25/04/2003

Undergraduate applications rise by 4 per cent

The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has today released figures today revealing that applications for undergraduate courses is up by nearly 4%.

The latest figures from UCAS show that 393,750 applicants applied by 24 March for courses starting in Autumn 2003. This is up by 14,864 (3.9%) on the same point last year.

By 24 March, 215,763 women had applied through UCAS, a rise of 4.6% on the same time last year, compared with an increase of 3.1% in the number of male applicants.

However, the figures have been panned by the National Union of Students (NUS), which dismissed the increase as a "distorted figure" – claiming that 7,888 students (over half of the total increase) applied to the 10 new institutions that joined UCAS this year.

The union also claimed that there was no increase in the number of students from the poorest backgrounds.

NUS President, Mandy Telford, said there was no point in the government "hiding behind misleading figures to try and justify their inequitable policies".

She added: "We know that differential fees in particular will lead to a polarisation of higher education where poorer students will be forced on to the cheapest courses. To encourage students from the poorest backgrounds to apply to university the government needs to alleviate, not increase, student debt.

"Until this government recognises the role debt plays in deterring certain sections of society from university we will continue to have an inequitable system that favours the wealthy.”

The UCAS breakdown of applicants living in the UK and applying to universities and colleges in their home country shows rises across the board. Scotland shows the greatest increase, with the number of home applicants applying to Scottish universities and colleges up by 5.4%. Applicants living in Northern Ireland and applying to universities and colleges in the province are up by 3.2%. The number of applicants living in England and applying to English universities and colleges rose by 2.7% on last year – while Welsh applicants applying to universities and colleges in Wales rose by 2.4%.

(GMcG)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

30 January 2012
University Applications Down 9%
Almost 9% fewer students have applied for a place in University since the ramping up of tuition fees, according to figures from the admissions service on Monday. Last year the Government controversially trebled the maximum fees payable for a university place to £9,000 per year, leading to applications collapsing by nearly 9% on average.
14 February 2007
Rise in UK university applications
The number of students applying to universities in the UK has risen by 6.4 per cent. The figures, produced by the admissions service Ucas, shows the number of people applying to full-time undergraduate courses, due to begin in September this year, has increased by 23,624.
08 February 2010
Record Uni Applications
The number of applicants to higher education university places has again hit a record high, according to figures released by UCAS today. This is the fourth year running that full-time undergraduate applications have seen an increase. As of 22 January there were 570,556 applicants, a rise of 106,389 or 22.9% over 2009.
22 April 2013
Pret A Manger To Create 500 Jobs In UK
Pret A Manger, the chain of sandwich shops have announced a plan to create some 500 new jobs in the UK, as part of a drive for recruit 1,000 new staff worldwide. Sales at the company rose 17%, to £443m in 2012, resulting in a profit increase of 17%, up to £61.1m.
08 September 2010
£50 million Investment Announced For Colleges
Business Secretary Vince Cable has announced the 149 colleges across England that will benefit from funding of £50 million in Government funding to invest in new buildings and renovate existing ones.