Spike in UCAS applications from international students

Number of international students applying to UK universities at all time high

There’s some good news for the university accommodation sector, as UCAS has announced a bump in January applications for undergraduate courses. The most significant coming from international students outside the European Union (EU).

For the first time, the number of international students applying for courses in the UK has topped the 100,000 mark, inclusive of EU and non-EU applicants. The majority of these applications have come from prospective students outside the EU. UCAS figures show that there has been an astounding 11% increase, from 52,630 to 58,450.

This has effectively smashed the 2017 figures. This sharp spike coming after rapid, steady growth between 2009 and 2015, which had plateaued in subsequent years.

Chief Executive of Universities UK, Alistair Jarvis, says that this doesn’t paint a full picture:

“Nearly a half of International (non-EU) students study at postgraduate level, so will not apply via the UCAS undergraduate route. Of those who study at undergraduate level, only 60% are accepted via the UCAS route.”

EU applications

Meanwhile, applications from the EU are still down on the giddy highs achieved in 2016, which saw record applications. 2017’s slump has been laid at the door of
Britain’s exit from the EU. While the outcome of so-called Brexit is still being untangled, European students’ confidence in being able to study in the UK unimpeded seems to be returning.

Applications have stepped up by 3% to 43,510, from last year’s desultory showing of 42,070.

Applications from UK

Overall, applications are still down on the 2016 figures. However, UCAs points out that the percentage of UK 18-year-olds applying to university has increased by 0.4% to 37.4%, from last year. The fall in numbers is due to a 2.5% dip in the overall population who are 18 years of age.

Meanwhile, the number of UK 19-year-olds and those 25 and older has tailed off slightly from 2017.

All in all, this paints a more rosy picture going forward for those providing student accommodation, following as it does the positive news from the October 2017 UCAS deadline.

Further reading:

UCAS key findings: www.ucas.com/corporate/rise-rate-18-year-olds-applying-uk-higher-education
UCAS deadine application statistics for January 2018 (PDF): www.ucas.com/download