for applicants to call is 0371 468 0 468.
The Skills Development Scotland Exam Results Helpline offers free, independent careers advice for students whose results weren’t what they expected (whether higher or lower). Professional advisers are ready to take calls now, offering independent guidance about all options. Students can call the Exam Results Helpline on 0808 100 8000.
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UCAS Press Office contact details
Email: communications@ucas.ac.uk
Phone: 01242 545 469
Notes to editors
UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, is a charity, and the UK's shared admissions service for higher education. We manage almost three million applications, from around 700,000 people, each year, for full-time undergraduate courses at over 380 universities and colleges across the UK.
In Scotland, there is a substantial section of higher education that is not included in UCAS' figures. This is mostly full-time higher education provided in further education colleges, which represents around one third of young full-time undergraduate study in Scotland – this proportion varies by geography and background within Scotland. Accordingly, figures on applications and application rates in Scotland reflect only those applying for full-time undergraduate study through UCAS.