Record numbers apply to university

Record numbers of English 18 year olds have applied to university. UCAS figures show that 236,350 school leavers, 40% in total, had applied by the end of June, 3,970 more than in 2018. However, the number of 18 year olds in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland applying for degrees has fallen. Across the UK as a whole, 275,520 young people applied to university this year, up from 272,910 in 2018, but down from 278,130 in 2017. There were record numbers of black, Asian and mixed-race applicants, while the number of white applicants continues to fall. Surprisingly, the number of applicants, across all age groups, from the EU rose by 540 from 50,120 in 2018 to 50,660 this year. There was also a rise in applicants from outside the EU applying to UK universities to 81,340, an increase of 8%.