Missed out on your dream course? Don’t despair-you may still be able to bag a place

Competition for university courses starting in 2011 is fierce. Last year, the number of places on offer was capped, yet unprecedented numbers applied, leaving a glut of disappointed hopefuls. If this is your A-level year, you’ll be vying with people who have spent 2011 honing their CVs to impress admissions tutors, gaining relevant experience, and confirming their determination to succeed in their field of study. You’ll also be caught up in the scrabble to get to university before the fees rise. Students starting at university in 2011 will pay £3,375 a year for their course, whereas those starting in 2012 will pay to up to £9,000 a year.

The already crowded student marketplace is now bursting at the seams. Those lucky enough to be offered a place to start this September know how much is riding on their exam results. Those who missed out a group that includes a great many talented students are evaluating their options. University admissions departments are steeling themselves for a tough summer. While it’s important to know just how high the level of competition will be this year, it’s also worth noting two things: first, many clever students miss their conditional offers every year, throwing sought-after places back into the public domain; second, nothing ventured, nothing gained if you want to go to university, there are still chances.The most obvious of those is called Clearing, and it matches students who are looking for a place at university with emerging course vacancies. If you applied through Ucas but didn’t get any offers, or if you declined or ignored them, if you were turned down or failed to meet your conditional grade requirements, this could be the solution for you.