Northern Ireland

Record number of applicants for ‘early deadline’ university courses

The numbers of students applying for top medicine courses has increased
The numbers of students applying for top medicine courses has increased The numbers of students applying for top medicine courses has increased

MORE people than ever have applied this year for university courses with an October 15 deadline.

Applications for most 2019 medicine, dentistry and veterinary science/medicine courses, as well as all courses at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, had to be submitted by this date.

Statistics published by admission service Ucas today, show 65,870 people applied, up 7 per cent, compared to 61,440 at this point last year.

There has been growth in applicants from across most of the UK, with English applicants rising by 9 per cent to 41,210, applicants from Northern Ireland up 4 per cent to 950, and applicants living in Wales increasing 5 per cent to 1,510. The number of applicants from Scotland remains broadly unchanged, with just 10 fewer this year.

Medicine applicants from Northern Ireland are up 10 per cent.