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Teenagers will face record competition to get into leading universities next year after another huge increase in applications.
Figures showed a 12per cent surge in those applying to Oxford, Cambridge and medical schools for courses starting in 2010. But admissions tutors gave a warning that available places were "static", leaving many more candidates to face disappointment.
The figures come after a record rise in this summer's applications as thousands of school leavers and mature students opted for study rather than look for scarce jobs in the recession.
New figures from admissions service Ucas suggested that pattern would be repeated over the next 12 months.
Almost 72,000 candidates had applied by the 15 October deadline for Oxbridge and medical school, up from 64,000 last year.
Acting chief executive Virginia Isaac said: "Medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine and science as well as places at Oxford and Cambridge are very competitive."
Applicants from outside Britain rose 17 per cent, with Ireland and China showing significant increases. Oxford received more than 17,000 applications this year for undergraduate courses, an increase of 12per cent on 2008. The vast majority of the extra applications were from state school students.
Mike Nicholson, director of undergraduate admissions at Oxford, said the rise presented challenges, but he was "confident our rigorous selection process meets these by using measures to select the very best candidates from the very good".
