30th January 2012
Today UCAS publishes the latest applicant data for entry to full-time undergraduate higher education in 2012. These statistics include all applications considered on time for the 15 January equal-consideration deadline.
We also publish the number of applications (choices, not individuals) to each UCAS member institution, within this deadline. This is known as the applications digest.
For the first time UCAS also reports on application rates for young people applying to higher education in 2012, as well as rates of application in terms of advantage and disadvantage. Reporting application rates gives a clearer picture of demand because it accounts for annual changes in the population.
UCAS Chief Executive Mary Curnock Cook said: "There has been a headline drop of 7.4% in applicants with a slightly larger fall in England.
"The more detailed analysis of application rates for young people takes account of population changes. This shows a fall of just one percentage point in the application rate in England, with little change across the rest of the UK.
"Our analysis shows that decreases in demand are slightly larger in more advantaged groups than in the disadvantaged groups. Widely expressed concerns about recent changes in HE funding arrangements having a disproportionate effect on more disadvantaged groups are not borne out by these data.
"However, I remain concerned about the wide and increasing gap between the application rate of men compared to women.
"Although applications are down for mature applicants, this is in the context of some very substantial increases in recent cycles. Applications from mature groups are also set against a backdrop of increasingly higher HE participation rates at their school leaving age.
"The indications are that demand for HE will continue to outstrip the number of places available in 2012. Applications are already 50,000 ahead of the number of acceptances in 2011 and last year UCAS received over 100,000 further applications between January and the close of the cycle."
Application statistics can be viewed online here
The question isn’t how many – but are they making the right decision
Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert and Head of the Independent Taskforce on Student Finance Information comments on today’s UCAS figures:
“There is no doubt that the new higher fees in England will have put some students off. More difficult is assessing how big a problem that is. The worst case scenario is that it is those from non-traditional university backgrounds – wrongly panicked into feeling they can’t afford fees or scared of being saddled with huge unmanageable debt. The best case scenario is that this is a legitimate call from those who have investigated the cost, the value, and evaluated university is now not for them.
“I suspect it’s a mix. Recently less sixth formers I’ve met are bothered about the headline debt figure than six months earlier. They now far more sanguine and understand there’s no fees to pay upfront, and that you only need to pay on graduation if you earn enough.
“Yet we still have a job to do here in communicating the facts about fees. The most important thing I’d say to prospective students is if you want to go, you can still apply, and do your reading about how the finance works before writing off the opportunity. It is unfortunate those involved when this decision was made weren’t able to get a hold of this issue a little earlier, but it is my hope that the Taskforce has made a difference to perceptions about university fees since its albeit late launch.”
For more information or to speak to Martin Lewis, call 020 7419 5483 or email info@studentfinance2012.com or visit the Taskforce website for more information www.studentfinance2012.com.
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