The option of studying in Britain still attracts several thousand Irish applicants annually.

Figures published by UCAS (the British Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) last month showed 5,973 applicants this year from the Republic of Ireland to colleges in Britain and Northern Ireland. (The number of applicants overall to UCAS rose to over 592,300 this year, an increase of almost 10pc on 2008 application figures).

The number of Irish applicants to UCAS shows an increase of 14.8pc on the 2008 figures, although it lags a little behind the numbers of some years ago.

In the mid 1990s, the numbers of Irish applicants to UCAS was as high as 12,000 a year. But the increase in college places available in Ireland, the abolition of tuition fees here in the mid 1990s, and the introduction of fees or student loans in British universities, are all factors that contributed to reduce the high number of Irish applicants.

But some students are still keen to study in the UK. England is the favourite UK destination for most applicants from the Republic, followed by Scotland, Northern Ireland, and then Wales.

The most popular areas of study for Irish applicants have usually been Medicine, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, and other healthcare areas, and teaching both at undergraduate and postgraduate level. It is not much easier to get a place on a highly competitive course in Britain, but applicants clearly feel it is worthwhile trying.

The UCAS system operates differently from our CAO process. UK colleges make conditional offers through UCAS in advance of the exam results, and if applicants meet the conditions of those offers (by reaching the grades specified), the place is theirs. If they fail to meet the conditions of their offer, they lose the place, which then goes back into a process called "clearing".

UCAS applicants who have not been successful in getting a place are entered for "clearing" and are sent a Clearing Entry Form (CEF). Anybody may apply for a place in "clearing", even people who have not applied to UCAS so far.

Applicants should not expect to find vacancies on highly competitive courses in "clearing", any more than you would find such places in the CAO’s vacant places lists. But nevertheless, opportunities abound. Lists of all available places are posted on the UCAS website, www.ucas.co.uk , and in British newspapers.

Students are usually advised to get directly in touch with the admissions office of the college that interests them. Speed is of the essence here, as the more interesting vacancies are snapped up quickly.

Applicants will find that it is better to make the approach themselves, rather than to hang back and ask their parents to do it on their behalf.

Normally results for both of the Leaving Certificate and the GCSE A Levels examinations are published within 24 hours of each other, but this year there is a week between them.

A Level results will be published on Thursday next, August 20.

The majority of colleges in the UCAS system will not post vacancies on "clearing" lists before August 20, although the process has started in some Scottish colleges, because Scottish "Highers" exam results came out over a week ago.

Tuition fees are charged for most courses in English, Welsh and Northern Ireland colleges, although loans are advanced to students.

Graduates are expected to pay back the loans after graduation, when they start earning over a minimum threshold of £15,000 (€17,400). The fees for Scottish and EU students studying in Scotland are paid by the SAAS, the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.

Mary O’Donnell