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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Thousands may miss degree places | Thousands may miss degree places |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| An extra 42,367 people have applied to do full-time undergraduate courses across the UK this year: about four times the extra places available. | An extra 42,367 people have applied to do full-time undergraduate courses across the UK this year: about four times the extra places available. |
| Latest figures from the admissions service Ucas show an average rise of 8.8% against this time last year. | Latest figures from the admissions service Ucas show an average rise of 8.8% against this time last year. |
| Many new universities are reporting an "unprecedented" surge - with warnings that this will mean turning many away. | Many new universities are reporting an "unprecedented" surge - with warnings that this will mean turning many away. |
| The government has said it is committed to having talented people go into higher education. | The government has said it is committed to having talented people go into higher education. |
| But the National Union of Students (NUS) has called for a review of student places. | But the National Union of Students (NUS) has called for a review of student places. |
| Applications are up by between 6% and 37% in the Million+ group of 27 new universities in England and Scotland. | Applications are up by between 6% and 37% in the Million+ group of 27 new universities in England and Scotland. |
| Its findings suggest students completing their A-levels, Highers and Advanced Highers this year could face a hard time when looking for places for the autumn - and that many could miss out. | Its findings suggest students completing their A-levels, Highers and Advanced Highers this year could face a hard time when looking for places for the autumn - and that many could miss out. |
| Cap on expansion | Cap on expansion |
| The Ucas statistics show that, as of 24 March, 524,151 people had applied to start full-time undergraduate courses across the UK this autumn compared with 481,784 at the same point last year - an extra 42,367 people (up 8.8%). | The Ucas statistics show that, as of 24 March, 524,151 people had applied to start full-time undergraduate courses across the UK this autumn compared with 481,784 at the same point last year - an extra 42,367 people (up 8.8%). |
| Competition for places will be particularly fierce for those courses in high demand Diana WarwickUniversities UK | Competition for places will be particularly fierce for those courses in high demand Diana WarwickUniversities UK |
| The service said the pronounced increase in mature applicants continued: up 14.7% among those aged 21 to 24 and 15.8% among the over-25s. | The service said the pronounced increase in mature applicants continued: up 14.7% among those aged 21 to 24 and 15.8% among the over-25s. |
| Universities are fined if they over-recruit among EU students. Non-EU students make up 35,074 of the total applicants, almost 10% more than last year. | Universities are fined if they over-recruit among EU students. Non-EU students make up 35,074 of the total applicants, almost 10% more than last year. |
| After years of urging a widening of participation in higher education, the government now faces calls for extra funding to meet the surge in demand. | After years of urging a widening of participation in higher education, the government now faces calls for extra funding to meet the surge in demand. |
| And while England's Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (Dius) is funding an extra 10,000 places in 2009-10 it had originally estimated that universities could take 15,000 more. | And while England's Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (Dius) is funding an extra 10,000 places in 2009-10 it had originally estimated that universities could take 15,000 more. |
| It had to make a cut after learning that many more students than anticipated would receive grants to help them pay for their studies. | It had to make a cut after learning that many more students than anticipated would receive grants to help them pay for their studies. |
| Family income thresholds on means-tested grants are also changing, so that up to 40,000 prospective students will lose grants of up to £524 a year. | Family income thresholds on means-tested grants are also changing, so that up to 40,000 prospective students will lose grants of up to £524 a year. |
| Grants to universities by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales are going up by just 1.66% overall - meaning cuts for some institutions. | Grants to universities by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales are going up by just 1.66% overall - meaning cuts for some institutions. |
| In Scotland almost a third of institutions are facing a funding cut in real terms for 2009-10. | In Scotland almost a third of institutions are facing a funding cut in real terms for 2009-10. |
| 'Commitment' | 'Commitment' |
| Pam Tatlow, head of the Million+ group, called for additional financial support for places and said it would be "unthinkable" if thousands of suitably-qualified applicants could not enter higher education - with individual institutions reporting increases of 15%, 25% and 37% on this time last year. | Pam Tatlow, head of the Million+ group, called for additional financial support for places and said it would be "unthinkable" if thousands of suitably-qualified applicants could not enter higher education - with individual institutions reporting increases of 15%, 25% and 37% on this time last year. |
| And there have been wider worries about higher education funding following yesterday's Budget. | And there have been wider worries about higher education funding following yesterday's Budget. |
| Universities UK and the 1994 Group, representing research-intensive universities, have expressed concern about £400m in savings announced by Dius and cuts to the devolved budget settlements for the rest of the UK. | Universities UK and the 1994 Group, representing research-intensive universities, have expressed concern about £400m in savings announced by Dius and cuts to the devolved budget settlements for the rest of the UK. |
| England's Higher Education Minister David Lammy said the government was "committed to ensuring that people with the talent and potential to succeed have the opportunity to do so, a fact seen in the record numbers of people going to university. | England's Higher Education Minister David Lammy said the government was "committed to ensuring that people with the talent and potential to succeed have the opportunity to do so, a fact seen in the record numbers of people going to university. |
| "This is at a time when the government has also introduced improved financial support for students while spending well over £7bn a year in higher education, an increase of 23% in real terms since 1997." | "This is at a time when the government has also introduced improved financial support for students while spending well over £7bn a year in higher education, an increase of 23% in real terms since 1997." |
| Call for review | Call for review |
| The chief executive of Universities UK, Diana Warwick, said the application figures showed "unprecedented levels of interest" in higher education. | The chief executive of Universities UK, Diana Warwick, said the application figures showed "unprecedented levels of interest" in higher education. |
| But she added: "We expect a challenging admissions period this summer due to the restriction on the number of undergraduate places that will be funded this year. | But she added: "We expect a challenging admissions period this summer due to the restriction on the number of undergraduate places that will be funded this year. |
| "This means that competition for places will be particularly fierce for those courses in high demand." | "This means that competition for places will be particularly fierce for those courses in high demand." |
| The NUS president, Wes Streeting, said: "Unless there is an urgent expansion of places, universities will be unable to meet this demand. | The NUS president, Wes Streeting, said: "Unless there is an urgent expansion of places, universities will be unable to meet this demand. |
| "We are therefore calling on the government to launch an immediate review of student numbers for the coming year and invest in the number of places needed to guarantee a place to those who have the ability and aspiration to succeed in higher education." | "We are therefore calling on the government to launch an immediate review of student numbers for the coming year and invest in the number of places needed to guarantee a place to those who have the ability and aspiration to succeed in higher education." |
| Shadow universities secretary David Willetts said: "Ministers are paving the way for thousands of young people to be disappointed this summer, forcing them onto an appalling job market. | Shadow universities secretary David Willetts said: "Ministers are paving the way for thousands of young people to be disappointed this summer, forcing them onto an appalling job market. |
| "Young people must not be the victims of this recession." | "Young people must not be the victims of this recession." |
| Liberal Democrat spokesman Stephen Williams noted that the increased interest was coming not just from school leavers but from older people who were bearing the brunt of the economic crisis. | |
| "If ministers hadn't botched up the funding last year, more of these people would be able to get the skills they need to secure themselves a better future," he said. | |
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