University applications fall by 9%

University applications fall by 9%

New figures have revealed that the number of applications for degree courses has fallen by nearly 9% this year.

New figures have revealed that the number of applications for degree courses has fallen by nearly 9% this year.

The official UCAS statistics show that there has been in excess of 50,000 fewer applications, a fall of 8.9%, with many people put off by tuition fees tripling in many cases to around £9,000.

Universities Minister David Willetts has insisted that it remains a "competitive year" for students wishing to go to university but there will be knock-on effects too and Leeds student accommodation is likely to be easier to find than before.

England has seen the biggest slide in demand in the UK, with a 10% drop in application numbers, whereas Wales (down by 2.9%), Scotland (-2.1%) and Northern Ireland (-4.5%) have not been affected quite as badly.

A 10.5% fall in the number of applications from 30 to 35-year-olds has also been recorded and the number of people over 40 applying to universities is down by 10.9%.

This autumn is the first time that universities have been allowed to set tuition fees at up to £9,000 per annum and many of them are opting to charge the maximum, prompting union officials and others to voice concerns about the impact of the move.

Copyright Press Association 2012