Unis urge foreign students to grab clearing places before UK pupils

Universities urge foreign students to ‘get ahead of the crowd’ by grabbing clearing places before UK pupils receive their A-level results

• Top universities have urged international students to take clearing places before British students
• Admissions staff said that foreign students have an ‘advantage’ over UK counterparts 

Universities are urging international students to ‘get ahead of the crowd’ and bag the best clearing places before their UK counterparts receive their A-level results.

Admissions staff are telling overseas candidates they have an ‘advantage’ over British students because they have already received their grades.

This means they should apply ‘as soon as possible’ to secure places on the most popular courses that still have places available for September.

They will be filled after UK students get their A-Level results tomorrow.

Newcastle University posted on its website that overseas clearing students have an ‘advantage’ over British school leavers and should call ‘as soon as’. 

And the University of Brighton tells foreign applicants they ‘likely have the benefit’ of receiving results ‘before students in the UK’.

Newcastle University posted on its website that overseas clearing students have an ‘advantage’ over British school leavers and should call ‘as soon as’

At Liverpool, international students are told to ‘get ahead of the crowd’ and apply now

A University of Brighton spokesman said: ‘Each applicant is considered on their individual merit.’

At Liverpool, foreign students are told to ‘get ahead of the crowd’ and apply now.

The University of Portsmouth also urges overseas candidates to apply ‘as early as you can, as you’ll need to leave time to get your visa’.

British universities have already been accused of shunning home students in favour of lucrative foreign applicants who pay higher fees.

Last night they faced further questions over the fairness of their clearing processes with fears the best places will be taken by results day.

Nick Hillman, of the Higher Education Policy Institute think-tank, said: ‘There is one principle above all that should always govern university entry and that is fairness. When people feel the rules are being applied unfairly, there can be a big reputational risk.

‘International students are keeping our universities going financially and are always very welcome here, but UK students must be treated fairly.’

Newcastle University deleted the word ‘advantage’ in its blog on late applications and clearing for international students after being confronted by the Mail.

It had read: ‘UK students don’t get their results until August, so you will have an advantage if you get your grades before then.’

Some leading Russell Group universities were found to be offering places on more courses to overseas applicants than their British counterparts, analysis of the University Colleges and Admissions Service (UCAS) website on Monday showed.

They included the University of Liverpool, which advertised 535 courses for international students but none for home-grown ones. And at the University of Leeds, just 13 places were available to British students compared to 181 to those abroad.

With tuition fees frozen during a period of high inflation, universities are increasingly looking to foreign students to sustain funding.

Fees have been capped at £9,250 for domestic students but there is no limit for international students.

A Newcastle University spokesman said: ‘All students, wherever they are from, are considered on their academic merits – time of application has no bearing on this decision’

A spokesman for the University of Liverpool said clearing places for overseas students are available ‘over a different timescale’ to reflect education systems around the world.

A University of Brighton spokesman said: ‘Each applicant is considered on their individual merit.’

The University of Portsmouth was contacted for comment.

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