Number of university applicants drops again

THE NUMBER of people applying to university has dropped for the second year in a row.

New figures show that just over 5,000 fewer people applied to start degree courses this autumn by January 15, compared to the same point last year.

The fall is down to fewer UK applicants, driven by a drop in the number of 18-year-olds in the country, according to data published by the admissions service Ucas. But the figures also reveals an increase in overseas students, with the numbers of international applicants from the EU rising above 100,000 for the first time this year.

Overall, 559,030 would-be students applied to start degree courses at UK universities this autumn by the key January deadline, 5,160 fewer than the same point in 2017.

A breakdown shows that there were 12,420 fewer UK applicants, a 2.6 per cent drop compared to last year.

Most of this comes from a drop in 18 and 19-year-olds submitting applications, accounting for 70 per cent of the fall in UK applicants, Ucas said.

Alistair Jarvis, the chief executive of vice-chancellors’ group Universities UK, said “This small drop in applicant figures can be attributed largely to the fall in the number of 18-year-olds across the UK population.

“But the demand for courses from 18-year-olds across the UK remains strong.”

Last month, the head of admissions at the University of Sheffield Liz Hunt told The Yorkshire Post that the Government’s removal of the cap on student places has led to more students applying for difficult courses like medicine.