Ucas reports record student applications for university
Nearly 600,000 university hopefuls – an all-time record – applied for a place on a degree course this year, official figures showed today.
Applications have risen by 5.1% compared with this time last year, with 583,501 candidates chasing a place this autumn, according to data from the universities and colleges admission service. Ucas said this was the highest number since it started collecting data in 1964.
The surge has been caused by the likelihood that fees will almost triple for some universities from next year. This year, fees go up to £3,375 a year, but by 2012 universities will be allowed to charge as much as £9,000 …