Best A-level results day ever predicted with record top grades and highest number ever getting into university

By ELEANOR HARDING, EDUCATION EDITOR Published: 18:51, 12 August 2026 | Updated: 18:58, 12 August 2026 Pupils are set to experience the best A-level results day ever, with record-breaking top grades predicted and the highest number ever set to go to university. As hundreds of thousands of sixth formers pick up their A-level results tomorrow, more than one in four entries will get at least an A grade. Experts are predicting 'several thousand' more entries will get this top grade compared with last year. This would mean a record high outside of Covid times – when grades were inflated due to exams being cancelled and teachers deciding marks. The grades bonanza is expected to boost the number of students accepted onto university degrees yet again. In 2025, a record 439,180 were accepted onto degree courses, following a 3 per cent rise. And the number of students entering Clearing – which allows them to trade their course up or down – is predicted to be at a new high. Jo Saxton, chief executive of Ucas, said: 'We're expecting this summer to see record numbers accepting a place through Clearing but also we probably will see record numbers applying direct to Clearing.' Pupils are set to experience the best A-level results day ever, with record-breaking top grades predicted and the highest number ever set to go to university (pictured: students celebrating last year)  I'm Alastair McCall, one of the UK's leading data journalists and Editor of the Daily Mail University Guide. I've spent years crunching the data to understand what makes a university stand out - from teaching quality and student experience to graduate salaries and career prospects. I've ranked every university in Britain, so whether you're applying yourself or you're a parent helping your child, I can show you which universities are best for your subject, where graduates earn the most, and much more. Click here to read the full guide  School-leavers will enjoy a buyer's market, with universities keen to hoover up domestic students at a time when international student revenue is falling due to visa rule changes. Analysis shows there are more than 22,800 courses still recruiting, including 3,530 at 18 of the 24 elite Russell Group universities. Some of the more prestigious courses advertised on the website of Ucas, the official admissions body, include Engineering at Warwick, Maths at Exeter and Economics at York. And historical data published by Ucas shows many courses are accepting students with at least three grades below the official requirements. However, yesterday, Birmingham University said it would in future introduce a minimum entry requirement of three Bs – or equivalent grades – to protect standards. Clearing is for students who have missed the grades they needed for their chosen university and want to find another spot. In addition, students who have done better than expected can 'trade up' to get into a more prestigious university. Last year, 28.3 per cent of entries got A/A*, compared with 27.8 per cent in 2024, and 25.4 per cent in 2019. When looking at A* grades alone, 9.4 per cent of entries achieved this – up from 9.3 per cent in 2024 and 7.7 per cent in 2019. While the rise this year in top grades is predicted to be less than half a percentage point, this would still translate into several thousand entries. Last week, Alan Smithers, professor of education at Buckingham University, said: 'The good news for those anxiously awaiting the 2026 results is that more top grades are likely to be awarded than in any year ever, outside those sent through the roof by teacher assessment during Covid.  'We cannot be sure, but it is my best guess... It could be that post-pandemic we are seeing the emergence of a new upward trend.' However, he added: 'This will be down to changes in the entry mix, not grade inflation.' He said that the rise in the popularity of maths, which produces more top grades than arts and humanities subjects, would be the driver of grade increases.  New education secretary Lucy Powell said ahead of tomorrow: 'For those off to university, we're increasing maintenance loans and reintroducing maintenance grants to ensure no one is held back by their background. 'Whether you're going into an apprenticeship or job, are off to one of our world-class universities, or are still working out your next steps, there are brilliant options and exciting opportunities ahead.' Going through clearing? Don't miss the Daily Mail's definitive league table and guide to every university in Britain