A-level results: Cardiff University's clearing phone lines go down due to technical fault

A-level students are facing delays getting through to Cardiff University's clearing admissions team due to a technical fault.

The university said it was working hard to resolve the issue but was temporarily advising prospective students to call the relevant academic school to discuss potential vacancies, rather than the clearing admissions department.

Hundreds of thousands of students across the UK picked up their A-level exam results on Thursday morning, with tens of thousands of those expected to be seeking university places through clearing - a method universities use to fill any places they still have on their courses.

Last year, more than 50,000 students across the UK found university places through clearing.

A Cardiff University spokesperson said: "We're aware of a fault with some of the lines to our clearing enquiry centre. We're working hard to resolve the issue and we'll keep you posted. In the meantime, please call the relevant academic school to discuss potential vacancies."

One student said the clearing website was down and that they had spent an hour on the phone only to be disconnected before speaking to anyone.

The number of pupils getting the highest grades at A-level dropped in Wales this year, following the first round of exams since the pandemic.

In 2021 and 2020, pupils didn't sit exams due to Covid and grades were instead awarded at the discretion of schools and colleges.

This year has been described as a "transition year", aiming to bring grade inflation back to 2019 levels.

Despite this, Wales' Education Minister Jeremy Miles said a "record number" of Welsh pupils had gained a place to study at university.