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RECORD NUMBER APPLY FOR UNI PLACES

ABOVE: Record numbers of students have applied to university this year

8th February 2010

Record numbers of students have applied to university this year, figures have showed - fuelling fears that tens of thousands of applicants will be denied places.

Some 570,500 people have applied to start university this autumn, an extra 106,000 (22.9%) on last year, according to statistics published by admissions service Ucas.

Last year, some 480,000 people won a place. It is thought that slightly fewer places will be available this year, meaning thousands will be disappointed.

The record rise in applications will place universities, already facing multimillion-pound Government cuts, under increasing pressure.

The Ucas figures reveal that 570,556 people applied to university by January 22, the first cut-off point for applications, up from 464,167 at the same point last year - a rise of 106,389.

Applications from mature students have gone up by nearly two-thirds (63.4%). Some 62,322 people aged 25 and over have applied, compared with 38,141 at the same time last year.

There has also been a 45.5% rise in the number of people re-applying to university compared with last year.

Applications from overseas students have gone up by 28.7%, from 55,245 to 71,105, while the UK has seen an increase of 22.1%.

The figures come a week after university funding chiefs announced there will be 6,000 fewer places for the upcoming academic year than last year. Universities have been told they could face stiff financial penalties again this year for over-recruiting.

Ucas chief executive Mary Curnock Cook said this year would be "very challenging and competitive" for students and universities.