Record applications for university
Tuition fee rise planned for 2012 has caused huge rise in university applications this year
Nearly 600,000 university hopefuls an all-time record applied for a place on a degree course this year, official figures showed today.
Applications have risen by 5.1% compared with this time last year, with 583,501 candidates chasing a place this autumn, according to data from the universities and colleges admission service. Ucas said this was the highest number since it started collecting data in 1964.
The surge has been caused by the likelihood that fees will almost triple for some universities from next year. This year, fees go up to 3,375 a year, but by 2012 universities will be allowed to charge as much as 9,000.
The figures show a dramatic rise in the number of university applications over the last four years. In 2007, there were 402,831 applications.
At least 180,000 applicants are likely to be disappointed, because there are only just over 400,000 places available for undergraduate study each year.
Ministers funded an extra 10,000 places for undergraduates starting at English universities last year amid a dramatic increase in applications, but fierce competition still saw one in three candidates missing out.
The government will continue to fund an extra 10,000 places this year, but this provision will be withdrawn by 2012.
The figures show a spike in the number of mature students who have applied. Applications from 21-year-olds have grown by 15.3% on last year, while those from 24-year-olds has risen by 11.4%.
The figures give details of applicants' subject choices and show vocational courses are becoming more popular.
There has been an 18% rise in applications for degrees such as medicine and nursing compared with last year, and a 12.8% growth in applications for veterinary science courses. Applications for business-related degrees are up 9.1%.
At the same time, there is a decline in applications for linguistics and classica! l langua ges, such as Latin and Greek. Applications for these subjects have dropped by 2.7%.
Women make up 57% of candidates, but the number of men applying is rising slightly faster than the number of women. Men's applications rose by 5.3% compared to last year, while women's increased by 4.9%.
The number of applications from outside the UK rose by 12.5% compared with last year. Some 34,080 non-UK students from within the European Union applied, a rise of 21.6%. Applications from Hong Kong also grew by 17%.
Universities face a financial pinch this year. Funding for teaching will be cut by 300m, from 4.9bn to 4.6bn.
From 2012, universities will be expected to make up the shortfall by charging undergraduates more. Fees rise to 3,375 for students starting this year, but from next autumn universities will be able to charge up to 9,000 a year.
Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the umbrella group for vice-chancellors, Universities UK, said it was encouraging to see a rise in the popularity of science subjects and in the creative arts, both of which were "vital for the future growth of the UK economy".
She urged applicants not to panic at the competition for places. "There is still a good chance of securing a place at university. It is essential that applicants receive high-quality, targeted information, advice and guidance following the outcome of their applications and should also be sure to apply early for student support."
It is only when students graduate and earn 21,000 or more that they must repay tuition fees.
David Willetts, the universities minister, said the government understood how frustrating it was for young people who wished to go to university but were unable to find a place.
"Going to university has always been a competitive process and not all who apply are accepted," he said. "We are opening up other routes into a successful career. Our reforms will make part-time university study more accessible and we are also investing in new apprenticeship! places, with an additional 75,00 being created by 2014."
Les Ebdon, chair of Million+, a lobby group for modern universities, said ministers should guarantee a place for everyone who was qualified to study for a degree. The alternative was spending money on benefits for people who would have taken degrees but were having to sign on because of a shortage of places, he said.
"In a difficult jobs market, with unemployment on the rise, a degree would vastly improve the life chances of young people who have struggled to find a job after leaving school or college, and it would significantly increase the opportunities of older people who have been made redundant in the recession and are keen to retrain."
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