UK universities saw a record first day of clearing activity despite rising numbers of students being accepted at their first-choice institution.

A total of 16,820 applicants have secured a place through clearing after one day of the process, Ucas data shows. This was 1.8 per cent more than at the same point last year, and the most since comparable records began.

This route has become much more popular in recent years, with students benefiting from additional choice and universities given the chance to bolster their recruitment. More than two-thirds of students on this route are 18 years old.

The Ucas figures also show that 5,840 applicants applied directly into clearing without going through the main Ucas cycle. This was up 3.4 per cent on last year and also a record high.

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Students in the direct to clearing route tend to be slightly older. Of those to have used it so far in 2025, 28.1 per cent are 19 years old – and 10.6 per cent are aged 18.

On A-level results day, the number of UK 18-year-olds accepted at their first-choice institution rose by 4.5 per cent on 2024, while the number placed at their insurance option also rose 6 per cent.

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Rachel Hewitt, the chief executive of the MillionPlus group of universities, told Times Higher Education that the figures show demand for higher education is holding up quite strongly.

“I think also with clearing it’s demonstrating that students are coming through knowing how to make best use of the system, so I think it’s a really positive story.

“It’s definitely a part of the system that students are making best use of and it’s going be here to stay in the years to come as well.”

Gary Davies, pro vice-chancellor for student recruitment and business development at London Metropolitan University, said despite it being early days, the initial rise “fits a wider pattern of more applicants applying directly to clearing to switch courses or institutions based on new information when they receive their results”.

He said the process is an important pathway for mature and returning learners, and is becoming a “mainstream route” because of the choice and flexibility it gives students.

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Charles Seger, associate pro vice-chancellor for recruitment and admissions at the University of East Anglia, said prospective students have become much savvier about clearing over the past few years.

While this is particularly useful for those who those who exceeded their predicted grades, he warned it could potentially hurt lower-tariff institutions.

“The days of clearing being a mad scramble, where options are limited, and many courses fill up seemingly within minutes on results day are over.”

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Almost 70,000 students are currently holding an offer they are yet to confirm – slightly more than at the same stage last year.

With the opportunity to widen participation and diversify intakes, Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said clearing should be “more than a numbers game”.

“It’s an opportunity to spot and support talented students who might have been overlooked earlier in the cycle. Done well, clearing can be a driver of social mobility.”

But he warned that the expansion of many of the country’s most selective universities risks concentrating high-achieving applicants within a small cluster of institutions – reducing diversity across the sector and potentially widening existing inequalities.

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The Ucas figures show that the number of UK 18-year-olds accepted to higher-tariff universities has risen a further 3 per cent after the first day of clearing, increasing from 124,560 students to 127,930. This compared with 5.1 per cent for medium-tariff and 4 per cent for lower-tariff institutions.

patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com