"Keep calm and carry on applying", our message to prospective students

30 January 2012

Commenting on the UCAS figures showing an 8.7% drop in university applicants for 2012 entry, CentreForum education researcher Gill Wyness said:

"Today's figures are disappointing, but to be expected. We saw similar trends in 1998, when fees were first introduced, and in 2006, when they were increased to £3,000 per year. Application numbers were up in 2011 as many students sought to avoid the tuition fees hike. The test here will be whether applications recover in 2013."

"The number of 18 year old applicants is down this year but then demographic change may be largely responsible for this. More worrying is the sharp fall in mature applicants. Increases in tuition fees may have a disproportionate effect on this group, something that the government would do well to address."

"It is also interesting that arts and humanities applications are down. This may reflect a trend towards subjects considered more 'useful' or that lead to jobs which command higher salaries."

"The message we need to get across to all prospective students is to keep calm and carry on applying. Student debt is paid back over a long period and is linked to earnings. Whatever subject you choose, you are unlikely to find yourself struggling to make repayments in later life."

ENDS

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