University applications down by 6%

By Peter Walker. Universities UK expresses concern over impact of tuition fees after Ucas data points to sizeable fall for total 2013 applicant figure.
The organisation representing British universities has expressed concern about the potential impact of tuition fees after figures showed a drop of more than 6% in student applications with less than a month to go before the deadline for 2013 applications.
Data from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (Ucas) showed there were 265,784 university applications by UK-based candidates up to 17 December, 6.3% down on the parallel period in the admissions cycle the year before. While this is less than the 8.4% year-on-year fall seen in earlier Ucas figures, released in mid-November, the looming January deadline makes it ever more likely that the total 2013 applicant figure will see a second sizeable fall following the introduction of annual fees of up to £9,000. Read more...