More teenagers going to university

Teenagers in England and Scotland are now more likely to go to university than before, figures show. One in three English 18-year-olds have been placed on degree courses through Ucas this year.

TEENAGERS IN England and Scotland are now more likely to go to university than ever before, official figures show.

One in three English 18-yearolds have been placed on degree courses through Ucas this year, according to new data published by the admissions service, along with around one in four Scottish youngsters of the same age.

The hikes come amid an overall fall in the numbers going to university this year, fuelled in part by a drop in older students and fewer coming to study in the UK from the EU.

The latest snapshot, taken four weeks after A-level results day, show that in both England and Scotland, entry rates have risen every year since 2013, reaching the highest point recorded this year.

The figures come amid reports that cuts to tuition fees that would save students at least £5,000 are being considered by the Chancellor.

Philip Hammond is looking at capping annual charges at £7,500 instead of the current level of £9,250, it was claimed yesterday.

The Government has come under intense pressure to ease the burden of student finances after warnings that most graduates will never clear their debts.

Reforming the system would also give the Tories an eye-catching policy following the disastrous General Election result on the back of the party’s austere manifesto.

The entry rate for 18-year-olds, typically school leavers, in England is now 33.3 per cent, up 0.8 percentage points on last year, meaning that one in three students now go on to higher education.

In Scotland, the entry rate for 18-year-olds is 25.5 per cent, up 0.7 percentage points. But in Northern Ireland and Wales, entry rates have fallen slightly this year, and stand at 34.8 per cent and 29.1 per cent respectively.

The report does note that in Scotland, a “substantial part” of higher education is not included in Ucas figures, mainly courses that are provided by further education colleges.

This means that the entry rates for Scotland only cover students that have used Ucas.

Overall, 505,680 applicants have now been placed on fulltime degree courses at UK universities, one per cent lower than the number placed at the same point last year.

It is the first fall for five years and the third drop since 2006, Ucas said.

Chris Hale, director of policy at vice-chancellors’ group Universities UK, said: “Demand for university places remains strong, including from under-represented groups.

“Again this year, the proportion of 18-year-olds in the UK applying for university are at their highest ever levels.

“There were a variety of reasons behind the drop in overall applications this year, including the decline in the number of 18 and 19-year-olds, changes to funding for degrees in nursing, and the possible impact of the vote to leave the EU.

“Going to university is still a huge benefit to individuals in terms of lifelong skills, earnings, and the experience of meeting people from all corners the world.”

Graduates who attended university for free should start paying towards their cost of their degree, a research paper suggests.

A new study calls for the introduction of a new “all-age graduate tax” which is paid by everyone who has a degree, regardless of when they studied or how much it cost them. The proposal would help to cut the amount that today’s students pay to go to university, according to the authors.

Demand for university places remains strong. Chris Hale, director of policy at vicechancellors’ group Universities UK.