Universities still have thousands of course vacancies available through Clearing this year, giving students who miss their grades strong chances of securing places, including at prestigious institutions. UCAS reports more than 22,800 courses are still recruiting, with universities keen to fill spots amid falling international student income, creating what the article describes as a "buyer's market" for domestic school leavers.

Analysis shows 3,530 places remain at 18 of the 24 Russell Group universities, with prestigious courses such as engineering at Warwick, maths at Manchester and economics at Bristol among those listed. UCAS chief executive Jo Saxton expects record numbers both accepting places and applying directly through Clearing this summer. Clearing has been open since 2 July and runs until 19 October, though popular courses fill quickly once A-level results are published, meaning students need to act fast, prepare their UCAS details and results in advance, and think carefully about their preferences before calling universities.