KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — This autumn universities in England are nearing a financial "tipping point” with some at risk of going under without urgent government intervention, according to vice-chancellors.

This was reported in The Guardian today with A-level results being released come Thursday, after which students’ decisions on higher education could determine the fate of several institutions.

David Maguire, vice-chancellor of the University of East Anglia, told the paper that "an awful lot of institutions are placing extremely large bets on this recruitment round” and warned: "Quite frankly I don’t think there are enough students to go around.”

It would appear the best short-term solution for struggling universities include mergers and departmental cuts.

Maguire also noted that a sharp decline in international student recruitment is forcing universities "aggressively” target UK undergraduates in the clearing admissions process.

However, this year’s process itself looks to be more daunting as fewer top A-level grades are expected.

Professor Alan Smithers of the University of Buckingham told The Guardian there will be 16,000 fewer A and A* grades compared to last year.

A vice-chancellor, who wished to remain anonymous, described this year’s admissions as "doubly dangerous”, as declining numbers of domestic and international students combined with rising costs, will force universities to spend more while earning less compared to last year.

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, has said that universities in England should not expect a government bailout, arguing that they are autonomous institutions that should rely on their own resources.

Two recent reports, one by PwC and another by the Office for Students (OfS), England’s higher education regulator, have predicted that 40 per cent of universities in England will face budget deficits this year.