A Birmingham university is bracing itself for a record-breaking number of calls in a last-minute scramble for university places.

With just a week to go before students across the region open their A-level results, staff at Birmingham City University are busy preparing for calls from students desperate to secure a place through clearing, which matches students with remaining university places.

Birmingham City University’s clearing hotline fielded 4,000 calls for just 300 available places last year, with competition expected to be fiercer than ever due to next year’s increase in tuition fees at all universities. The preparations come as experts warned more than 200,000 students would miss out on a university place this year.

Lyn Holder, head of outreach and enquiry management at Birmingham City University, urged students to “not to panic” and think through their options if they have been turned down by their original course choices due to lower grades.

She said: “Clearing can be a difficult time for students and their families.

“Of course, there will be an element where people will be worried about the higher fees in 2012, but it is more important that students choose the right course rather than taking a place up for this year.

‘‘There is a wealth of information available about what financial support is available, and the rates at which you pay back fees. The main thing is not to rush into things and go for the course which is right for you.”

The University and College Admissions Service (Ucas), which oversees the clearing process, said applications are up 9,000 on the 688,310 students who applied in 2010.

Nearly 210,000 of those who applied missed out on a place, and Ucas chief executive Mary Curnock Cook said she expected that number to increase this year.

The University of Birmingham said it would not have any places available, and students holding out for a last-minute place at the University of Warwick will also be disappointed.

A University of Warwick spokesman said: “We were not in clearing last year and we do not expect to be in clearing this year either.

“We tend to have around eight applicants for every place at Warwick and last year 81 per cent of UK and EU undergraduate students entering Warwick did so with results of AAB or above at A-level or the equivalent.”

Come 8am on August 18, Ms Holder will be overseeing a 20-strong team at Birmingham City University who will be manning the phones on the clearing hotline.

The number of places available is yet to be finalised, but she added that students should talk through their decision with family, teachers and careers advisors on results day.

She said: “Remember, only you can make the decision.

“Use other people as a sounding board, but don’t be pushed into something you’re unsure about or don’t want to do. Your degree can influence not just the next few years but also your whole career so pick what’s right for you.

“If you call the university clearing hotline, be calm and clear on the phone, and think through what you want to say before you ring as will need to sell yourself to the academic staff.

“Remember to be concise and to the point – if you can’t get through at first keep trying as the lines will be busy.”

The Birmingham City University clearing hotline will open at 8am on August 18.

For more information, call 0121 331 6777 or visit www.bcu.ac.uk

l For more information on clearing visit www.ucas.ac.uk