Edinburgh Uni rejects high achievers after grade inflation leaves a shortage of places

After a record breaking number of pupils received the top A Level and Highers grades this year, the University of Edinburgh has had to turn away many outstanding applicants due to a shortage of places available.

As this year’s school exams were scrapped once again, teachers awarded final grades to their pupils using their own judgement. Overall, almost half of all pupils in England and Scotland were awarded an A grade, when normally the figure is under 30 per cent.

Due to this grade inflation, the university won’t be offering any places through clearing this year. Furthermore, those with offers who have narrowly missed their grades are unlikely to still be given a place.

This follows a huge surge in applications to Edinburgh Uni in 2021, with a 23 per cent increase in UK applications alone.

Scottish universities can take as many students as they want from outside of Scotland, but as fees for Scottish students are paid for by the government there is a strict cap on numbers. This has left many outstanding Scottish applicants being rejected during the application cycle this year.

However, 300 additional places will be given to pupils from the most deprived areas of the UK following the surge in A grades given to students, many from these areas.

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