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2012 applicant figures - February

Data reported as at Monday 20 February 2012 (0:05:05) compared to Monday 21 February 2011 (0:05:05)

Table 1: total applicants for all courses

February 2012 total applicants for all courses

2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Total applicants 604,705 560,565 -44,140 -7.3%
Total choices 2,628,121 2,445,388 -182,733 -7.0%


Table 2: total applicants by gender

February 2012 total applicants by gender
By gender 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Female 343,333 320,768 -22,565 -6.6%
Male 261,372 239,797 -21,575 -8.3%
Total 604,705 560,565 -44,140 -7.3%


Table 3: total applicants by age

February 2012 total applicants by age
By age 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
17 and under 13,043 13,092 49 0.4%
18 261,817 254,982 -6,835 -2.6%
19 141,675 124,097 -17,578 -12.4%
20 52,371 46,653 -5,718 -10.9%
21 27,051 24,171 -2,880 -10.6%
22 17,541 15,972 -1,569 -8.9%
23 13,311 11,565 -1,746 -13.1%
24 10,141 9,130 -1,011 -10.0%
25 to 29 28,934 25,771 -3,163 -10.9%
30 to 39 25,988 23,553 -2,435 -9.4%
40 and over 12,833 11,579 -1,254 -9.8%
Total 604,705 560,565 -44,140 -7.3%


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

February 2012 total applicants by domicile (UK, other EU, non-EU)
By domicile 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
UK 522,810 478,285 -44,525 -8.5%
Other EU 42,330 37,449 -4,881 -11.5%
Non EU 39,565 44,831 5,266 13.3%
Total 604,705 560,565 -44,140 -7.3%


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

February 2012 total applicants by domicile (UK only; arranged by country)
By UK country 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
England 440,362 397,652 -42,710 -9.7%
Northern Ireland 19,424 18,603 -821 -4.2%
Scotland 41,005 40,420 -585 -1.4%
Wales 22,019 21,610 -409 -1.9%
Total 522,810 478,285 -44,525 -8.5%


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

February 2012 18 year old applicants only by UK country
By UK country 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
England 202,964 194,579 -8,385 -4.1%
Northern Ireland 8,765 8,621 -144 -1.6%
Scotland 15,051 15,119 68 0.5%
Wales 10,422 10,290 -132 -1.3%
Total 237,202 228,609 -8,593 -3.6%


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

February 2012 total applicants by domicile (UK only; arranged by region)
By UK region 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
East Midlands 34,496 30,988 -3,508 -10.2%
Eastern 45,004 40,399 -4,605 -10.2%
Greater London 83,567 75,540 -8,027 -9.6%
North East 19,789 17,546 -2,243 -11.3%
North West 60,462 55,035 -5,427 -9.0%
Northern Ireland 19,424 18,603 -821 -4.2%
Scotland 41,005 40,420 -585 -1.4%
South East 70,535 63,434 -7,101 -10.1%
South West 41,393 36,236 -5,157 -12.5%
Wales 22,019 21,610 -409 -1.9%
West Midlands 44,773 41,589 -3,184 -7.1%
Yorks & The Humber 40,343 36,885 -3,458 -8.6%
Total 522,810 478,285 -44,525 -8.5%


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

February 2012 total applicants by domicile (other EU and non-EU only)
By OS country 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Africa 3,801 4,082 281 7.4%
Americas 5,304 5,778 474 8.9%
Australasia 466 547 81 17.4%
EU (ex. Ireland) 35,352 31,790 -3,562 -10.1%
Ireland 6,978 5,659 -1,319 -18.9%
Europe (ex.EU) 3,622 3,996 374 10.3%
Far E(ex HK/Mal) 16,747 18,735 1,988 11.9%
Hong Kong 3,760 5,165 1,405 37.4%
Malaysia 2,490 2,838 348 14.0%
Middle East 3,257 3,603 346 10.6%
Other Overseas 118 87 -31 -26.3%
Total 81,895 82,280 385 0.5%


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

February 2012 total applicants by declared area of permanent residence and country of institution

Country of Institution
Domicile of Applicant
England N. Ireland Scotland Wales
England 2012 396,980 2,117 24,789 36,739
2011 439,532 1,823 26,262 41,898
% change -9.7% 16.1% -5.6% -12.3%
N. Ireland 2012 9,682 16,421 5,179 950
2011 11,211 16,641 6,097 1,119
% change -13.6% -1.3% -15.1% -15.1%
Scotland 2012 4,084 175 39,774 197
2011 4,865 176 40,194 321
% change -16.1% -0.6% -1.0% -38.6%
Wales 2012 15,293 86 850 17,261
2011 14,922 71 828 18,057
% change 2.5% 21.1% 2.7% -4.4%
Other EU 2012 30,749 1,937 17,316 3,219
2011 36,814 2,114 16,348 3,762
% change -16.5% -8.4% 5.9% -14.4%
Non EU 2012 43,825 582 11,122 3,967
2011 38,548 400 8,999 3,664
% change 13.7% 45.5% 23.6% 8.3%
Total 2012 500,613 21,318 99,030 62,333
2011 545,892 21,225 98,728 68,821
% change -8.3% 0.4% 0.3% -9.4%


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

February 2012 total applicants by application month
By application month 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
September 13,381 9,650 -3,731 -27.9%
October 85,536 80,951 -4,585 -5.4%
November 138,638 124,341 -14,297 -10.3%
December 156,276 153,072 -3,204 -2.1%
January 202,550 185,409 -17,141 -8.5%
February 8,324 7,142 -1,182 -14.2%
Total 604,705 560,565 -44,140 -7.3%


Applicant volume by month Cumulative applicant volume by month

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

February 2012 applicant figures - Applications (Choices) by JACS3 Subject Group
JACS3 Subject Group 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Group A Medicine & Dentistry 97,233 94,320 -2,913 -3.0%
Group B Subjects allied to Medicine 336,385 342,383 5,998 1.8%
Group C Biological Sciences 215,860 206,698 -9,162 -4.2%
Group D Vet Sci,Ag & related 26,099 25,536 -563 -2.2%
Group F Physical Sciences 95,594 95,032 -562 -0.6%
Group G Mathematical & Comp Sci 43,887 42,642 -1,245 -2.8%
Group H Engineering 123,419 122,068 -1,351 -1.1%
Group I Computer Science 85,921 80,854 -5,067 -5.9%
Group J Technologies 10,609 8,761 -1,848 -17.4%
Group K Architecture,Build & Plan 44,608 37,235 -7,373 -16.5%
Group L Social Studies 224,131 197,652 -26,479 -11.8%
Group M Law 111,278 107,302 -3,976 -3.6%
Group N Business & Admin studies 288,426 272,622 -15,804 -5.5%
Group P Mass Comms and Documentation 57,513 49,432 -8,081 -14.1%
Group Q Linguistics, Classics & related 68,932 63,214 -5,718 -8.3%
Group R European Langs, Lit & related 24,649 21,984 -2,665 -10.8%
Group T Non-European Langs and related 7,954 6,260 -1,694 -21.3%
Group V Hist & Philosophical studies 80,822 74,903 -5,919 -7.3%
Group W Creative Arts & Design 281,852 236,522 -45,330 -16.1%
Group X Education 88,838 82,169 -6,669 -7.5%
Y Combined arts 67,268 56,263 -11,005 -16.4%
Y Combined sciences 38,663 35,198 -3,465 -9.0%
Y Combined social sciences 31,144 27,534 -3,610 -11.6%
Y Sciences combined with social sciences or arts 98,746 81,571 -17,175 -17.4%
Y Social sciences combined with arts 60,828 52,387 -8,441 -13.9%
Z General, other combined & unknown 17,462 24,846 7,384 42.3%
Total 2,628,121 2,445,388 -182,733 -7.0%


View a further breakdown of applications by JACS 3 subject line

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