Northern Ireland

UCAS says record number of school leavers have applied to start university this year

UCAS says a record number of school leavers have applied to start university this year
UCAS says a record number of school leavers have applied to start university this year UCAS says a record number of school leavers have applied to start university this year

A RECORD number of school leavers have applied to start university this year, according to new figures from admissions service Ucas.

More than half of all 18-year-olds - 52.8 per cent - have applied to Ucas, an increase from 52.3 per cent last year and 48.2 per cent in 2020.

The statistics also reveal Northern Ireland has the highest rate of 18-year-olds applying to start undergraduate degrees across the UK.

A total of 12,070 18-year-olds in the north have applied to go to university - up from 11,670 last year and 10,720 in 2020.

According to Ucas, almost 60 per cent of those applicants are from women, compared to 42 per cent of 18-year-old men applying.

Other statistics reveal fewer mature students from the north, those aged over 21 - have applied for a university place through Ucas this year.

Ucas is the organisation through which applications are made for entry to full-time undergraduate courses at almost all UK universities. It said the data is for applications up until June 30, which was the final date to apply to up to five courses at the same time.

The organisation also said that across the UK, record numbers of poorer students are set to go to university.

However, it said while more students from disadvantaged backgrounds are applying to go to university, students from better-off backgrounds are more than twice as likely to apply.

The application rate for 18-year-old students from the poorest areas of the UK was 28.8 per cent, up from 27 per cent last year and more than 10 percentage points higher than in 2013.

Ucas chief executive Clare Marchant said: "It's really encouraging to see students from disadvantaged backgrounds apply in record numbers, despite the disruption the pandemic has caused to young people's education.

"Ucas' analysis shows that universities and colleges are continuing to support the progression of these students with targeted offer-making that we predict will see record numbers of disadvantaged students start university and college in the autumn."

She said there will be a "huge effort" over the next few weeks across the education sector to support more than 700,000 students transitioning to the next stage of education, adding she believes record numbers of students will get their firm choice on results day.

"Nearly 30,000 courses are now available in clearing across many courses and institutions," she said.

"There will be plenty of choice available to students who are unplaced or use clearing as an opportunity to rethink their plans.

"In parallel, we will be supporting students to secure apprenticeships and will proactively ensure all the options available are presented to students during clearing."