The Guardian today reported that as many as 30,000 students could have their university applications refused, due to a dramatic rise in the number of mature students applying to study in an attempt to re-skill and beat the recession.
The crisis is so severe that University vice-chancellors have been told to cap the number of students recruited, or face fines for over-subscribing their courses. UK Government Ministers have announced that they will provide funding for only an extra 10,000 places, despite UCAS – The University and College Admissions Service – reporting that applications for full-time undergraduate degree courses have risen by 8.8% or an extra 38,952 more applications.
The cap on student numbers was introduced by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, following their discovery of a £200m shortfall in their budget. UCAS has reported a rise across the board in all applicant types, specifically a 7.3% rise in applicants from school leavers and a 15.8% increase in people aged 25 years and over. Universities themselves predict that these numbers will continue to rise as the country is gripped by recession and employment options dry up.
This surge in applications is going to have two major impacts. First, competition for places is set to become fierce. But of more concern is the fact that there likely to be very few places left for students who go through the clearing route in summer. The real worry is that students who are turned away by universities face a tough labour market and the mid-term future is certainly worrying for many young people in the UK today. However, it is yet to be seen how universities’ strategies will change, perhaps with a stronger focus on international students, to help boost their coffers. Watch this space.
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