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The number of students accepted on to university courses before getting their A-level results has hit record highs, Ucas has revealed.
As of midnight on Wednesday, 385,910 applicants had been accepted by universities and colleges in the UK, a rise of 9% and 31,600 more than at the same point last year. Admissions service Ucas said it is the highest number of acceptances ever recorded.
The figures come as students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland learn their A-level results.
The figures show that around 345,300 applicants have been accepted to their first choice of university.
A-Level Results Day 2013
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Bridie McGrail speaks on her moblie phone after receiving her A Level results at Stoke Newington School, in Stoke Newington, north London. (credit:PA)
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Umamah Taruala after receiving her A Level results at Stoke Newington School, in Stoke Newington, north London. (credit:PA)
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Rosalind Barnett, from St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, reads her A-Level exam results for the first time to see she has achieved 2 A* and 1 A to secure her a place at Nottingham University studying Psychology. (credit:PA)
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Sandra Forbes reacts after receiving better than expected A Level results, at Stoke Newington School, in Stoke Newington, north London. (credit:PA)
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Rosalind Barnett, from St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, reads her A-Level exam results for the first time to see she has achieved 2 A* and 1 A to secure her a place at Nottingham University studying Psychology. (credit:PA)
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Sandra Forbes reacts after receiving better than expected A Level results, at Stoke Newington School, in Stoke Newington, north London. (credit:PA)
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Sandra Forbes reacts after receiving better than expected A Level results, at Stoke Newington School, in Stoke Newington, north London. (credit:PA)
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Nell Ranken, Rebecca Verlander, Louis Hill, Alice Simpson and Bridie McGrail (left to right) receive their A Level results at Stoke Newington School, in Stoke Newington, north London. (credit:PA)
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Krystyna Smolinski, from St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, reads her A-Level exam results for the first time to see she has achieved 4 A* to secure her a place at Cambridge University studying Natural Sciences. (credit:PA)
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Some of the top achieving A* students at St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, David Moseley, right, who achieved 1 A* 2 As 1 B and his friend Stephen Fulham, left, who achieved 2 A* 1 A read their results away from the crowds. (credit:PA)
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St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School pupil Susanna Harvey, left, smiles after reading her 2 A* and 1 A results as her friend Tiffany Irwin nervously prepares to read her A-Level results. (credit:PA)
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Krystyna Smolinski, who has achieved 4 A* to secure her a place at Cambridge University studying Natural Sciences and Special needs student Jeremy Budd, from St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, who achieved 4A*s in Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Philosophy and the highest grades possible in the two extension (STEP) mathematics papers he took and has been offered a place at Cambridge University to study mathematics. (credit:PA)
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Top achieving A* students at St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School pupils wave their their A-Level results in the air. (credit:PA)
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Special needs student Jeremy Budd, from St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, who achieved 4A*s in Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Philosophy and the highest grades possible in the two extension (STEP) mathematics papers he took and has been offered a place at Cambridge University to study mathematics. (credit:PA)
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St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School pupil Susanna Harvey, centre, smiles after reading her 2 A* and 1 A results as her friends prepare to read their A-Level results. (credit:PA)
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Krystyna Smolinski, who has achieved 4 A* to secure her a place at Cambridge University studying Natural Sciences and Special needs student Jeremy Budd, from St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, who achieved 4A*s in Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Philosophy and the highest grades possible in the two extension (STEP) mathematics papers he took and has been offered a place at Cambridge University to study mathematics. (credit:PA)
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Krystyna Smolinski, who has achieved 4 A* to secure her a place at Cambridge University studying Natural Sciences and Special needs student Jeremy Budd, from St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, who achieved 4A*s in Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Philosophy and the highest grades possible in the two extension (STEP) mathematics papers he took and has been offered a place at Cambridge University to study mathematics. (credit:PA)
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Special needs student Jeremy Budd, from St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, who achieved 4A*s in Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Philosophy and the highest grades possible in the two extension (STEP) mathematics papers he took and has been offered a place at Cambridge University to study mathematics. (credit:PA)
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Some of the top achieving A* students at St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School, Anna Skinner, centre, who achieved 2 A*s 1 A and her friends Tiffany Irwin, left, who acheived 1 A* 2 As and Rosalind Barnett, right, who achieved 2 A*s 1 A, read their results. (credit:PA)
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Two girls celebrate their results at Brighton College in East Sussex as students receive their A Levels results across the country. (credit:PA)
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A student holds her results at Brighton College in East Sussex as students receive their A Levels results across the country. (credit:PA)
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(L-R) Katy Lucas, Jessica Lance, India Dhadra, Beth Kelly and Rachel Madden celebrate their exams results at Brighton College in East Sussex as students receive their A Levels results across the country. (credit:PA)
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Tom Woodward celebrates on receiving 1 A* and 2 As after having treatment for cancer during his exams at Brighton College in East Sussex as students receive their A Levels results across the country. (credit:PA)
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Megan Larner celebrates grades of A*, A, and B at Brighton College in East Sussex as students receive their A Levels results across the country. (credit:PA)
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Megan Larner celebrates grades of A*, A, and B at Brighton College in East Sussex as students receive their A Levels results across the country. (credit:PA)
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Hannah Short celebrates grades of A*, A and B at Brighton College in East Sussex as students receive their A Levels results across the country. (credit:PA)
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Students Jonathan Cushenan and Hannah Cole, celebrate their A levels results outside Ballymena Academy in County Antrim. (credit:PA)
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Hannah Short celebrates grades of A*, A and B at Brighton College in East Sussex as students receive their A Levels results across the country. (credit:PA)
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India Dhadra celebrates grades of A, A, and C at Brighton College in East Sussex as students receive their A Levels results across the country. (credit:PA)
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Nino Harris, 19, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, a self-confessed "bad boy" who was forced to retake his first year of A-levels and now has won a place at the University of Oxford. (credit:PA)
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Withington Independent Girls School pupils pose for parents cameras as they receive their A level exam results on August 15, 2013 in Manchester, England. Over 300,000 teenagers are getting the results of their A-levels today as university admissions body UCAS said a record number of students have been accepted by UK universities. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
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Withington Independent Girls School pupils pose for parents cameras as they receive their A level exam results on August 15, 2013 in Manchester, England. Over 300,000 teenagers are getting the results of their A-levels today as university admissions body UCAS said a record number of students have been accepted by UK universities. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
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Withington Independent Girls School pupils pose for parents cameras as they receive their A level exam results on August 15, 2013 in Manchester, England. Over 300,000 teenagers are getting the results of their A-levels today as university admissions body UCAS said a record number of students have been accepted by UK universities. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
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Withington Independent Girls School pupils pose for parents cameras as they receive their A level exam results on August 15, 2013 in Manchester, England. Over 300,000 teenagers are getting the results of their A-levels today as university admissions body UCAS said a record number of students have been accepted by UK universities. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
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Withington Independent Girls School pupils pose for parents cameras as they receive their A level exam results on August 15, 2013 in Manchester, England. Over 300,000 teenagers are getting the results of their A-levels today as university admissions body UCAS said a record number of students have been accepted by UK universities. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
A further 98,740 applicants are awaiting results or decisions, while 145,730 are eligible for clearing - the process that matches students without places to courses with vacancies.
Ucas chief executive Mary Curnock Cook said: "The gateway to higher education swings open for many people today based on these results - congratulations to all of them.
"Demand for higher education has recovered after a dip last year and universities are keen to accept qualified applicants.
"For some, that means going through clearing where there are plenty of high quality vacancies. The Ucas website has all the information you need."
Students waiting to learn about university places can check whether they have been accepted by logging on to the Track service on the Ucas website.