The squeeze on university places is getting ever tighter. But what does all this mean for students The Good University Guide’s John O’Leary explains that getting into university is going to be (62) this year. Of that there is no doubt, (63) the Government has slashed higher education budgets in England and (64) the 10,000 extra places it sanctioned last year. But just how much harder One vice-chancellor has (65) that 300,000 applicants could be disappointed this summer. That may be (66) , but it would be no surprise for the (67) to pass 200,000--roughly twice the number left without a place in 2003. We will have a better idea of the true (68) when Universities and Colleges Admissions Service publishes its first (69) statistics of 2010. Some universities are reporting (70) of up to 20percent in the number of applications. If that (71) of increase continues, there could be 75,000 more applicants (72) the time the places are (73) a figure that Universities UK is now using. There arc all manner of (74) built into such a forecast: early increases may not be (75) , for instance, and there may be a (76) rise in overseas applications which are not subject to the same restrictions as UK students. What we do know, (77) , is that more applicants will be chasing fewer places on current plans. There was an existing (78) to some extra places in the first year of degree courses, but even that will leave a (79) of some 6,000 places in the summer. If Universities UK is right, there would then be 1.5 applicants (80) every place, compared with 1.3 last year. That may not sound much, but it would represent an (81) level of competition.