LAST-minute places will be available at some top universities this week, with some actively recruiting students.
Figures show that two thirds of Russell Group universities, considered among the best in Britain and Northern Ireland, were advertising courses on the Ucas clearing website.
In total, the site showed that this week there were around 4,700 undergraduates courses at these institutions with available places for students.
Numerous leading universities are encouraging students to consider studying with them, and even pre-register ahead of A-level results day on Thursday, when sixth-formers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive their grades and learn if they have secured a hoped-for spot on their chosen degree course.
Many are aiming to recruit students who perform better than expected in their exams and want to "trade" to a different university through the annual process known as adjustment, or those who simply want to change their course or university.
Ucas figures show that overall, around 890 applicants found places through adjustment last year, while around 50,000 were placed through the main clearing scheme.
Clearing is the annual process that matches students without places, for example those that did not meet their required grades, with available courses.
There were five different courses available through clearing at Stranmillis University College, including its four-year Mathematics and Science with Education teaching degree.
Queen's University Belfast had places on just one - a foundation degree in Energy, Environment and Sustainability. It had more choice for international students, however, although there is no cap on the number of international students it can admit. There was also greater course availability for students from England, Scotland, Wales, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.
A search for Ulster University on the clearing website produced 42 matches, with places available in a wide range of subjects including accounting, drama and environmental science. There were spots at its Derry, Coleraine and Jordanstown campuses.
The College of Agriculture, Food and rural Environment also had availability on courses across its Greenmount, Loughry and Enniskillen campuses.
The 16 Russell Group universities showing undergraduate courses with availability for English students specifically were Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Glasgow, King's College London, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Queen Mary (University of London), Queen's University Belfast, Sheffield, Southampton, Warwick and York.
Sheffield University is running a campaign this summer which it said aims to "challenging the old perceptions around clearing" and tell high-performing students that if they do better than expected that they can switch to study at the institution.
Liz Hunt, Sheffield's head of admissions said: "The University of Sheffield is looking to recruit high quality students through adjustment and clearing this year and wants to ensure that students who achieve better grades than expected, students who applied late, and students who may have changed their mind about the course they wish to study, are aware that Sheffield is an option for them."
She added that students can register in advance of A-level results day to express their interest in courses, and those that do so, and achieve the required grades will be given priority consideration if places are available.
Cardiff University, meanwhile, has been using Twitter to promote its places, using the social media site to encourage students to plan ahead for results day, view its vacancies and register for update.
