Improved A-level results expected
Students in Scotland received their exam results earlier this month
Hundreds of thousands of teenagers are set to receive their A and AS-level grades, and results are expected to improve for the 27th year in a row.
Students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been assured a planned postal strike will not delay results.
Last year one in four (25.9%) entries was awarded an A grade and the overall pass rate rose to 97.2%.
Competition for UK university places will be tougher this year, with roughly 60,000 more applicants - a 10% rise.
Scottish students have already received the results of their Highers and Standard Grade exams - which showed a slight rise.
In response to the surge in applications to UK universities, the Westminster government recently announced partial funding for 10,000 extra places in "priority" subjects - predominantly sciences, engineering, technology and maths.
The irony is that while a record number of students are likely to get the top grades, more young people than ever are going to be disappointed as they fail to get a place at university
Stephen Williams, Liberal Democrats
There have been rises in numbers applying to most of these subjects, with the exception of chemistry.
Those who do not achieve the grades needed for their degree offers can use the "clearing" system to search for an alternative available university place.
Oxford and Cambridge saw record applications for the next academic year - around 15,000 people applied for the 3,000 or so places on offer at each institution.
Arts subjects
The Conservatives said ministers were to blame for the thousands of students who may miss out on a university place.
Shadow education spokesman David Willetts said: "First, they cut the number of extra university places, then they told universities they could offer some new places after all but only on an unfunded basis, which many of them could not accept.
"Now, they are still threatening the university sector with fines for over-recruitment. This is a recipe for disaster."
Liberal Democrat spokesperson for universities, Stephen Williams, said students applying to study arts subjects would not benefit from the extra places announced.
"The irony is that while a record number of students are likely to get the top grades, more young people than ever are going to be disappointed as they fail to get a place at university."
But a spokeswoman for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said: "Every student who gets the grades they need will be going to university this summer - and this year we expect a record number to get there taking advantage of the highest ever level of funded places on offer."
Next year, the highest performing students will be able to earn an A* grade at A-level for the first time.
The change was brought in after complaints that universities were finding it hard to distinguish the brightest students because of the increasing numbers being awarded top grades.
Last week, the Conservatives announced plans to award schools in England more league table points for entries in "harder" subjects such as maths at the expense of "softer" subjects such as media studies. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8199482.stm
Whats the views of students doing A levels or planning to?
