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| University applications up 23% | University applications up 23% |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| The number of students wanting to go to university in the UK this year rose by more than a fifth, new figures show. | The number of students wanting to go to university in the UK this year rose by more than a fifth, new figures show. |
| Figures from the University application services, Ucas, showed a 22.9% increase in applications on last year. | Figures from the University application services, Ucas, showed a 22.9% increase in applications on last year. |
| The details on would-be student numbers come a week after university funding chiefs said there would be 6,000 fewer places for 2010-11 than last year. | The details on would-be student numbers come a week after university funding chiefs said there would be 6,000 fewer places for 2010-11 than last year. |
| Ucas said this meant it would be a "very challenging and competitive" year for those wanting to go to university. | |
| It is the fourth year running that full-time undergraduate applications have increased. But there is particular interest this year because of the funding cuts that universities are being required to make. | |
| The current economic situation is causing people to apply to higher education Mary Curnock CookUcas chief executive | The current economic situation is causing people to apply to higher education Mary Curnock CookUcas chief executive |
| Overall, 570,556 would-be students applied to universities in the UK this year. This was 106,389 or 22.9% more than in 2009. | |
| The number of UK-based applicants was up 22.1%, while overseas applications rose 28.7%. | The number of UK-based applicants was up 22.1%, while overseas applications rose 28.7%. |
| University funding bodies will be setting out how many places will be available this year in the coming weeks. | |
| Ucas chief executive Mary Curnock Cook said: "'It is clear that once again we have seen a significant rise in applications which leaves us in no doubt that, as last year, this cycle will be very challenging and competitive for applicants and the higher education sector generally. | |
| "There has been a steady increase year on year since 2007, but this year shows a sizeable leap in applications. | "There has been a steady increase year on year since 2007, but this year shows a sizeable leap in applications. |
| "There are some systemic changes affecting the figures but we could also conclude that the current economic situation is causing people to apply to higher education as a way of re-training to ready themselves for the job market once the economy picks up." | "There are some systemic changes affecting the figures but we could also conclude that the current economic situation is causing people to apply to higher education as a way of re-training to ready themselves for the job market once the economy picks up." |
| 'On the dole' | |
| She added that this year's figures included 46,012 applicants who had previously applied in 2009. They had either been unsuccessful in securing a place or had decided not to take up the places offered, she said. | |
| The University and College Union, which represents teaching staff said thousands of students would have their dreams of a university education shattered by government funding cuts. | |
| General Secretary Sally Hunt said: "The government is abandoning a generation who instead of benefiting from education will find themselves on the dole alongside sacked teaching staff." |