Application numbers up 8 per cent

Applications to university are up almost 8 per cent and more mature students are planning to study, according to data from 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service.

By 15 January, 바카라사이트 number of people who had applied for undergraduate courses hit 464,167, up from 430,489 at 바카라사이트 same point last year. Birmingham City University, Bucks New University and 바카라사이트 universities of Portsmouth and Hull saw increases of 25 per cent or more.

But 바카라사이트 figures come after 바카라사이트 Government cut its planned expansion of student numbers for 바카라사이트 next academic year by 5,000 places.

As it was last year, law is 바카라사이트 most popular degree, followed by psychology, medicine, nursing and English. Nursing entered 바카라사이트 top five after a 15.8 per cent rise.

The number of overseas applications rose 11.2 per cent, with increases of more than 10 per cent from Cyprus, France, Greece, India, Ireland, Pakistan and Singapore. China provided 바카라사이트 highest numbers outside 바카라사이트 European Union.

There was a 12.9 per cent rise in 바카라사이트 number of applicants aged 21-24 and a 12.6 per cent rise in those aged over 24.

Ucas will not release data on candidates' socio-economic background until later in 바카라사이트 application cycle because a high proportion were classified "unknown". A spokesman said: "This is due to occupation not being stated, recorded as unemployed or retired, or no match between 바카라사이트 occupation listed and 바카라사이트 reference tables. Manual verification is required to improve 바카라사이트 matching of applicants to social-class categories."

Socio-economic data were released early last year as an exception, he said.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of 바카라사이트 University and College Union, said: "Historically, recessions have seen a rise in university applications ... The rise in mature applications ... puts greater pressure on universities. We believe that 바카라사이트 Government should remove 바카라사이트 cap on student numbers in a strong gesture that it shares our belief in 바카라사이트 power of education as a force for good."