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2012 applicant figures - March

Data reported as at Monday 19 March 2012 compared to Monday 20 March 2011

Table 1: total applicants for all courses

March 2012 total applicants for all courses

2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Total applicants 618,116 572,242 -45,874 -7.4%
Total choices 2,677,820 2,488,584 -189,236 -7.1%


Table 2: total applicants by gender

March 2012 total applicants by gender
By gender 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Female 350,816 327,233 -23,583 -6.7%
Male 267,300 245,009 -22,291 -8.3%
Total 618,116 572,242 -45,874 -7.4%


Table 3: total applicants by age

March 2012 total applicants by age
By age 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
17 and under 13,280 13,337 57 0.4%
18 263,069 256,233 -6,836 -2.6%
19 144,001 126,218 -17,783 -12.3%
20 54,317 48,362 -5,955 -11.0%
21 28,401 25,303 -3,098 -10.9%
22 18,516 16,788 -1,728 -9.3%
23 14,031 12,222 -1,809 -12.9%
24 10,661 9,552 -1,109 -10.4%
25 to 29 30,513 27,116 -3,397 -11.1%
30 to 39 27,557 24,794 -2,763 -10.0%
40 and over 13,770 12,317 -1,453 -10.6%
Total 618,116 572,242 -45,874 -7.4%


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

March 2012 total applicants by domicile (UK, other EU, non-EU)
By domicile 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
UK 532,056 486,100 -45,956 -8.6%
Other EU 43,331 38,259 -5,072 -11.7%
Non EU 42,729 47,883 5,154 12.1%
Total 618,116 572,242 -45,874 -7.4%


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

March 2012 total applicants by domicile (UK only; arranged by country)
By UK country 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
England 448,315 404,491 -43,824 -9.8%
Northern Ireland 19,579 18,724 -855 -4.4%
Scotland 41,668 40,884 -784 -1.9%
Wales 22,494 22,001 -493 -2.2%
Total 532,056 486,100 -45,956 -8.6%


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

March 2012 18 year old applicants only by UK country
By UK country 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
England 203,485 195,105 -8,380 -4.1%
Northern Ireland 8,770 8,625 -145 -1.7%
Scotland 15,096 15,154 58 0.4%
Wales 10,454 10,315 -139 -1.3%
Total 237,805 229,199 -8,606 -3.6%


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

March 2012 total applicants by domicile (UK only; arranged by region)
By UK region 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
East Midlands 35,068 31,427 -3,641 -10.4%
Eastern 45,786 41,111 -4,675 -10.2%
Greater London 85,323 77,068 -8,255 -9.7%
North East 20,124 17,842 -2,282 -11.3%
North West 61,627 56,035 -5,592 -9.1%
Northern Ireland 19,579 18,724 -855 -4.4%
Scotland 41,668 40,884 -784 -1.9%
South East 71,623 64,312 -7,311 -10.2%
South West 42,119 36,881 -5,238 -12.4%
Wales 22,494 22,001 -493 -2.2%
West Midlands 45,587 42,274 -3,313 -7.3%
Yorks & The Humber 41,058 37,541 -3,517 -8.6%
Total 532,056 486,100 -45,956 -8.6%


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

March 2012 total applicants by domicile (other EU and non-EU only)
By OS country 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Africa 4,276 4,668 392 9.2%
Americas 5,569 6,075 506 9.1%
Australasia 489 563 74 15.1%
EU (ex. Ireland) 36,271 32,535 -3,736 -10.3%
Ireland 7,060 5,724 -1,336 -18.9%
Europe (ex.EU) 4,000 4,324 324 8.1%
Far E(ex HK/Mal) 18,178 19,998 1,820 10.0%
Hong Kong 3,880 5,297 1,417 36.5%
Malaysia 2,702 2,999 297 11.0%
Middle East 3,509 3,863 354 10.1%
Other Overseas 126 96 -30 -23.8%
Total 86,060 86,142 82 0.1%


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

March 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 403,733 2,134 24,911 36,967
2011 447,403 1,831 26,383 42,245
% change -9.8% 16.5% -5.6% -12.5%
N. Ireland 2012 9,741 16,517 5,195 955
2011 11,278 16,760 6,115 1,127
% change -13.6% -1.4% -15.0% -15.3%
Scotland 2012 4,150 177 40,204 206
2011 4,935 180 40,828 328
% change -15.9% -1.7% -1.5% -37.2%
Wales 2012 15,441 87 855 17,603
2011 15,106 72 834 18,472
% change 2.2% 20.8% 2.5% -4.7%
Other EU 2012 31,461 1,958 17,512 3,295
2011 37,721 2,133 16,511 3,897
% change -16.6% -8.2% 6.1% -15.4%
Non EU 2012 46,739 646 11,673 4,416
2011 41,457 490 9,555 4,217
% change 12.7% 31.8% 22.2% 4.7%
Total 2012 511,265 21,519 100,350 63,442
2011 557,900 21,466 100,226 70,286
% change -8.4% 0.2% 0.1% -9.7%


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

March 2012 total applicants by application month
By application month 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
September 13,378 9,649 -3,729 -27.9%
October 85,534 80,950 -4,584 -5.4%
November 138,637 124,334 -14,303 -10.3%
December 156,275 153,059 -3,216 -2.1%
January 202,563 185,394 -17,169 -8.5%
February 12,406 11,490 -916 -7.4%
March 9,323 7,366 -1,957 -21.0%
Total 618,116 572,242 -45,874 -7.4%


Applicant volume by month Cumulative applicant volume by month

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

March 2012 applicant figures - Applications (Choices) by JACS3 Subject Group
JACS3 Subject Group 2011 2012 Diff (+/-) Diff (%)
Group A Medicine & Dentistry 96,937 94,054 -2,883 -3.0%
Group B Subjects allied to Medicine 344,958 349,376 4,418 1.3%
Group C Biological Sciences 218,889 209,620 -9,269 -4.2%
Group D Vet Sci,Ag & related 26,455 25,832 -623 -2.4%
Group F Physical Sciences 96,367 95,826 -541 -0.6%
Group G Mathematical & Comp Sci 44,242 43,071 -1,171 -2.6%
Group H Engineering 126,730 125,104 -1,626 -1.3%
Group I Computer Science 88,034 82,742 -5,292 -6.0%
Group J Technologies 10,958 9,010 -1,948 -17.8%
Group K Architecture,Build & Plan 45,620 38,167 -7,453 -16.3%
Group L Social Studies 229,173 202,115 -27,058 -11.8%
Group M Law 113,748 109,470 -4,278 -3.8%
Group N Business & Admin studies 297,020 280,271 -16,749 -5.6%
Group P Mass Comms and Documentation 58,541 50,326 -8,215 -14.0%
Group Q Linguistics, Classics & related 69,508 63,774 -5,734 -8.2%
Group R European Langs, Lit & related 24,866 22,102 -2,764 -11.1%
Group T Non-European Langs and related 8,071 6,450 -1,621 -20.1%
Group V Hist & Philosophical studies 81,445 75,593 -5,852 -7.2%
Group W Creative Arts & Design 287,100 240,600 -46,500 -16.2%
Group X Education 89,817 82,942 -6,875 -7.7%
Y Combined arts 67,994 56,835 -11,159 -16.4%
Y Combined sciences 39,714 36,005 -3,709 -9.3%
Y Combined social sciences 31,785 27,964 -3,821 -12.0%
Y Sciences combined with social sciences or arts 100,285 82,952 -17,333 -17.3%
Y Social sciences combined with arts 61,769 53,095 -8,674 -14.0%
Z General, other combined & unknown 17,794 25,288 7,494 42.1%
Total 2,677,820 2,488,584 -189,236 -7.1%


View a further breakdown of applications by JACS 3 subject line

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