A-level students fight for university places

A-level students will find out Thursday whether their grades have secured them a place at university, amid a mounting battle for places.

While the pass rate is likely to rise again this summer, many students will find their grades are not good enough to clinch them a place.

Tens of thousands of youngsters, many with top grades, will be disappointed, universities minister David Willetts has admitted, as universities face swingeing cuts.

Many of the UK's top institutions have warned they are already full, after a cap was placed on universities, which now face a fine if they over-recruit.

A record 660,000 people had applied to university by June this year -- 12 percent up on last year -- and with only 482,000 places awarded in 2009, many are likely to be turned away.

More than 250,000 teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be picking up their grades today.

Results are expected to show that more than one in four entries have been awarded an A grade, while the new A* grade is due to be awarded for the first time.

The National Union of Students (NUS) warned that sweeping education cuts risked exacerbating unemployment.

?With youth unemployment pushing one million, savage education funding cuts and arbitrary limits on places, the Government is at risk of imposing poverty of opportunity on a generation of young people facing a very uncertain future," NUS president Aaron Porter said.

Many universities warned this year that they will have fewer places in clearing -- a system which finds available university places for students who did not make the grades for their first choices.

Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters, said the clearing process would be "more stressful than ever".

"My advice for school leavers that feel university is the right route for them, but miss out on a place this year, is to consider getting some broader experience -- either in the workplace or by volunteering -- which will help strengthen their application to university next time around," he said.