Commenting on today’s UCAS applicant statistics, Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive of Universities UK, said: “We still have to hold back before coming to conclusions about these figures. There are still seven weeks left for people to get their applications in before the 15 January UCAS deadline.
“It's worth noting that applicant numbers are currently down, not only in England, but also in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who do not have the same fees system. And last year [for 2011 entry], for various reasons, was something of a one-off in terms of record demand. If we compare today's figures with the same point in 2010, the numbers are broadly similar.
“If there are still people in two minds about whether or not to apply to university, we have to make sure that they have all the information available about the new system.
“There is evidence to suggest that many people still don’t know some of the basic facts about the new system. It’s important that no one is put off from applying to university due to financial reasons.”
There was a significant spike in applications between the 2010 and 2011 cycles, with a 11.7 per cent increase in applicants at the November stage. Factors such as applicants cancelling gap years and mature students applying to avoid a difficult jobs market, were all contributing factors.
Comparing the 2010 and 2012 application cycles at the same point, there was a decrease of only 3 per cent for all applicants.
Notes
- Applicant figures for 2012 as of Monday 21 November 2011 are now available on the UCAS website
- A video podcast by Professor Eric Thomas commenting on today's figures is available. Professor Thomas is President of Universities UK and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol. For further information, please contact the Universities UK press office on 020 7419 5407 or email pressoffice@universitiesuk.ac.uk