The University of York has posted only a slight fall in final application rates, against national statistics that show a 9.9% tumble in UCAS applications from prospective students to English universities.
The figures, released yesterday following the passing of the application deadline for most 2012/13 courses, recorded 18,879 Home student applications to York for 2012, a year-on-year rise of 112, alongside a similar rise from 2011 rates from non-EU applicants, with 2,378 applying this year.
The only student profile that saw a noteworthy drop in applications was from students from within the EU, with applications falling from 1,622 (2011) to 1,255 (2012).
Whilst York’s application figures are down overall by 0.43%, this is considerably less than the massive 9.9% decline in England and 7.4% drop in the UK average. Figures also held up remarkably well compared to Yorkshire as a whole, which suffered a 8.7% fall in applications to its universities. One of the few universities to buck the downward trend completely was York’s local rival, York St. John, which saw an 11.2% increase in applicants for 2012 entry.
David Duncan, University Registrar, was positive about York’s application rates when he spoke to Vision.
“We are pleased that applications for York have held up so well. The fact the applications are down overall by less than half a per cent will in itself have no impact on the quality of teaching offered at York.”
Students applying in this cycle are the first year to face an almost 300% rise in tuition fees, to £9,000 per year. When the government introduced a similar percentile rise in tuition fees in 2006, applications fell by 4.5%.
In an official statement from UCAS, Chief Executive Mary Cook encouraged students not to be off-put by the squeeze on places, fall in applications and sky-high fee rise.
However, concerns over the value of undertaking a degree have once again been raised, as a report released by Office of National Statistics on the same day confirmed fears of a the possibility of a “lost generation of young people” as 16-24 employment figures reached a record low. This is coupled with a growing fear high tuition fees will damage the social diversity and inclusivity of Britain’s universities.
Yet both Duncan and Simon Willis, Head of Student Admissions, dismissed any concerns. “We haven’t noticed any change in the characteristics of our applicants this year compared to last, for instance in the proportion applying from different types of schools”, Willis told Vision.