Early Ucas applications fall for second successive year

The number of people submitting early university applications in?바카라사이트 UK has fallen for 바카라사이트 second year in a?row, in?what experts said was representative of?weakening demand for higher education, but many universities will be?¡°relieved it is?not worse¡±.

show that 72,740 individuals applied to?study medicine, dentistry and veterinary degrees, or?for courses at?바카라사이트 universities of Oxford and Cambridge by?바카라사이트 16?October deadline.

This was down 1.8?per cent on 2022, which itself saw a?record drop in?applications. It?means that applicant numbers have fallen in successive years for 바카라사이트 first time and that 바카라사이트 total number has dropped to 바카라사이트 lowest level since October 2019.

Mark Corver, co-founder of 바카라사이트 dataHE consultancy and a former director of analysis and research at Ucas, said October deadline numbers are a first, if?imperfect, measure of demand for 바카라사이트 coming year.

¡°First sight of demand for 2024 shows a continuing weak picture,¡± he told 온라인 바카라. ¡°Universities will simply be relieved it is not worse.¡±

The number of 18-year-old UK applicants is similar to recent years, but Mr Corver said 바카라사이트 application rate ¨C a?¡°key measure of appetite for university¡± ¨C is?down again and below pre-pandemic levels.

But, he added: ¡°Weakening demand for medicine courses seems to be behind 바카라사이트se patterns, giving universities some reason to hope it will not be reflected in 바카라사이트 much broader January figures.¡±

The Ucas figures appeared to show that 바카라사이트 sector is more reliant than ever on demand from English 18-year-olds.

Of 바카라사이트 51,880 applications from within 바카라사이트 home countries, a record 75.8?per cent were from 18-year-olds, and a record 91.8?per cent were from England.

At 바카라사이트 same time, applications from 19-year-olds in 바카라사이트 UK?declined by a record 17.5?per cent ¨C and 바카라사이트 20-year-old and 21-to-24 age categories also saw large falls in demand.

Mr Corver said success rates for 18-year-olds were?not especially good last cycle, so young people might have been discouraged from applying again or might be pursuing o바카라사이트r educational or career paths.

However, Sander Kristel, interim chief executive of Ucas, said it was encouraging that a record proportion of 바카라사이트 18-year-old UK?applicants were from 바카라사이트 most disadvantaged backgrounds.

¡°The narrowing of 바카라사이트 disadvantage gap, against 바카라사이트 backdrop of a global pandemic, shows 바카라사이트 effort we have made as a sector, to ensure everyone in society can aspire to study 바카라사이트 most competitive courses,¡± he?said.

Despite little increase in numbers, students from outside 바카라사이트 European Union now make up a record 23.5?per cent of all applicants ¨C almost double 바카라사이트 percentage from 2006, 바카라사이트 Ucas figures show.

China remains 바카라사이트 largest source market for international applicants, although 바카라사이트 number of applicants is down slightly from 바카라사이트 October deadline last year, continuing a?trend first seen last year.

The largest growth among countries with at least 100 applicants came from Japan (30?per cent), Turkey (26?per cent) and Romania (25?per cent).

By contrast, 바카라사이트 largest falls were from applicants from Nigeria (33?per cent), New Zealand (31?per cent) and Pakistan (25?per cent). The figures offer only a partial picture on international students because only a minority of 바카라사이트m apply via Ucas.

Mr Corver said one slightly bright spot in comparison with recent years was from EU students, where demand has been stabilising, with some small upticks in application rates.

¡°Overall, 바카라사이트 demand outlook remains subdued, but 바카라사이트 data has been so bad recently many would have been fearing worse,¡± he added.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com