Now, with the reversal of the fees structures in both countries, the situation is different. In some ways, however, the harsher climate north of the border and east of the Irish Sea might prove to be to the benefit of southern students. With many thousands of places left untaken, the British government's plans to provide spaces for half of all school leavers at college have been frustrated. Although many of these were intended for special groups, such as mature students, it is amongst these groups in particular that the reluctance to enrol has been most noticeable. This happens through a process known as clearing, when unused places are put up for grabs by colleges which want to fill them.
People use clearing for a number of reasons.
Grade A students may have been rejected from highly competitive courses, like medicine, for example. Some people change their minds after they've applied, reject all their offers, and then get exactly what they want in clearing. Some do much better than they expected and realise they could aim higher. Some apply late, whilst others don't meet their offers. Everything is on offer - from aeronautical engineering and alternative medicine to youth studies and zoology.