The most-selective UK universities hoovered up applicants as A-level results were announced, squeezing the rest of the cash-strapped sector harder, official figures show.

Data from admissions service Ucas showed that 425,680 students had been accepted on to higher education courses as results day got under way, up 2.6 per cent on last year. This came despite a 1.6 per cent fall in the total number of applications, which stood at 667,650 at the 30 June deadline.

A record 82 per cent of students who got a decision this morning were accepted on to their first-choice course, compared?with 79 per cent in 2023 ¨C an increase of 12,850 students. This was driven in part by improvements in A-level results: 27.8 per cent of entries achieved a grade A or above, and 76.4 per cent were at grade C or above, with both measures up year-on-year.

But universities were also thought to have moved as swiftly as possible to lock in applicants, mindful that this recruitment cycle is likely to prove critical as the financial pressures on the UK sector increase.

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And the most-selective institutions took the lion¡¯s share, with Ucas data showing the high-tariff universities had accepted 160,710 applicants as results were released, up 7.9 per cent year-on-year and only just shy of 2021¡¯s peak of 163,100, when Covid-era teacher-assessed marking pushed end-of-school grades up.

This helped to push recruitment at the least-selective universities down to 129,290, down 1.8 per cent year-on-year as the long-running decline continued. As recently as 2019 these low-tariff institutions represented the largest recruiting group, and their intake this year is down 15.9 per cent since 2016. Medium-tariff institutions held their enrolment at this stage broadly steady, at 135,860.

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Ucas reported that 15,120 students had been placed by applying directly through clearing, up 8.1 per cent on last year, with the admissions service indicating earlier this week that more applicants had been declining their firm offers in order to choose another course via clearing.

But universities looking to?increase their intake after the release of results will find the going harder, with only 135,960 students free to be placed in clearing, down 12 per cent on last year¡¯s total of 154,530.

There have been warnings that universities which fall short of their recruitment targets could find themselves in a perilous situation, with new education secretary Bridget Phillipson having rebuffed requests for immediate financial support for ailing institutions, and having stated that she has ¡°no plans¡± to raise tuition fees, which have risen by only ?250 in England in 12 years, and have been further eroded by high inflation in recent years.

Ucas said that there were places on nearly 30,000 courses available through clearing, including many at the most-selective institutions.

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The Ucas data also showed that a record number of UK 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds had accepted a place on results day, with the total up 7 per cent year-on-year.

Ms Phillipson said that students ¡°should be incredibly proud of their hard work over the last two years and their achievements today¡±.

Vivienne Stern, the chief executive of Universities UK, said: ¡°It is heartening to see that a record number of disadvantaged students have gained a place at a university or college this year. We know that a degree has particularly strong benefits for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and this will boost earnings and career prospects throughout their lifetimes.

¡°Ucas and universities are on hand to support anyone who has not received the grades they were hoping for, or any prospective student who needs advice. There are still a wide variety of courses available through clearing this year at a range of universities.¡±

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juliette.rowsell@timeshighereducation.com