‘Broaden admission discussions,’ says MillionPlus boss

Students face stiff competition for first-choice university places this year

The head of the MillionPlus group of modern universities has insisted that most of those applying for universities this year will find places, but urged that discussions on higher education admission embrace a broader range of potential destinations.

Admissions have surged this year, while some institutions are trying to restrict student numbers after large intakes driven by grade inflation during the pandemic, when A-level grades were based on teacher assessment rather than exams. Newspapers have stoked fears that students will not be able to obtain the places they desire at higher-tariff universities—those that set the highest admissions criteria.