As of midnight, 385,910 had been accepted on to courses according to the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, up from 354,310 in 2012.

Yet the proportion of top A* grades awarded fell from 7.9 per cent to 7.6 per cent, the second year running it has dropped. A total of 26.3 per cent of A-level entries were awarded an A or A* grade, also fractionally down from last year.

However, the proportion gaining a grade B or above was up, from 52.4 per cent to 52.8 per cent.??

This last figure could be important for universities seeking applicants with ABB or above at A level ¨C the threshold above which institutions can recruit as many students as they want.

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A fall in top grades last year was one factor contributing to an overall drop in acceptances on to courses. Undergraduate numbers in 2012-13 were 13 per cent down on the previous year, a drop also attributed to universities making fewer offers and a smaller number of students applying.

However, the big rise in the number of students accepted so far suggests that universities may be on the road to avoiding under-recruitment, possibly by making more offers, although institutions do risk fines if they heavily over-recruit.

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The rise in acceptances also means that students hoping to gain a place through clearing may have fewer options open to them, although fewer may need to use the service.

Mary Curnock Cook, Ucas chief executive, said: ¡°Demand for higher education has recovered after a dip last year and universities are keen to accept qualified applicants.¡±

The proportion of A-level entries awarded A*-E was 98.1 per cent, up for the 31^st successive year.

The growth in entries for maths, science and technology subjects continued, but there was another drop in the number of students taking French and German ¨C down 9.9 per cent and 11.1 per cent respectively.

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david.matthews@tsleducation.com