Students in Wiltshire are being warned not to panic if they did not got the results needed for the university of their choice.

A-level grades are expected to be down across the country following a toughening up of the awards process.

But three-quarters of top universities will make places available through clearing as the publication of A-level results triggers a “football transfer window”-style scramble to recruit Britain’s brightest teenagers.

Overall, the number of courses advertised by all universities in clearing will be up by a fifth on last year.

The move follows the introduction of Government reforms giving universities powers to admit more sixth-formers with good A-levels, creating an additional 30,000 places.

Experts said it had turned the clearing system into a “buyers’ market” in which high-achieving students can trade-up to a better course.

Figures will show that the number of students claiming top grades has dropped for the third year in a row.

In all, around 26 per cent of test papers are likely to be awarded at least an A, down from 26.3 per cent last year, 26.6 per cent in 2012 and a record high of 27 per cent in 2010 and 2011.

All Wiltshire College campuses will have career advisors on hand from 1pm to 4pm today.