Record number of students apply to universities

Record numbers of students have applied to university this year, figures showed today - fuelling fears that tens of thousands of applicants will be denied places.

Some 570,500 people have applied to start university this autumn, an extra 106,000 (22.9%) on last year, according to statistics published by admissions service Ucas.

Last year, some 480,000 people won a place. It is thought that slightly fewer places will be available this year, meaning thousands will be disappointed.

The record rise in applications will place universities, already facing multimillion-pound Government cuts, under increasing pressure.

The Ucas figures reveal that 570,556 people applied to university by January 22, the first cut-off point for applications, up from 464,167 at the same point last year - a rise of 106,389.

Applications from mature students have gone up by nearly two-thirds (63.4%).

Some 62,322 people aged 25 and over have applied, compared with 38,141 at the same time last year.

There has also been a 45.5% rise in the number of people re-applying to university compared with last year.

Applications from overseas students have gone up by 28.7%, from 55,245 to 71,105, while the UK has seen an increase of 22.1%.

The figures come a week after university funding chiefs announced there will be 6,000 fewer places for the upcoming academic year than last year.

Universities have been told they could face stiff financial penalties again this year for over-recruiting.

Ucas chief executive Mary Curnock Cook said this year would be "very challenging and competitive" for students and universities.

Last week, universities learned that their budgets were to be slashed by £449 million for 2010/11, including a 1.6% reduction (£215 million) in teaching funding.

It led higher education leaders to predict students would face an intense scramble for places and the cuts could impact on the quality of teaching at England's universities.

Professor Steve Smith, president of vice-chancellors' group Universities UK, said today: "This is the fourth year running that university applications have seen an increase and highlights the unprecedented levels of interest in higher education courses. This is good news since it indicates that many more people understand and want their share of the benefits that higher education brings. It also reflects the considerable improvement over the last decade in student attainment at 16.

"The figures confirm that this year's applicants will be competing for places against a large number of people who previously applied in 2009. The significant increase in the number of mature applicants also shows that people are continuing to look to upskill and retrain to meet changing employer demands.

"Given the increasing demand for a limited number of places, we expect another challenging admissions period this summer for both applicants and institutions. With this further jump in demand and the continued cap on student numbers in England, it's inevitable that we are going to see even more pressure on places this year and the strong possibility of many well-qualified students missing out."

He added: "With this unprecedented demand for higher education courses, UUK believes that the case for continued public investment in higher education is overwhelming. This should take the form of the allocation of additional student numbers, but UUK stresses that these must be fully funded, both in terms of Higher Education Funding Council for England (Hefce) funding and in terms of additional Treasury support for student support costs.

"In 2009, the additional 10,000 students were not fully funded either in resourcing to universities or in additional student support costs. It is absolutely in no one's interest to have another round of unfunded growth and it is therefore critical that we do not have any expansion without funding."

Dr Wendy Piatt, director general of the Russell Group of 20 leading universities, said: "Competition to get into top universities has always been keen and will be tougher than ever this year. Most Russell Group institutions have the same number of places available as last year and are making the same number of offers but applications have risen in most cases by between 3% and 18%.

"Maintaining the quality of our students' experience continues to be the priority in a difficult financial climate. Further cuts could make competition even fiercer in future years. Whatever happens, we are determined not to allow standards to be watered down."

Paul Marshall, executive director of the 1994 Group of leading research-intensive universities, said: "Students clearly recognise the significant benefits of a university education and these figures show our efforts to encourage participation in higher education are working well.

"However, the Government's response to this record demand must not be further unfunded expansion. If students are to receive the very best university experience maintaining quality is paramount. With universities already having to cope with significant funding cuts, unfunded expansion could leave universities unable to ensure the high quality experience that students rightly demand. Any further expansion must be fully funded."

Professor Les Ebdon, chairman of university think tank million+ and vice-chancellor of Bedfordshire University, said: "The Government now has a straightforward choice: fully fund additional student places in 2010 or spend more on benefits for the thousands turned away from higher education.

"The failure to fund universities will increase the call on the benefits budget of the Department of Work and Pensions, as thousands of applicants, who would have studied for degrees, are instead left to sign on because of a shortage of funded places.

"The most worrying consequence of this shortage is that many 'widening participation' students will miss out as universities juggle the applications of candidates with very high grades against those with lower pre-entry or vocational qualifications. A degree would vastly improve the life chances of young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds and it would significantly increase the opportunities of those people over 25, many of whom have been made redundant in the recession and who have applied in hugely increased numbers this year, as they try to retrain."

Ucas said the reason for the record increase could partly be due to the number of applications from those aged 20 and over.

Applications for nursing degrees are also up 73.7%, Ucas said, and a later March deadline which was available for some art and design courses has been abandoned.

In total, 46,012 people who applied last year have applied again.

Ms Curnock Cook said: "It is clear that, once again, we have seen a significant rise in applications which leaves us in no doubt that, as last year, this cycle will be very challenging and competitive for applicants and the higher education sector generally. There has been a steady increase year on year since 2007, but this year shows a sizeable leap in applications."

The University and College Union (UCU) said today that thousands of students are set to have their dreams of a university education shattered.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: "You cannot make savage funding cuts without serious consequences, despite Lord Mandelson's insulting efforts to sell the cuts as an opportunity.

"The Government is abandoning a generation who, instead of benefiting from education, will find themselves on the dole alongside sacked teaching staff."

She added: "Other leading economies are investing money in universities in order to help economic growth and widen participation, yet our Government seems intent on doing the opposite.

"This approach is an insult and a snub to the thousands of students the Government has been encouraging to reach for university for the entirety of their educational career."

Wes Streeting, president of the National Union of Students (NUS), said: "Last year the Government urged universities to expand without providing the funding to match, leading to a serious applications crisis. This year there must be no unfunded expansion, or the situation will be even worse.

"Given the state of youth unemployment and the long-term consequences of short-term cuts to investment in higher education, the Government must urgently fund an expansion of places to ensure that those who have the ability to succeed are given the opportunity."

Universities minister David Lammy insisted there is a record number of students in higher education.

He said: "Getting a place at university has always been, and should be, a competitive process. Not everyone gets the grades and some decide university is not for them.

"But it's early days and students haven't even sat their A-levels yet."

John Morgan, president of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and head of Conyers School near Stockton-on-Tees, said: "The record number of university applications is an indication of schools' and colleges' success in improving the outcomes for young people and, working with the higher education sector, raising the aspirations of those who might not have previously considered progressing on to degree level.

"However, there is a down side. This huge increase in applications coincides with a damaging cut in higher education funding which is likely to reduce the number of places available and make 2010 the most competitive year ever for those applying to university."

Sir Martin Harris, director of Fair Access, said: "As Ucas points out, there are a number of underlying reasons for this dramatic increase, such as changes to the deadline for some art and design courses and the phasing out of the nursing diploma. However, even allowing for these changes, there is no doubt that applications are up significantly, a very welcome increase that can be attributed in part to rising aspirations and attainment.

"Nevertheless, with a cap on funded places and universities who over-recruit facing fines, many applicants are going to be disappointed. Last year, fears that the demand for places would affect widening participation did not materialise. In fact, the numbers and share of accepted applicants from the most disadvantaged areas for 2009 entry actually increased.

"However, this does not necessarily mean we will see the same happen for 2010 entry. I would therefore urge all universities to continue to make sure that this unprecedented demand for places does not disproportionately affect disadvantaged students."

Shadow universities minister David Willetts said: "This is a dramatic surge in applications. With so few opportunities for jobs and training many more young people are applying to university instead.

"The trouble is they will face tight limits on student numbers due to the mess Labour has made of the public finances."