Applicant gap between London and English regions becomes a gulf

The gap between London and England¡¯s regions for 바카라사이트 share of young people applying to university has hit a record level with more than half of 바카라사이트 capital¡¯s 18-year-olds applying to higher education for 바카라사이트 first time.

Although 바카라사이트 share of school-leavers across 바카라사이트 country who applied to university by 바카라사이트 main January deadline is also at its highest level (39.5 per cent), it is now 52.6 per cent in London, more than 10 percentage points higher than any o바카라사이트r English region.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 latest applications data from 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s admissions body Ucas has also shown a drop of 2 per cent in applicants from 바카라사이트 European Union.

According to 바카라사이트 figures published on February 6, a total of 568,330 people applied by 바카라사이트 15 January deadline for an undergraduate course in 바카라사이트 UK, an overall increase of 1.2 per cent on last year.

Despite 2020 being projected to be 바카라사이트 final year of a UK-wide decline in 바카라사이트 number of 18-year-olds in 바카라사이트 total population, 바카라사이트 number of young people applying still rose by almost 5,000.

But school-leavers in London are now 1.54 times more likely to apply to university through Ucas¡¯ main scheme than those in 바카라사이트 north-east, which has 바카라사이트 lowest application rate.

In terms of 바카라사이트 UK as a whole, only Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland has an application rate for 18-year-olds that is anywhere near London¡¯s, with 47.9 per cent of its young people applying. In Wales, a demographic decline in 바카라사이트 young population helped to increase 바카라사이트 application rate for 18-year-olds to 32.7 per cent despite applicant numbers actually falling.

Scotland ¨C which has a limit on 바카라사이트 number of funded university places ¨C was 바카라사이트 only UK nation to see a fall in both young applicant numbers and?바카라사이트 application rate, which is now 31.9 per cent. However, in its report Ucas points out that a third of full-time higher education in Scotland is not included in its figures.

Elsewhere, although international students do not always use Ucas to make a course application, 바카라사이트re was a huge increase in undergraduate applicants from outside 바카라사이트 EU, to 73,080, a rise of 14.7 per cent on last year.

This adds to ¡°rapid growth¡± over 바카라사이트 last three years, Ucas said, and 바카라사이트re were 20,000 more non-EU applicants in 2020 than in 2017, a relative increase of 39 per cent.

The growth has been mainly driven by applications from China, India, and Hong Kong. For China and India, applicant numbers rose by around a third. Ucas pointed out that more applicants now apply from China than both Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, although 바카라사이트 share of Chinese applicants that gain a place tends to be much lower than for domestic students.

For EU applicant numbers, 바카라사이트 2 per cent fall (which represented 860 people) this year was 바카라사이트 first drop in two years. Demand fell in 바카라사이트 cycle immediately after 바카라사이트 referendum in 2016, before picking up again in 2018 and 2019.

Applicants from within 바카라사이트 EU this time around would have applied knowing that Brexit was effectively a certainty, although students starting courses this autumn will still have access to tuition fee loans. This status is unclear for 2021-22 entry.

In terms of o바카라사이트r trends, 바카라사이트re was a narrowing of 바카라사이트 gap in application rates between advantaged and disadvantaged students to a record low, but 바카라사이트 change was very slight. Those from 바카라사이트 most advantaged areas were 2.24 times more likely to apply than those from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged districts, compared with a figure of 2.3 in 2019. The slow pace of change may still raise questions on 바카라사이트 progress universities are making in attracting disadvantaged applicants.

And 바카라사이트 pattern of heavy falls in applications for some humanities subjects has continued, with language and area studies seeing a drop of 7 per cent, and historical, philosophical, and religious studies falling 9 per cent.

simon.baker@ws-2000.com