UCAS, the university admissions service, last week released their End of Cycle Report 2017 which confirmed a record number of international students have been accepted to take degree courses at UK universities. This is the fifth successive year acceptances from this group have increased. Admissions saw a 5 per cent growth in non-EU acceptances, up 1,900 to 40,245, confirming UK higher education continues to be a popular destination for overseas students. However, there was a 2.1 per cent decrease in EU acceptances and Alistair Jarvis, Chief Executive of Vice-Chancellors’ group Universities UK, warned:
“The small fall in EU students suggest that Brexit is starting to deter EU students from coming to the UK. European students make a huge contribution to our universities, the economy and local communities. Spending by European students and their visitors supports 40,000 jobs across the UK. We need confirmation from Government that they will continue to provide financial support for EU students applying for 2019 entry and a commitment to a post-exit immigration system that minimises barriers and bureaucracy for students.”
Headline data reveals:
- 18-year-olds in the UK who entered higher education reached 32.6 per cent after a year-on-year rise of 0.7 percentage point.
- The number of UK-domiciled 18-year-olds who accepted places climbed to 241,585, an increase of 1.1 per cent, despite a fall of 1.2 per cent in the size of this age group.
- The total number of overall acceptances declined by 1,290, or 0.2 per cent, to 533,890, the first drop recorded since 2012.
- A drop in acceptances of older students (over-19s) from the UK fell by 5,184 (2.3 per cent).
- For UK applicants only, the acceptance rate was 80.9 per cent, the highest figure on record.
- 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 the previous record in 2015.