Results day places hit a record
On A-level results day, 388,530 applicants were accepted by the university they had put as their firm choice, more than in any previous year, and Russell Group universities have taken a far larger share than they did a decade ago as recruitment targets have grown. More places at selective universities means grade requirements bend further than applicants expect, which is worth knowing before accepting an insurance offer.
Government refuses to raise the income threshold for the full maintenance loan
The Department for Education has confirmed it will not raise the household income threshold at which students in England qualify for the maximum maintenance loan, rejecting a recommendation from a House of Lords committee. The threshold has been frozen for years while earnings rose, so each year more families are assessed as able to contribute more than they can. It is the single decision that most affects what you actually receive. Student finance explained sets out how the assessment works.
Sudanese students will appeal over the visa restriction
Students affected by the government’s study visa restriction are preparing to appeal after the High Court ruled in favour of the Home Secretary, according to Sudan Scholars UK. Anyone holding an offer who is affected should assume the restriction stands while an appeal is pending, and talk to their university about deferral rather than waiting on the outcome. Being an international student in the UK covers the current rules.
The one clearing rule people break
UCAS has reminded applicants not to add a clearing choice until a university has actually given permission to add that course. Adding one without that conversation can leave you holding a place you did not want and no way back to the offer you did. Clearing is a phone call first, a form second, and the order matters.
Inquest into a student’s death after taking weight-loss medication
An inquest has heard that a 19-year-old London student, Josephine Nasr, died of an irregular heart rhythm in her halls of residence in September 2025 after taking weight-loss medication. Drugs of this kind are now widely bought online without a prescription or a medical assessment, and the coroner’s hearing is the first widely reported student death connected to them.
Disabled students and the belonging problem
UCAS has published guidance for disabled students on finding a community at university, citing research linking a sense of belonging to motivation, academic confidence and staying on the course. Practical points: declare a disability on the application so support is arranged before arrival, and contact the disability service before freshers week rather than during it. Making friends at university covers the rest.