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| Record number of university admissions after cap lifted | Record number of university admissions after cap lifted |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| A record number of students have been accepted on to university courses this year, with women making up an increasing share of undergraduates. | A record number of students have been accepted on to university courses this year, with women making up an increasing share of undergraduates. |
| The admissions service Ucas revealed that by early Thursday 409,000 applicants had been accepted to start higher education courses – an increase of 3% compared with last year and evidence that students are not deterred by the burdens of post-graduation debt. | The admissions service Ucas revealed that by early Thursday 409,000 applicants had been accepted to start higher education courses – an increase of 3% compared with last year and evidence that students are not deterred by the burdens of post-graduation debt. |
| The rise was boosted by a surge in acceptances of mature students in Scotland as well as a sharp increase in those coming to study in the UK from elsewhere in the European Union. | The rise was boosted by a surge in acceptances of mature students in Scotland as well as a sharp increase in those coming to study in the UK from elsewhere in the European Union. |
| Related: A-level results show falling proportion of top grades | Related: A-level results show falling proportion of top grades |
| The rise comes in the first year since the government lifted a cap on university places in England, allowing universities to recruit as many students as they see fit, leading many colleges and universities to increase their intake. | The rise comes in the first year since the government lifted a cap on university places in England, allowing universities to recruit as many students as they see fit, leading many colleges and universities to increase their intake. |
| “This is great news and shows that by lifting the cap on student numbers we are helping more people than ever benefit from higher education and gain the skills that businesses seek to boost productivity and support growth,” said Jo Johnson, the universities minister. | “This is great news and shows that by lifting the cap on student numbers we are helping more people than ever benefit from higher education and gain the skills that businesses seek to boost productivity and support growth,” said Jo Johnson, the universities minister. |
| Mary Curnock Cook, the chief executive of Ucas, said the fact that more students than ever before were entering higher education was “an impressive outcome”. | Mary Curnock Cook, the chief executive of Ucas, said the fact that more students than ever before were entering higher education was “an impressive outcome”. |
| The gap in the proportion of female and male applicants continued to widen, with 58,000 more women than men enrolling as undergraduates. Women make up 57% of this year’s undergraduate cohort. | |
| Looking at UK-based applicants alone, on A-level results day more than 150,000 men and more than 200,000 women had been placed, with the number of women up 4%, twice the increase among men. | Looking at UK-based applicants alone, on A-level results day more than 150,000 men and more than 200,000 women had been placed, with the number of women up 4%, twice the increase among men. |
| Women in Scotland showed the fastest rate of increase, up 12% compared with 2014. | Women in Scotland showed the fastest rate of increase, up 12% compared with 2014. |
| Curnock Cook said: “The equivalent of 32,000 young men are missing from our university campuses as young women are on average a third more likely to go on to higher education. | Curnock Cook said: “The equivalent of 32,000 young men are missing from our university campuses as young women are on average a third more likely to go on to higher education. |
| “Young women are powering much of the improvement in demand for higher education from disadvantaged groups, so tackling the lower progression overall by men would also do much to accelerate improvements in the gap between rich and poor.” | “Young women are powering much of the improvement in demand for higher education from disadvantaged groups, so tackling the lower progression overall by men would also do much to accelerate improvements in the gap between rich and poor.” |
| Cherry Ridgway, of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “I think students are looking carefully at the subjects they need to get into university and schools are helping them with good careers advice to look at what qualifications they need to take the next step.” | Cherry Ridgway, of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “I think students are looking carefully at the subjects they need to get into university and schools are helping them with good careers advice to look at what qualifications they need to take the next step.” |
| Overall, the rise in undergraduate numbers was fuelled by increases in applications from overseas and European Union-based students – applicants from the EU were up by 11% – as well as above-average increases in the number of students accepted from disadvantaged backgrounds. | Overall, the rise in undergraduate numbers was fuelled by increases in applications from overseas and European Union-based students – applicants from the EU were up by 11% – as well as above-average increases in the number of students accepted from disadvantaged backgrounds. |
| Scotland’s increase in acceptances stood out because of the rapid growth seen in mature students, bucking the trend in England and Wales which once again saw shrinking numbers of applications from those aged over 25. | Scotland’s increase in acceptances stood out because of the rapid growth seen in mature students, bucking the trend in England and Wales which once again saw shrinking numbers of applications from those aged over 25. |
| Mature student numbers jumped by 37% in Scotlandand fell by 2% in England. The difference suggests that potential mature students are more likely to be deterred by the prospect of £9,000 tuition fees in England, which their Scots counterparts don’t have to pay if they study in their home country. | Mature student numbers jumped by 37% in Scotlandand fell by 2% in England. The difference suggests that potential mature students are more likely to be deterred by the prospect of £9,000 tuition fees in England, which their Scots counterparts don’t have to pay if they study in their home country. |
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