Record numbers of disadvantaged UK students apply for university
record numbers of deprived college students within the united kingdom have implemented to visit college this yr, consistent with respectable figures that still display global recruitment has held up with a surge in programs from Nigeria, India and China.
in step with records posted by means of the colleges and colleges Admissions provider (Ucas), usual packages for united kingdom 18-year-olds have surpassed all previous statistics, raising concerns about opposition for places on the most popular guides as a few universities attempt to rein in numbers after over recruiting throughout the pandemic.
Universities will, however, be pleased to peer persevering with increase in international student numbers, which went up 3% overall with a hundred thirty five,000 applications. worldwide college students pay better expenses than their united kingdom counterparts, which assist offset the declining price of home fees which have been eroded through inflation.
The most striking growth in programs came from students in Nigeria, wherein there was a fifty eight% bounce inside the wide variety looking for to have a look at inside the united kingdom, although from a low base. Ucas said it had obtained 5,290 programs, up from 3,360 in 2021 and 1,670 in 2019. somewhere else there has been a 20% increase in programs from India and a ten% boom from China with 31,400 applications this 12 months.
Sarah Stevens, director of policy at the Russell group of research extensive universities, stated: “today’s figures show that notwithstanding a surprisingly aggressive environment, the UK stays a global-class destination for international college students.
“The strong growth in programs from India and Nigeria, prioritised in the uk’s global education strategy, exhibit efforts to attract students from internationally are beginning to pay dividends.”
Figures posted on Thursday for packages with the aid of Ucas’s 30 June closing date show the application rate from 18-yr-olds residing within the maximum disadvantaged areas in the uk stands at 28.eight%, up from 27% in 2021 and over 10 percent points better than in 2013.
a total of 38,three hundred students from the most disadvantaged regions of the us of a have implemented to college this year, and whilst these figures constitute a narrowing of the distance the software rate for 18-year-olds from the least deprived areas remains the same at 59.five%.
Clare Marchant, the Ucas chief govt, said: ‘It’s clearly encouraging to look students from disadvantaged backgrounds practice in report numbers, regardless of the disruption the pandemic has caused to young people’s education.
“Ucas’s analysis indicates that universities and colleges are persevering with to assist the progression of those students with focused offer-making that we are expecting will see record numbers of deprived students start university and college inside the autumn.”
the general application rate for uk 18-yr-olds stands at 44.1%, however Ucas was at pains to reassure college students worried approximately opposition. “Over the next few weeks, we’ll see a big effort across the schooling quarter to support greater than 700,000 college students begin the subsequent bankruptcy in their academic journey and we trust that record numbers of students gets their firm choice this year on outcomes days,” said Marchant.
“almost 30,000 courses at the moment are available in clearing across many publications and institutions. There may be lots of preference available to students who are unplaced or use Clearing as an opportunity to reconsider their plans.”
The Ucas statistics also showed that 490 people have end up the primary T-stage college students to use to university this year. The qualification is a -12 months vocational qualification supposed to be widely equivalent to 3 A-ranges and includes an extended paintings placement.
It also confirmed a fall inside the quantity of nursing applications, with an eight% drop throughout the UK from the preceding year. Royal college of Nursing wellknown secretary and leader executive, Pat Cullen, said this is “similarly evidence” things are “heading within the incorrect path” in the course of a staff disaster compromising affected person care.
The newly appointed minister for similarly and higher education Andrea Jenkyns stated: “it is splendid to peer a file wide variety of 18 year-olds from the maximum disadvantaged areas making use of for university.
“This yr additionally marks a key milestone for T stages and it's miles encouraging that so many students have implemented for better education.”