By Sarah Harris

PUBLISHED: 19:37 EST, 28 November 2012 | UPDATED: 19:43 EST, 28 November 2012

The number of students in England applying to university has slumped by almost 10 per cent amid the increase in tuition fees.

It follows a 15.2 per cent fall the previous year, with one expert declaring that 'alarm bells should be ringing in government'.

Almost 12,000 fewer students in England have applied to start a degree course next autumn than had applied by this time last year for 2012.

'Significant impact': National Union of Students president Liam Burns said the Government should admit its higher education policies are having an effect on student behaviour

'Significant impact': National Union of Students president Liam Burns said the Government should admit its higher education policies are having an effect on student behaviour

That figure of 119,548 has fallen to 107,687 now – the lowest number at this stage of the application process for at least seven years.

It means there has been a 9.9 per cent fall comparing 2013 entry to 2012, according to the body which processes applications, UCAS.

The figures have renewed concern that the downward trend in university applications prompted by the tripling of tuition fees is becoming more entrenched.

Tuition fees were increased to up to 9,000 a year from this autumn. There was a peak in applications for 2011 entry in an attempt to beat the rise, with applications at this stage in 2010 soaring to 140,983.

A year later that had plunged by 15.2 per cent to 119,548, but vice chancellors had anticipated that demand for places would then recover. However, applications have now fallen again by a further 9.9 per cent to 107,687.

The UCAS figures show that, overall, applications from UK and overseas students have dropped by 8.4 per cent ahead of the main January deadline. Applications by Scottish students are down 10.5 per cent; Northern Ireland, down 9.3 per cent; Wales, down 8.7 per cent; and EU students, down 0.9 per cent.

The figures also show a 0.8 per cent fall in applications from students from outside the EU, from 15,996 at this point last year to 15,863.

This is the first drop in applications from these students who pay full fees and are financially very significant for UK universities.

It comes amid warnings over difficulties regarding student visas and the high profile case of London Metropolitan University being barred from recruiting overseas students.

Liam Burns, president of the National Union of Students, said that although these are early figures, 'significant early drops' in applications in England were sustained throughout last year, unlike in Scotland and Wales.

'Regardless of the repayment terms and the small print, students were always going to be deterred by 9,000 tuition fees.'

NUS president Liam Burns

He said: 'The Government should now finally admit that its higher education policies are having a significant impact on application behaviour. Regardless of the repayment terms and the small print, students were always going to be deterred by 9,000 tuition fees.'

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the University and College Union, added: 'It is rather concerning that the number of people applying to university appears to be continuing to fall.

'Everyone expected a drop last year after people postponed gap years in 2011 to get into university before higher fees. There is still time for the figures to recover, but it is a serious worry.'

Pam Tatlow, chief executive of the university think-tank, million+, said: 'It is very early in the applications cycle and many potential students take time to explore their options but alarm bells should be ringing in government.

'If these statistics prove to be indicative there would be another downturn in university applications in 2013.'

UCAS chief executive Mary Curnock Cook insisted that changes at this point of the cycle are 'a poor guide to final demand'.

She said: 'For example, in the 2012 cycle the decrease in applicants in November was much greater than the final picture in January, possibly because applicants were making more considered decisions about their higher education choices after the tuition fee changes in 2012.'

A spokesman for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said: 'It is important that no one is put off applying to university because they do not have information about the student support available to them.'

Earlier this month, England's Higher Education Funding Council revealed that university finances were under pressure after an 'unexpected fall' in admission rates. Some 57,000 fewer undergraduates started courses across the country this year.

 

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

International students are taking best places

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I bet its all the "media studies" and the like that are pulling out ,no loss then.:

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another nail in the coffin of social movement - now only those willing to incurr a debt ast the age of 21 can get the education that is needed to take this country forward. Anyone listening in government - thought not..

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When I did my degree as a mature student back in the 90's, I ended up with a debt of around 8,000. Once I found work after completing my degree I found a career which roughly doubled the amount I had been earning previous to doing my degree - no fortune, but I was able to pay my debts off within 10 years. I am absolutely certain that had I not done a degree, I would still be working in near-minimum wage jobs. I am also absolutely certain that I never would have contemplated a degree which would have put me at least 30,000 in debt - the gamble would have been too great. Point is I now pay far more in income tax and NI contributions than I would have - and I receive no benefits. Thus I pay substantially more to society. If I were in the same situation now the calculation would be easy - don't bother doing a degree! And society loses out.

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Admission to Uni was always based upon reaching a minimum of 'A' levels, this was to prove 1) the ability to reach that general standard and 2) the desire to go on further degree course education aimed for a specific industry - then the political establishment went mad and decreed that everyone should go to university, regardless of ability & desire, to achieve that they watered down all levels of entry, and the levels required for a degree pass/qualification, it has resulted in a very mediocre level of education for the last ten/fifteen years - BUT it did help to drop the unemployment figures for a number of years, although the governments had to throw an large amount of money at education in the form of grants. Now we have the results, only those with the desire and capability are going through, but the Uni will have to reduce staff & cut costs plus improve their personal qualification levels and improve the standards for a degree. But in industry now, we have some right yoyo's

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This is a good thing! The less people going after a degree mean 1) Achieving the degree will mean more as less people will be gaining that specific degree each year and 2) Less able young people are looking at alternatives such as apprenticeships or work. Gone are the days of labors ideology that 50% of people need a degree, leaving top universities littered with 'mickey mouse' degrees such as film studies.

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What do u expect. Working class parent on 16,000 a year is not going to send his kids to university. Can't believe the so called experts did not see this coming Wake up and smell the coffee people. Who in their right minds is going to university knowing they'll end up in debt of up to 50,000. The chattering classes don't learn. Very soon universities will be for the rich only. The penny will really drop when foreign students stop coming here in their thousands as they will soon start to. Mark my words universities especially the old polys will fold first followed by the mainstream ones

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Explain why it really a huge step forward for the UK to have a less ell educated workforce - how this will help us beat the Chinese etc etc. The new fees arrangements concealed a fall in university funding as govt withdraw support. On top of this, student numbers and therefore their fees are falling sharply. This means quality will erode and some unis may collapse Another great British asset wasted by the Tories

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I suspect this is great news to the tories.

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I hate the term 'issue' but it's the same right across the board. Blair enlarged the public payroll alarmingly and insisted on so called 'partnership' or 'umbrella' organisations to consolidate each other. When you set up such industries, their first and foremost obligation is going to be to themselves and to each other. The needs and genuine well being of the 'client group' is very much secondary. The Country has no need of illiterate graduates, certainly not in the numbers being turned out. Youngsters do not need thousands of pounds of un-necessary debt around their neck at the start of adult life. But the 'agencies' do need to secure it's own payroll. Especially as Cameron has his knife out.

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