The total number of students accepted on to UK degree courses has decreased 2% on the same point last year, with 425,830 taking up places so far, initial Ucas figures show.
People who might consider deferring their place until 2023 have been advised to “think very carefully” by the interim chief executive of Universities UK.
Competition for university spots this September is expected to be among the toughest yet, but Chris Hale said the pattern is likely to continue next year.
Speaking during a Ucas-hosted Facebook Live session on Wednesday, hours before students find out their grades, he said there is “big demand” for university places this year.
The “majority” of students will get their first choice university place, and are not being crowded out by a deferred cohort, the Education Secretary has said.
Asked by BBC Breakfast if deferred applications would lead to more competition for university places, James Cleverly said: “We should remember that there has been an increase in the number of courses, and as you say the number of 18-year-olds has been increasing, but so has the number of university courses.
“Predominantly of course, students are competing with the other people that took exams this year.
“The number of deferments as a percentage of the overall applications is very low, something around 6.5% from memory.
“So the vast majority of places will be for students who have sat exams this year.”
Mr Cleverly said there had been a “tighter set of results than last year” with the return of exams, but added: “We have got to remember that the majority of students will probably be getting into their first choice institution, that is incredibly good news.”
