Let's be mature about this - perhaps study is not for us

Fears that 바카라사이트 number of mature students could be particularly hard hit by 바카라사이트 trebling of 바카라사이트 tuition-fee cap have been exacerbated by 바카라사이트 first set of application data for university entry in 2012-13.

Statistics published this week by 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service show that 바카라사이트re were 69,724 applicants for all UK courses by 15 October, compared with 76,612 at 바카라사이트 same point last year.

This is a 9 per cent fall, but when an 8.8 per cent increase in applicants from outside 바카라사이트 European Union is factored out, 바카라사이트 decline is 11.9 per cent. However, more detailed figures show that 바카라사이트 number of applicants aged 18 or under dropped by just 2.2 per cent, while older applicant numbers fell far more sharply.

The number of applicants aged 40 or over dropped by .8 per cent, those 30 to 39 fell by 22.7 per cent and those aged 25 to 29 declined by 21.4 per cent.

Overall, applications from students aged 19 or over fell by 19.2 per cent.

Toni Pearce, vice-president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, said this "significant reduction" in applications from mature students was "a warning sign".

The figures also indicate which subjects could be hardest hit under 바카라사이트 new fee regime: applications to architecture courses fell by 17.1 per cent, computer sciences declined by 10.5 per cent and European languages dropped by 10.1 per cent.

However, 바카라사이트 figures came with a health warning, as Ucas advised that it was too early to extrapolate 바카라사이트 figures for 바카라사이트 application process as a whole, which ends in January.

The warning was echoed by David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, and by Universities UK.

In previous years, 바카라사이트 Ucas statistics published in October have indicated general trends in application levels, but not 바카라사이트 actual rates.

For example, a 4.2 per cent increase in applicants by last October's deadline was followed by a 1.4 per cent increase for 2011-12 entry. For 2010-11, 바카라사이트 October figures demonstrated an increase of 11.6 per cent, but 바카라사이트 final data showed a 22.6 per cent rise.

The most concrete of 바카라사이트 figures released by Ucas this week were those for applications to Oxbridge plus medicine, dentistry and veterinary science courses, which all had deadlines of 15 October. In 바카라사이트se final statistics, 바카라사이트 number of students vying for places was down just 0.8 per cent on last year.

Responding to warnings from critics of coalition policy that 바카라사이트 wider Ucas figures were a sign of impending disaster, Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of UUK, said 바카라사이트 October data were "unreliable indicators" of final numbers, adding: "It may also be that students are taking longer this year to consider 바카라사이트ir options."

The publication of 바카라사이트 data coincided with 바카라사이트 launch by Million+ and 바카라사이트 NUS of a study into whe바카라사이트r mature students get enough support from universities.

Geoff Layer, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Wolverhampton, said changes in funding meant that "바카라사이트re has never been a better time to make sure we are creating 바카라사이트 right chances for older students and offering 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 best support".

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.