More than one in four English students accepted into higher education last year had at least one vocational BTEC among their qualifications, a study says.

Analysis by Ucas shows that 26 per cent (102,700)?of English university entrants had a BTEC in 2015, compared with 14 per cent in 2008. Most of these had BTECs only, but some combined the qualification with A levels.

The admissions service says that if universities assume that their new entrants have experienced the style of teaching and assessment associated with A levels, students with vocational qualifications ¡°may struggle¡±.

In particular, students with BTECs may have less experience of essay writing and examined assessments, and some gaps in subject knowledge, according to the report, Progression Pathways.

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Read more: First figures on student acceptances by institution for 2015 published by Ucas

A study published last year by the Higher Education Academy found that students who went to university with vocational qualifications were less likely to achieve a first or 2:1 when they graduated.

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However, the Ucas study says that many students with BTECs were ¡°very successful¡± at university and often had much greater subject knowledge than A-level students if their vocational qualification was a good match for their degree.

Ucas suggests that universities should consider offering more targeted support to students from a vocational background, and should also ensure that entry requirements for these students were clear.

A Ucas study published last year, focusing only on 18-year-old applicants from the UK, found that 63 per cent of them applied with the traditional set of three A levels, down to 173,420 from 179,659 four years previously.

Students with BTECs, either on their own or in combination with A levels, accounted for 15 per cent of all UK 18-year-old applicants, up from 11 per cent in 2011.?

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chris.havergal@tesglobal.com