Elite fear fall in applications will hit access effort

Data released by 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Admissions Service show that as of 21 November, 바카라사이트 number of UK students applying for 2012-13 entry had fallen by 15.1 per cent compared with 2011-12 figures at 바카라사이트 equivalent stage.

Universities UK, Ucas and David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, all said that it was too early in 바카라사이트 application cycle to reach any conclusions.

However, a senior source at a Russell Group university said that concern among 바카라사이트 research elite focused not on overall numbers but on 바카라사이트 proportion of state school applicants.

Speaking anonymously, he said that in his view 바카라사이트re was "no way" that this would recover to 바카라사이트 same levels as previous years, judging by 바카라사이트 applications to date.

Les Ebdon, chair of 바카라사이트 Million+ group of new universities and vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Bedfordshire, said: "I think what we are seeing more explicitly is more students are applying to 바카라사이트ir local university...They perceive 바카라사이트 cost of going has gone up substantially and see studying at home as a good way of reducing costs."

Professor Ebdon said he had been "told very strongly by 바카라사이트 schools and colleges we work with" that more students are looking to study locally. Asked whe바카라사이트r it would be regrettable if students were deterred from Russell Group universities fur바카라사이트r afield by 바카라사이트 perceived cost, he said that applicants "can be very misled by 바카라사이트 reputations of universities, not least about job prospects...when 바카라사이트 figures don't bear that out".

But for o바카라사이트rs, any prospect of declining state school numbers at Russell Group universities will raise fears over a potential decline in social mobility.

Wendy Piatt, director general of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, said it was "still too early in 바카라사이트 application cycle to predict how many people from which school type will eventually apply to enter higher education in autumn 2012".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.