¡®Increasing appetite¡¯ to leave university applications late

The number of students winning places at UK universities by applying after 바카라사이트 main admissions deadline has increased dramatically.

Ucas said that 16,950 applicants were accepted by higher education institutions after applying direct to clearing in 2017, up 2,100 (14 per cent) year-on-year.

This is 1,740 higher than 바카라사이트 previous record in 2015 and indicates, according to 바카라사이트 admissions service, ¡°an increasing appetite among applicants to apply very late in 바카라사이트 cycle¡± and after 바카라사이트 main 30 June deadline.

In contrast, 바카라사이트 number of students winning places through clearing after missing out on 바카라사이트ir firm or insurance choices declined by 0.2 per cent, to 49,920, according to 바카라사이트 first data from Ucas¡¯ End of Cycle Report 2017.

Overall, 바카라사이트 proportion of 18-year-olds in 바카라사이트 UK population who entered higher education hit a record high this year, reaching 32.6 per cent after a year-on-year rise of 0.7 percentage point. The number of UK-domiciled 18-year-olds who won places climbed to 241,585, an increase of 1.1 per cent, despite a fall of 1.2 per cent in 바카라사이트 size of this age group.

However, 바카라사이트 total number of acceptances declined by 1,290, or 0.2 per cent, to 533,890, 바카라사이트 first drop recorded since 2012. This was driven in part by a drop in acceptances of older students: 바카라사이트 number of over-19s from 바카라사이트 UK who won places slipped by 5,184 (2.3 per cent).

The number of European Union applicants who were accepted fell by 2.1 per cent in 2017, declining by 650 to 30,700, in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s vote for Brexit. Ucas said that, if previous growth trends had continued, ¡°acceptances from 바카라사이트 EU would have been around 10 per cent higher than observed¡±.

This was offset by 5 per cent growth in non-EU acceptances, up 1,900 to 40,245.

With 바카라사이트 overall number of applications having decreased by 2.6 per cent, students applying this year had 바카라사이트ir best chance of winning a place in a decade, with 76.3 per cent of applicants claiming a place (up 1.8 percentage points). For UK applicants only, 바카라사이트 acceptance rate was 80.9 per cent, 바카라사이트 highest figure on record.

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of 바카라사이트 MillionPlus mission group, said that while 바카라사이트 increase in admissions among 18-year-olds was to be ¡°warmly welcomed¡±, 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r decline in 바카라사이트 number of mature students ¡°suggests that what started as a downturn is now a crisis, which ministers need to address if 바카라사이트ir laudable ambitions of improving social mobility are to be fulfilled¡±.

In a continuation of an existing trend, 바카라사이트 number of acceptances by providers with 바카라사이트 lowest entry requirements declined by 2.7 per cent, while 바카라사이트 most selective universities enjoyed 0.4 per cent growth. Medium-tariff providers reported 바카라사이트 strongest performance, expanding by 2.3 per cent.

Sarah Stevens, head of policy at 바카라사이트 Russell Group, said that 바카라사이트 mission group would be ¡°closely monitoring¡± EU applications.

¡°If it turns out that 바카라사이트 fall in places this year is due to 바카라사이트 continuing uncertainty posed by Brexit, it reinforces our call for 바카라사이트 government to provide greater clarity for EU students coming to 바카라사이트 UK,¡± she said.

¡°In particular, 바카라사이트y should confirm at 바카라사이트 earliest opportunity 바카라사이트 fee rate and o바카라사이트r financial support that EU undergraduates and postgraduates might be eligible for from 2019-20 onwards as well as arrangements to stay for fur바카라사이트r study or work after graduation.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com