LinkedinGoogle+YouTubeFacebookTwitter

Data reported for applications considered on time for 15 January deadline

  1. Total applicant numbers at this stage of the cycle are 7.4% lower than at the same point in 2011.
  2. The number of applicants from the UK has decreased by 8.7% overall. Applicants have decreased from all UK countries: England (-9.9%), Northern Ireland (-4.4%), Scotland (-1.5%) and Wales (-1.9%).
  3. The number of UK 18-year-old applicants (the largest single group) has decreased by 3.6 per cent compared to 2011, representing a drop of just under 8,500 people.
  4. Applicants from EU countries have decreased (by 11.2%) but there has been an increase in applicants from outside the EU of 13.7%.
  5. Applications have decreased to institutions located in England (-8.5%) and Wales (-9.3%) but are nearly unchanged in Northern Ireland (+0.1%) and Scotland (+0.2%).
  6. Applications from men have decreased more (-8.5%) than from women (-6.7%).
  7. Applications from older ranges have decreased more than the school leaver cohort.

Table 1: total applicants for all courses

Table 1: total applicants for all courses

2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Total applicants 583,546 540,073 -43,473 -7.4%
Total choices 2,547,983 2,368,565 -179,418 -7.0%


Table 2: total applicants by gender

Table 2: total applicants by gender
By gender 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Female 331,801 309,731 -22,070 -6.7%
Male 251,745 230,342 -21,403 -8.5%
Total 583,546 540,073 -43,473 -7.4%


Table 3: total applicants by age

Table 3: total applicants by age
By age 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
17 and under 12,798 12,812 14 0.1%
18 259,001 252,214 -6,787 -2.6%
19 137,531 120,151 -17,380 -12.6%
20 49,266 43,665 -5,601 -11.4%
21 24,934 22,126 -2,808 -11.3%
22 16,115 14,623 -1,492 -9.3%
23 12,217 10,572 -1,645 -13.5%
24 9,349 8,350 -999 -10.7%
25 to 29 26,763 23,594 -3,169 -11.8%
30 to 39 23,962 21,579 -2,383 -9.9%
40 and over 11,610 10,387 -1,223 -10.5%
Total 583,546 540,073 -43,473 -7.4%


Table 4a: total applicants by domicile (UK, other EU, non-EU)

Table 4a: total applicants by domicile (UK, other EU, non-EU)
By domicile 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
UK 506,388 462,507 -43,881 -8.7%
Other EU 40,790 36,205 -4,585 -11.2%
Non EU 36,368 41,361 4,993 13.7%
Total 583,546 540,073 -43,473 -7.4%


Table 4b: total applicants by domicile (UK only; arranged by country)

Table 4b: total applicants by domicile (UK only; arranged by country)
By UK country 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
England 426,208 384,170 -42,038 -9.9%
Northern Ireland 19,130 18,292 -838 -4.4%
Scotland 39,761 39,169 -592 -1.5%
Wales 21,289 20,876 -413 -1.9%
Total 506,388 462,507 -43,881 -8.7%


Table 4c: 18 year old applicants only by UK country

Table 4c: 18 year old applicants only by UK country
By UK country 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
England 201,308 193,026 -8,282 -4.1%
Northern Ireland 8,738 8,596 -142 -1.6%
Scotland 14,924 15,013 89 0.6%
Wales 10,330 10,208 -122 -1.2%
Total 235,300 226,843 -8,457 -3.6%


Table 4d: total applicants by domicile (UK only; arranged by region)

Table 4d: total applicants by domicile (UK only; arranged by region)
By UK region 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
East Midlands 33,465 30,018 -3,447 -10.3%
Eastern 43,653 39,191 -4,462 -10.2%
Greater London 80,474 72,621 -7,853 -9.8%
North East 19,026 16,887 -2,139 -11.2%
North West 58,371 52,873 -5,498 -9.4%
Northern Ireland 19,130 18,292 -838 -4.4%
Scotland 39,761 39,169 -592 -1.5%
South East 68,815 61,799 -7,016 -10.2%
South West 40,210 35,156 -5,054 -12.6%
Wales 21,289 20,876 -413 -1.9%
West Midlands 43,274 40,110 -3,164 -7.3%
Yorks & The Humber 38,920 35,515 -3,405 -8.7%
Total 506,388 462,507 -43,881 -8.7%


Table 4e: total applicants by domicile (other EU and non-EU only)

Table 4e: total applicants by domicile (other EU and non-EU only)
By OS country 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Africa 3,373 3,549 176 5.2%
Americas 4,799 5,259 460 9.6%
Australasia 442 532 90 20.4%
EU (ex. Ireland) 34,080 30,771 -3,309 -9.7%
Ireland 6,710 5,434 -1,276 -19.0%
Europe (ex.EU) 3,268 3,537 269 8.2%
Far E(ex HK/Mal) 15,544 17,517 1,973 12.7%
Hong Kong 3,641 4,998 1,357 37.3%
Malaysia 2,267 2,590 323 14.2%
Middle East 2,924 3,297 373 12.8%
Other Overseas 110 82 -28 -25.5%
Total 77,158 77,566 408 0.5%


Table 4f: total applicants by declared area of permanent residence and country of institution

Table 4f: applicants by declared area of permanent residence and country of institution

Country of Institution
Domicile of Applicant
England N. Ireland Scotland Wales
England 2012 383,562 2,087 24,519 36,195
2011 425,449 1,796 25,985 41,249
% change -9.8% 16.2% -5.6% -12.3%
N. Ireland 2012 9,536 16,171 5,128 935
2011 11,059 16,413 6,039 1,104
% change -13.8% -1.5% -15.1% -15.3%
Scotland 2012 3,975 169 38,559 190
2011 4,752 170 38,986 314
% change -16.4% -0.6% -1.1% -39.5%
Wales 2012 14,978 86 838 16,623
2011 14,606 67 825 17,409
% change 2.5% 28.4% 1.6% -4.5%
Other EU 2012 29,740 1,879 16,902 3,086
2011 35,521 2,058 15,938 3,557
% change -16.3% -8.7% 6.0% -13.2%
Non EU 2012 40,521 514 10,418 3,498
2011 35,606 371 8,353 3,122
% change 13.8% 38.5% 24.7% 12.0%
Total 2012 482,312 20,906 96,364 60,527
2011 526,993 20,875 96,126 66,755
% change -8.5% 0.1% 0.2% -9.3%


Table notes:

  • An applicant has a maximum count of 1 to each 'country of institution'.
  • If an applicant's choices include multiple countries then the applicant is counted once within each 'country of institution' present.


Table 5: total applicants by application month

Table 5: total applicants by application month
By application month 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
September 13,383 9,652 -3,731 -27.9%
October 85,538 80,954 -4,584 -5.4%
November 138,642 124,351 -14,291 -10.3%
December 156,274 153,086 -3,188 -2.0%
January 189,709 172,030 -17,679 -9.3%
Total 583,546 540,073 -43,473 -7.4%


Applicant volume by month Cumulative applicant volume by month

Table 6: total applications (choices) by JACS3 subject group

Table 6: total applications (choices) by JACS3 subject group
JACS3 Subject Group 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Group A Medicine & Dentistry 97,409 94,374 -3,035 -3.1%
Group B Subjects allied to Medicine 323,059 329,733 6,674 2.1%
Group C Biological Sciences 210,832 201,653 -9,179 -4.4%
Group D Vet Sci,Ag & related 25,347 24,747 -600 -2.4%
Group F Physical Sciences 94,133 93,587 -546 -0.6%
Group G Mathematical & Comp Sci 43,376 42,148 -1,228 -2.8%
Group H Engineering 118,823 117,221 -1,602 -1.3%
Group I Computer Sciences 82,096 76,855 -5,241 -6.4%
Group J Technologies 10,146 8,340 -1,806 -17.8%
Group K Architecture,Build & Plan 42,810 35,825 -6,985 -16.3%
Group L Social Studies 216,272 190,115 -26,157 -12.1%
Group M Law 107,726 103,613 -4,113 -3.8%
Group N Business & Admin studies 276,637 260,879 -15,758 -5.7%
Group P Mass Comms and Documentation 55,723 47,575 -8,148 -14.6%
Group Q Linguistics, Classics & related 67,970 62,266 -5,704 -8.4%
Group R European Langs, Lit & related 24,406 21,675 -2,731 -11.2%
Group T Non-European Langs and related 7,852 6,165 -1,687 -21.5%
Group V Hist & Philosophical studies 79,786 73,967 -5,819 -7.3%
Group W Creative Arts & Design 271,931 227,729 -44,202 -16.3%
Group X Education 86,564 80,578 -5,986 -6.9%
Y Combined arts 65,640 55,042 -10,598 -16.1%
Y Combined sciences 37,315 33,898 -3,417 -9.2%
Y Combined social sciences 30,151 26,581 -3,570 -11.8%
Y Sciences combined with social sciences or arts 95,615 78,671 -16,944 -17.7%
Y Social sciences combined with arts 59,373 51,007 -8,366 -14.1%
Z General, other combined & unknown 16,991 24,321 7,330 43.1%
Total 2,547,983 2,368,565 -179,418 -7.0%

View a further breakdown of applications by JACS 3 subject line


Table 7: total applicants for all courses (5 years)

Data reported for applications considered on time for 15 January deadline

Table 7: total applicants for all courses (5 years)

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

430,489 464,167 570,556 583,546 540,073
Diff (+/-)
33,678 106,389 12,990 -43,473
Diff (%)
7.8% 22.9% 2.3% -7.4%


Total applicants (5 years)



Back to 2012