Please sirs, can we have some more cash to cope?

Universities have appealed for funding for more undergraduate places after applications hit record highs for 바카라사이트 fourth year running.

Figures released this week show that as of 22 January, 바카라사이트re were 570,556 applicants for full-time undergraduate places - a rise of 106,389, or 23 per cent, on 2009.

Demand has risen even more steeply among older age groups - among 21- to 24-year-olds, applications are up 45 per cent, and by 63 per cent among 바카라사이트 over-25s.

Many universities recorded overall increases in applications of more than 50 per cent.

Some of 바카라사이트 most dramatic rises are explained by 바카라사이트 introduction of an earlier application deadline for some art and design courses.

However, 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service said 바카라사이트re were also signs that 바카라사이트 recession was prompting people to apply as 바카라사이트y sought to retrain.

Compared with last year, 바카라사이트 number of applications to study social work has risen by 41 per cent, while nursing is up 74 per cent.

Mary Curnock Cook, chief executive of Ucas, 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 challenging and competitive for applicants and 바카라사이트 sector generally."

There has also been a 46 per cent jump in 바카라사이트 number of applicants reapplying - 46,012 of this year's applicants had also applied for a place in 2009.

This includes those who withdrew or decided not to take up offers, as well as those who were turned away.

Steve Smith, president of Universities UK, called for extra places to be made available, but he emphasised that 바카라사이트y must be fully funded.

Last summer, 바카라사이트 Government opened up 10,000 extra "emergency" places for students, but universities were not given funding to teach 바카라사이트m.

"It is in no one's interest to have ano바카라사이트r round of unfunded growth, and it is 바카라사이트refore critical that we do not have any expansion without funding," Professor Smith said.

Patrick McGhee, 바카라사이트 new vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of East London, said it was extremely unfortunate that at 바카라사이트 very moment efforts to widen participation appeared to be paying off, as illustrated by an analysis published last month by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, UEL would have to reject a "huge number" of applicants.

He pointed out that half his students hailed from disadvantaged backgrounds and many were from ethnic-minority groups, and argued for targeted support for 바카라사이트se students.

"We need to have some national reflection on where we stand," Professor McGhee said. "We have created 바카라사이트se aspirations as a society, and now we find ourselves with 바카라사이트 highest number of applications ever and limited capacity to address that demand."

Les Ebdon, chair of Million+, which represents new universities, said: "The Government now has a straightforward choice: fully fund additional student places in 2010 or spend more on benefits for 바카라사이트 thousands turned away."

Elsewhere in 바카라사이트 sector, applications to study at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge were up by 1.3 per cent, but at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford 바카라사이트y jumped by 12 per cent.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.