UK University Applications Fall 4%

According to the latest data, university applications in the UK are down by more than 25,000 year on year, a 4% fall. It is the first decline in applications since tuition fees rose to £9,000 a year in 2012. This comes after the announcement that home/EU fees in England will rise again to £9,250.

Applications for nursing courses saw the steepest drop, falling 19% compared with the same period last year, after the UK government abolished the NHS bursary scheme in autumn 2017. This major change means nursing students will now only be able to access the standard student loan system, with no additional government financial support.

Applications from adult students aged 25 and over in England also fell sharply, down 18% (11,190 applicants).

EU Student Applications Decline

In February, UCAS reported that undergraduate applications from EU students were down 7% compared with the previous year, based on the January 15 deadline. Brexit was seen as a key factor behind the decline.

However, according to UCAS's latest data, based on the June 30 deadline, total EU applications were down 5%. That is an improvement on the earlier figures, but it still worries university leaders.

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of the university group MillionPlus, said, "There is no doubt that the government's handling of Brexit is creating huge uncertainty, both for EU students and for UK universities."

The UK government had already confirmed that EU students starting their courses in 2017 and 2018 would continue to pay the same fees as home students and remain eligible for the same financial support, even if the UK left the EU during their studies.

However, a recent report from the QS Intelligence Unit, (Will Brexit Put International Students Off the UK?), shows that many EU students are worried about the UK's unfriendly attitude toward immigration. They also feel uncertain about Brexit and criticized the UK government's communication on the issue.

Julia Goodfellow, chair of Universities UK, emphasized "the importance of continuing to tell European applicants that they are welcome in the UK and enrich our education system," and noted that "the decline in part-time and mature student enrolment needs to be addressed."

On a more positive note, UCAS data also showed that overall applications from non-EU overseas applicants rose 2%, from 69,300 in 2016 to 70,830 this year, showing that the UK remains a popular study destination for international students. Some have pointed out that the fall in the pound has actually made studying at UK universities more affordable for overseas students.

The proportion of 18-year-old applicants in England also rose from 37.2% in 2016 to a record high of 37.9%, meaning there were 1,510 more applicants than in 2016, despite the latest tuition fee increase.